• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.8-18
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• 1996

Korea will soon experience a high demand for medical rehabilitation specialists, if it tries to deliver advanced health welfare service. In order to medical rehabilitation manpower policies, this study attempts to analyse, estimate and plan a long-term supply for physiatrists, physical therapists, and occupational therapists. The study analysed both national and foreign statistical data of manpower supply for medical rehabilitation specialists. A structured category of questionnaire was developed to survey the opinions of regarding the supply for rehabilitation specialists in Korea. Based on the above data, the demand of and supply for each specialists were estimated for long term up to the year 2030. Based on the comparative analysis results of the future demand and supply, the author intended to develop a new supply plan for the three specialist categories. The major findings of the supply plan are as follows : First, the replied proper mean ratios of rehabilitation professionals(physiatrists : physical therapists occupational therapists) appeared 1 : 5.93 : 3.59, and there is no significant difference between interprofessionals (p>0.05). Secons, the estimated demand for rehabilitation services by interprofessionals appeared significant difference among the interprofessionals (p<0.05).

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.19-35
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• 1997

Korea will soon experience a high demand for medical rehabilitation specialists, if it tries to deliver advanced health welfare service. In order to medical rehabilitation manpower policies, this study attempts to analyse, estimate and plan a long-term supply for physiatrists, physical therapists, and occupational therapists. The study analysed both national and foreign statistical data of manpower supply for medical rehabilitation specialists. Based on the above data, the demand of and supply for each specialists were estimated for long term up to the year 2030. Based on the comparative analysis results of the future demand and supply. the author intended to develop a new supply plan for the three specialist categories. The major finding of the supply plan are as follows : First, as for the supply plan for physiatrists, the author recommends to adopt the demand estimation 1 as the most suitable. In order to prevent an oversupply of physiatrists, the supply plan 1 is recommended which annual enrollment of specialists will maintain with the quota of fixed number of 63 from the year of 1999. Second, it is estimated that there was already an oversupply of physical therapists in Korea. This oversupply is expected to continue even though there would be an increase in rehabilitation hospital beds, rehabilitation facilities for the elderly, and nursing homes, Thus, it would be desirable to cut down the number of students admitted to physical therapy schools each year. Third, there will be a high demand for occupational therapists in the near future as people become more aware of the usefulness of this therapy. Thus, it is urgent to establish a supply plan to meet the demand. Given the close relationship between physical therapy and occupational therapy, the study recommends that the universities already having the the department of physical therapy open the department of occupational therapy as well.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.331-336
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of the craniocervical posture on swallowing and hyoid bone movement with sitting posture in wheelchair, and to provide basic data for developing a treatment program for dysphagia. A total of sixty healthy adults without a history of dysphagia who were guardians or care assistants of inpatients at Hospital K underwent video fluoroscopy performed by physiatrists from April to July 2009. The results of the fluoroscopy were analyzed based on the measurement of hyoid bone movements. The hyoid bone movement(horizontal, vertical, and diagonal) was significantly high in the neutral craniocervical, chin-tuck, and sixty degrees extension postures, in descending order(p<.05). It was found that the neutral craniocervical posture is the most effective posture for hyoid bone movement with sitting posture in wheelchair.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.89-100
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• 2016

Inclusive design is increasingly gaining attention, as some people find using products difficult after becoming physically impaired, despite daily use. However, making inclusive products is a challenge for designers or companies, as a lack of knowledge and tools stems their low involvement in it. Developing inclusive design tools is thus needed. This study developed criteria to assess upper extremity capabilities corresponding to specific daily activities. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 58 physiatrists and orthopedists. Non-parametric statistics were employed and medians were adopted as representative scores in the assessment criteria based on normality and reliability test results, non-normal data, and strong reliability of respondents in ranking. Consequently, an assessment tool was developed with 14 criteria (divided into range of motion and strength) and capability scores between 0 and 100, which discerned the moderately impaired from the severely disabled and fully capable. Since the doctors agreed to adopt the criteria but assign numeric values, especially for mild impairments, their capability assessment perception was likely influenced by dichotomy. To compensate for these deficits, qualitative or ergonomic approaches are considered simultaneously.

