• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.291-296
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• 2021

This study examined the effects of the forward head posture on the maximum mouth opening of the jaw joint and the muscle activity and asymmetry of the temporalis and masseter. The craniovertebral angle was measured in 50 subjects (23.10±2.73 years) who met the selection requirements of the study. The maximum mouth opening, muscle activity, and muscle asymmetry were measured by reducing 0%, 10%, and 20%. As the craniovertebral angle decreased, the maximum mouth opening decreased (p<.001), the muscle activity of the right and left temporalis decreased (p<.001), and the muscle activity of the left temporalis also decreased. (p<.01). The asymmetry rate of the added muscles of the left and right temporalis, left and right temporalis, and masseter increased according to the change in condition (p<.01). The results of this study are expected to help establish a treatment strategy and comprehensive diagnosis for the temporomandibular joint and present a theoretical basis of manual therapy and therapeutic exercises used for the treatment of TMD.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.254-264
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• 2019

Objective: To evaluate the short-term changes in masticatory muscle activity and mandibular movement patterns after orthognathic surgery in skeletal Class III patients with facial asymmetry. Methods: Twenty-seven skeletal Class III adult patients were divided into two groups based on the degree of facial asymmetry: the experimental group (n = 17 [11 male and 6 female]; menton deviation ${\geq}4mm$) and control group (n = 10 [4 male and 6 female]; menton deviation < 1.6 mm). Cephalography, electromyography (EMG) for the anterior temporalis (TA) and masseter muscles (MM), and mandibular movement (range of motion [ROM] and average chewing pattern [ACP]) were evaluated before (T0) and 7 to 8 months (T1) after the surgery. Results: There were no significant postoperative changes in the EMG potentials of the TA and MM in both groups, except in the anterior cotton roll biting test, in which the masticatory muscle activity had changed into an MM-dominant pattern postoperatively in both groups. In the experimental group, the amount of maximum opening, protrusion, and lateral excursion to the non-deviated side were significantly decreased. The turning point tended to be shorter and significantly moved medially during chewing in the non-deviated side in the experimental group. Conclusions: In skeletal Class III patients with facial asymmetry, the EMG activity characteristics recovered to presurgical levels within 7 to 8 months after the surgery. Correction of the asymmetry caused limitation in jaw movement in terms of both ROM and ACP on the non-deviated side.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.229-236
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• 2013

Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of wearing spandex underwear on the muscle activity and heart rate during flexion and extension of trunk and knee joint. Background: Back pain continues to be the leading overall cause of physical illness and lowering productivity in workplace. Recently, the utility of assistive garment or back belt have been discussed to lessen the back pain as well as to preserve the right posture. Method: Ten males and ten females participated in the experiment. Gender, wearing spandex underwear and postures were used for independent variables, and muscle activity, the level of asymmetry of muscle activity and variation of heart rate were used as dependent variables. Muscle activity and heart rate were measured during flexion and extension of trunk and knee joint. Results: When wearing spandex underwear, the muscle activity was relatively low compared to the condition not wearing the spandex underwear. The symmetry of muscle activity and the variation of heart rate were statistically significant at the 0.05 significance level. In particular, it was found that the symmetry of muscle activity increased while wearing spandex underwear. Conclusion: Spandex underwear has an effect that can reduce asymmetry of right and left muscles which are relevant to leg because spandex underwear equally supports right and left low-back muscles. Application: The spandex underwear used in this study can apply to the rehabilitation as an useful assistive device.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.100-106
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• 2014

