• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.81-86
• /
• 2016

The WMSDs are known to occur more in upper extremity than lower extremity, and such a ratio is increasing each year. The motions or repeated work requiring excessive strength beyond worker's maximum grip strength were known as a major cause of the WMSDs in upper extremity. To prevent the WMSDs in upper extremity, research on the grip strength characteristics analysis of field workers that can be used as basic data for work design and manual tool design is needed. The purpose of this study is to identify various variables affecting grip strength and is to find out the impacts of grip strength on WMSDs. This research measured the grip strength of 327 field workers at Heavy Industries, and also conducted a questionnaire survey on individual characteristics and job characteristics. As a result of analyzing grip strength, the grip strength was statistically significant (P<0.1) according to the body surface area (BSA) of the research subjects. The differences between percentile groups of grip strength were statistically significant (P<0.1) according to pain levels of hand/wrist/finger and arm/elbow. The comparison results between the average grip strength of Korean adult males and the average grip strength of the survey-targeted heavy industry workers show that the average grip strength of the heavy industry workers was higher by 9.75 kg. This study analyzed relationship between grip strength and the pain levels of hand/wrist/finger and arm/elbow, and compared the findings in this study with those of existing preceding studies. Also, this research comparatively analyzed the grip strength of Korean adult males and survey-targeted heavy industry workers. The findings of this study can be used as useful data for ergonomic work design and manual tool design to prevent WMSDs at industrial worksites, given that almost no data on the grip strength of workers in the industrial sites are found in Korea.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.482-491
• /
• 2006

Purpose: Hemiplegia patients who were attacked by a stroke suffer from hemiplegic disabilities as well as motor disabilities. For them, rehabilitation cure is being carried out broadly. However, it is not enough for them to use the upper extremity than the lower extremity. For the use of the upper extremity, we examined the effect of constraint-induced movement therapy developed in this research on patients who experienced a stroke following hemiplegia. Method: For this study we selected 36 stroke patients who were registered at the community health center through accidental sampling, and assigned 21 of them to the experimental group, and 15 to the control group. The experimental group had constraint-induced movement therapy for 5 days and 7 hours a day from 9 to o'clock in the morning 9 to 4 o'clock in the afternoon 4 including warmup exercise and main exercise in the rehabilitation room, whereas the control group were restricted. Result: As a result of constraint-induced movement therapy, affected side elbow joint flexion range, side shoulder joint extension range and side shoulder joint of the flexion range of motions increased obviously in the experimental group compared to those in the control group. Conclusion: The result above clearly shows that constraint-induced movement therapy is an effective intervention for the rehabilitation of hemiplegia patients in increasing affected side elbow joint of the flexion range of motion, the shoulder joint extension, and the increase of flexion range of motion.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
• /
• v.7 no.3
• /
• pp.357-365
• /
• 2012

Purpose : The present study has been performed to find the effects on gross motor function and balance ability of applying a balance exercise program consisting of motions able to stimulate balance-related sensory systems on various support surfaces along with goal-oriented upper extremity tasks to enhance the balance ability. Methods : 10children diagnosed as having spastic diplegia were selected as the subject for this study, of whom 5children were randomly assigned to a control group (CG) and the remainder to a balance exercise group (BEG) to perform the upper extremity task on various support surfaces. Each intervention was executed 30minutes per session with 2sessions a week for 12weeks. To make comparisons before and after intervention, gross motor function measure; standing; demention D(GMFM;D), walking/running/jumping ;demention E (GMFM;E) and pediatric balance scale (PBS) were evaluated. Results : The CG showed a significant difference (p<.05) in GMFM;E. BEG showed a significant difference (p<.05) in GMFM;D as well as GMFM;E and in PBS before and after intervention. BEG showed a significant improvement (p<.05) in GMFM;D and the PBS compared with the CG whereas it did not indicate any statistically significant difference in GMFM;E. Conclusion : According to the results of this study, it has been shown that a balance exercise accompanied by upper extremity task on various support surfaces had an effect on improvement in the gross motor function and the balance ability of children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy.