• The Journal of Korean society of community based occupational therapy
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.33-42
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• 2019

Objective : The aim of this study was to evaluate the current knowledge regarding constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) and its application in clinical practice by physiatrists and therapists in pediatric rehabilitation area in Korea. Methods : Online survey via E-mails was sent to a total of 510 members (204 physiatrists and 306 therapists) of the Korean Society of Pediatric Rehabilitation and Developmental Medicine (KSPRDM). Results : The response rate was 35.1% (179 of 510). A total of 179 questionnaires was completed by 39 physiatrists, 89 physiotherapists, 48 occupational therapists, and 3 speech therapists. 45.8% of responders had worked over 6 years in the pediatric rehabilitation setting and a total of 58.1% (n=104) of the sample had used CIMT. The main limitations of clinically applying CIMT included limited staff and inappropriate clinical setting (35.1%, n=61), lack of understanding (19.5%, n=34), and developmental issues of function on the unaffected side (13.8%, n=24). The cooperation of patients (77.6%, n=76), cognitive/behavioral factors (42.9%, n=42), and cooperation of caregivers (25.5%, n=25) were the 3 major concerns that could be limitations with CIMT. Conclusions : Although considerable evidence supports the use of CIMT, many of physiatrist and therapists do not apply this method in practice. The improvement of limitations is necessary for wide use of CIMT in clinical practice in Korea.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.120-127
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• 2024

Background: Physiatrists are facing with survivors from disasters in both the acute and chronic phases of muscle and nerve injuries. Similar to many other clinical conditions, neuromusculoskeletal ultrasound can play a key role in the management of such cases (with various muscle/nerve injuries) as well. Accordingly, in this article, a recent single-center experience after the Turkey-Syria earthquake will be rendered. Methods: Ultrasound examinations were performed for various nerve/muscle lesions in 52 earthquake victims referred from different cities. Demographic features, type of injuries, and applied treatment procedures as well as detailed ultrasonographic findings are illustrated. Results: Of the 52 patients, 19 had incomplete peripheral nerve lesions of the brachial plexus (n=4), lumbosacral plexus (n=1), and upper and lower limbs (n=14). Conclusion: The ultrasonographic approach during disaster relief is paramount as regards subacute and chronic phases of rehabilitation. Considering technological advances (e.g., portable machines), the use of on-site ultrasound examination in the (very) early phases of disaster response also needs to be on the agenda of medical personnel.

• Clinical Pain
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.88-91
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• 2019

Unexplained pain and weakness, i.e., without obvious predisposing factors, are often encountered by physiatrists and efforts should be made to determine the cause. A 63-year-old male presented with radiating pain in his right arm and mild weakness of the right hand. An electrodiagnostic examination revealed distal symmetric sensory polyneuropathy in the upper and lower extremities, and denervation potentials in the forearm muscles, which were inconsistent with the cervical spine MRI images and symptoms. A predisposing undiscovered disease was revealed, i.e., squamous cell carcinoma in the lung; brain metastasis affecting the left primary motor cortex was also detected. Therefore, we concluded that the pain and weakness were related to paraneoplastic syndrome and brain metastases of the hand knob. The observed denervation potentials were characterized as trans-synaptic changes in the brain metastasis. This case highlights the importance of unexplainable focal pain and weakness in the increasing prevalence of cancer.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.86 no.2
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• pp.133-141
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• 2023

Background: The present study evaluated the association between participation in a rehabilitation program during a hospital stay and 1-year survival of patients requiring at least 21 days of mechanical ventilation (prolonged mechanical ventilation [PMV]) with various respiratory diseases as their main diagnoses that led to mechanical ventilation. Methods: Retrospective data of 105 patients (71.4% male, mean age 70.1±11.3 years) who received PMV in the past 5 years were analyzed. Rehabilitation included physiotherapy, physical rehabilitation, and dysphagia treatment program that was individually provided by physiatrists. Results: The main diagnosis leading to mechanical ventilation was pneumonia (n=101, 96.2%) and the 1-year survival rate was 33.3% (n=35). One-year survivors had lower Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score (20.2±5.8 vs. 24.2±7.5, p=0.006) and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score (6.7±5.6 vs. 8.5±2.7, p=0.001) on the day of intubation than non-survivors. More survivors participated in a rehabilitation program during their hospital stays (88.6% vs. 57.1%, p=0.001). The rehabilitation program was an independent factor for 1-year survival based on the Cox proportional hazard model (hazard ratio, 3.513; 95% confidence interval, 1.785 to 6.930; p<0.001) in patients with APACHE II scores ≤23 (a cutoff value based on Youden's index). Conclusion: Our study showed that participation in a rehabilitation program during hospital stay was associated with an improvement of 1-year survival of PMV patients who had less severe illness on the day of intubation.