Purpose: This study was performed to investigate the relationship between temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) and the asymmetry of the mandibular height. Methods: We compared 100 randomly selected TMD patients diagnosed by the research diagnostic criteria for TMD (RDC/TMD) Axis I with 100 non-TMD control subjects matched with the TMD patients in age and gender. The mandibular heights were measured on an orthopantomogram and the asymmetry index (AI) was calculated as previously described. Results: The absolute AI value of 4.37% turned out to be the least cut-off value defining asymmetry, which showed a significant difference in asymmetry incidence (p<0.01) between the TMD and control groups. The risk of TMD increased in the asymmetry group by 4.57 (odds ratio). The incidence of asymmetry was not related to age and gender in both of the TMD and control groups. When dividing the TMD group according to the RDC/TMD Axis I diagnosis, neither the incidence of muscle disorder nor disk displacement was related to the incidence of asymmetry. However, a higher incidence of asymmetry was observed in the subjects classified into the arthrosis/arthritis groups (p<0.01). Conclusions: Although it does not imply a direct cause-and-effect relationship, asymmetry resulting in more than 4.37% difference between mandibular heights may increase the risk of TMD and correlates positively to the incidence of arthritic change in the temporomandibular joint of TMD patients.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.37
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• pp.29.1-29.7
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• 2015

Facial asymmetry is found in patients with or without cosmetic facial alterations. Some patients have facial asymmetry that manifests underlying skeletal problems, while others have only limited soft-tissue facial asymmetry. Orthognathic surgery brings about a dermatic change, as soft tissue covers underlying bones. Limited soft-tissue asymmetry, meanwhile, is difficult to correct. The treatment modalities for the creation or restoration of an esthetically pleasing appearance were autogenous fat grafts, cartilage graft, and silicon injections. A young female patient had right-side facial asymmetry. The clinical assessment involved visual inspection of the face and palpation to differentiate soft tissue and bone. Although the extra-oral examination found facial asymmetry with skin atrophy, the radiographic findings revealed no mandibular atrophy or deviation. She was diagnosed as localized scleroderma with muscle spasm. In conclusion, facial asymmetry patients with skeletal asymmetry can be esthetically satisfied by orthognathic surgery; however, facial atrophy patients with skin or subdermal tissue contraction need treatment by cosmetic dermatological surgery and orthodontic correction.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.93-100
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• 2014

Objectives To evaluate the clinical utility of MET performed on sternocleidomastoid muscle of acute nuchal pain patients, we measured a change of meridian electromyography. Methods We compared electrical activity before and after MET performed on sternocleidomastoid muscle of acute nuchal pain patients in same group (n=20) in isometric exercise state during five seconds. We analyzed amplitudes and areas of electrical activity and asymmetry index (AI). Results 1. After MET performed on sternocleidomastoid muscle of acute nuchal pain patients, maximum voluntary isomeric contraction (MVIC) was significantly increased more than before MET performed (p<0.005). 2. Comparing with before MET performed on sternocleidomastoid muscle of acute nuchal pain patients, muscle fatigue after MET performed on sternocleidomastoid muscle of acute nuchal pain patients decreased but there was no significant difference. 3. Comparing with before MET performed on sternocleidomastoid muscle of acute nuchal pain patients, asymmetry index (AI) after MET performed on sternocleidomastoid muscle of acute nuchal pain patients decreased but there was no significant difference. Conclusions According to above results, after performing MET on sternocleidomastoid muscle of acute nuchal pain patients, maximum voluntary isomeric contraction (MVIC) increased significantly, so it is certain that performing MET on sternocleidomastoid muscle has a clinical effect.

• Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.256-259
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• 2013

Botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) inhibits muscle contraction, which leads to reversible muscle atrophy and paralysis. Therefore, BTX-A injection can be an effective treatment of facial asymmetry that originated from the uncoordinated muscle movement. A 52-year-old patient was referred from another hospital for the correction of post-traumatic sequelae. The patient had prominent scar in the mandibular symphysis area with asymmetric lower lip movement. The reason for this asymmetric lower lip movement was due to damage in the lower lip depressor muscle. After the injection of BTX-A on the lower lip depressors, asymmetric lip movement has been improved.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.133-140
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• 2021

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the relative muscle activity on the erector spinae, gluteus maximus, and hamstring, using a non-visual feedback bridge exercise and a visual feedback bridge exercise with a tension sensor and clinometer. Methods: Twenty-two healthy subjects participated in this study. The study subjects performed bridge exercises without visual feedback, bridge exercises using a tension sensor, and bridge exercises using an inclinometer in the supine position, and the muscle activity of the left and right erector spinae, gluteus maximus, and hamstring muscles was measured while maintaining isometric contraction during the bridge movement. Muscle activity was measured by using surface an electromyography equipment. To standardize the measured action potential of each muscle, the maximum voluntary isometric contraction was measured. The bridge exercise was repeated 3 times for 5s each. Using repeated analysis of variance, we compared the significant difference in EMG activity for each muscle between the three experiments, and all statistical processing was performed using SPSS version 26. The statistical significance level was set at α = 0.05. Results: During bridging exercises, the asymmetry of the muscle activity of the erector spinae and gluteus maximus during visual feedback guiding was lower than that during no visual feedback. However, there was no significant difference. Moreover, the asymmetry of the muscle activity of the hamstring muscles was significantly lower during tension sensor visual feedback than that during no visual feedback (p<0.05). Conclusion: These findings suggest that bridge exercise with visual feedback using a tension sensor and an inclinometer is effective in inducing symmetrical movement. When it is necessary to symmetrically adjust the weight load of both feet during the bridge exercise, it is effective to apply visual feedback using a tension sensor.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.201-204
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• 2011

Objective : To quantitatively evaluate the asymmetry of the multifidus and psoas muscles in unilateral sciatica caused by lumbar disc herniation using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods : Seventy-six patients who underwent open microdiscectomy for unilateral L5 radiculopathy caused by disc herniation at the L4-5 level were enrolled, of which 39 patients (51.3%) had a symptom duration of 1 month or less (group A), and 37 (48.7%) had a symptom duration of 3 months or more (group B). The cross-sectional areas (CSAs) of the multifidus and psoas muscles were measured at the mid-portion of the L4-5 disc level on axial MRI, and compared between the diseased and normal sides in each group. Results : The mean symptom duration was $0.6{\pm}0.4$ months and $5.4{\pm}2.7$ months for groups A and B, respectively (p<0.001). There were no differences in the demographics between the 2 groups. There was a significant difference in the CSA of the multifidus muscle between the diseased and normal sides (p<0.01) in group B. In contrast, no significant multifidus muscle asymmetry was found in group A. The CSA of the psoas muscle was not affected by disc herniation in either group. Conclusion : The CSA of the multifidus muscle was reduced by lumbar disc herniation when symptom duration was 3 months or more.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.38-58
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• 2004

The regain of independent ambulatory ability is a important goal in the rehabilitation program of hemiplegic patient. Not only the function of lower extremity muscles, but also trunk muscles which stabilize extremities and pelvis, are important factors in normal gait. Therefor, it is necessary to develop an effective program which can improve muscle strength and symmetric activity of trunk muscles. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of trunk muscle strengthening by forceful respiratory exercise on the gait asymmetry ratio in hemiplegic patient. 45 Hemiplegic patients due to stroke was randomized in 3 groups, forceful expiratory training(FET), forceful inspiratory training(FIT) and control group. In the experimental groups, ordinary physical therapy with forceful expiratory training and forceful inspiratory training for 20 minutes duration 3 times per week for 6 weeks were respectively performed. In the control group, only ordinary physical therapy was done. Before and after experiments, temporal-spatial gait parameters was measured in all patients. The data of 28 patients who carried out the whole experimental course were statistically analysed. The results of these experiment are as follows : 1. In comparison of difference of single support time asymmetry ratio among 3 groups, the FET group was significantly decreased than the control group (p<.05). 2. In comparison of difference of step length asymmetry ratio among 3 groups, the FIT group was significantly decreased than the control group (p<.05). Based on these results, it is concluded that the forced respiratory exercise program for 6 weeks can be improve the gait asymmetry ratio in hemiplegic patients. Therefore, the forced respiratory exercise is useful to improve the walking ability in hemiplegic patients. Since this study dealt only with the patients who could walk more than 3 meters in distance on floor independently, the further study for evaluating the influence of the forceful respiratory exercise on patients with acute stage stroke and also the development in various methods of use are expected.