• Clinical Pain
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.25-29
• /
• 2021

Upper limb morbidity including shoulder pain, lymphedema, adhesive capsulitis, myofascial pain syndrome, and limited range of motions (LROMs) occurs frequently in breast cancer patients. Especially restricted upper limb motion aggravated by chronic lymphedema results in functional limitation and impaired activities of daily living (ADL). However, conventional rehabilitation therapy including complex decongestive therapy and stretching exercise is insufficient for managing advanced breast cancer patients with complex upper limb morbidity. Here, we report a case of breast cancer-related chronic lymphedema in a 62-years old female with severe LROM in all joints of the affected upper extremity that caused severe disability in ADL. Significant improvements in range of motion and upper extremity function were observed after serial extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT), combined with conventional rehabilitation therapy. Therefore, ESWT might be recommended for managing the extensive limited joint motion which causes functional decline in a patient of chronic lymphedema with trophic skin change.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
• /
• v.22 no.3
• /
• pp.75-91
• /
• 2003

Evaluation of repetitiveness for hand-intensive tasks is essential to determine the level of risk for upper-extremity musculoskeletal disorders at the workplace. Many measures and methods have been introduced for repetitiveness assessment: however, our understanding of the differences among these measures and methods is lacking. The present study compared the repetitiveness measures and measurement/analysis methods to help practitioners apply the proper repetitiveness assessment methodology in the workplace. By reviewing 51 studies of repetitiveness assessment, measures and corresponding measurement/analysis methods were surveyed. Of the repetitiveness measures, two types of dimensions (frequency and time) and corresponding types of analysis scopes were identified. According to the dimensional and analysis-scope types. the repetitiveness measures were categorized and then the surveyed studies were counted for each measure. It is identified that frequency measures have used 2.7 times higher than time measures and the frequency of wrist motions has been most frequently used in repetitiveness assessment. Furthermore, the measurement methods were categorized into objective and subjective methods, and the analysis methods into statistical and spectral methods. Lastly, eight factors (accuracy, reliability. sensitivity. efficiency. ease of use. applicability. interference. and robustness) were listed to be considered in selecting the appropriate assessment methodology.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.8-13
• /
• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of the present current study was to examine control of upper limb multi-joint movements with differential coordination stability. To achieve the goals of the study, torque analyses were utilized to answer questions about how torque components were differed among various elbow-wrist coordination patterns. Methods: Eight self-reported right-handed college students (3 males and 5 females, mean age=20.6 yr) were volunteered. The task required participants to rhythmically coordinate the flexion-extension motions of their elbow and wrist with coordination relationship of $0^{\circ}$, $90^{\circ}$, and $180^{\circ}$relative phases between the two joints. Mean relative phase and phase stability (standard deviation of relative phase) were computed to for analysisze of overall coordination performance. To determine the figure out characteristics of torque components in elbow and wrist joints, impulse values of muscle torque (MT) and interactive torque (IT) and MT as a percentage of cycle duration (MT-PCD) were analyzed. Results: Torque results showed that the proximal elbow joint generated motions with mainly muscle efforts regardless of coordination patterns, while the distal wrist joint adjusted the coordination patterns by changing amount of MT. Impulse analyses showed that the least stable $90^{\circ}$ pattern was performed by utilizing a similar coordination strategy of the most stable $0^{\circ}$ pattern. Conclusion: The present current study suggests that the roles of distal and proximal joints differ in order to achieve various multi-joint coordination movements. This study provides information for use in gives an idea to development of rehabilitation or training programs for to persons with an impaired upper limb motor ability.

• PNF and Movement
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.333-343
• /
• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a neck exercise using a proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) neck flexion and extension pattern on body balance in a progressive range of positions (supine, prone on elbow, and sitting), on numbness in the upper extremities, and on neck flexion motions in cervical myelopathy patients. Methods: One participant who was diagnosed with cervical myelopathy participated in this study. A reversal design (A-B-A') was used. The A and A' were the baseline period (no intervention), and B was the intervention period. The intervention used a neck extension pattern with a hold-relax technique and a neck flexion pattern with a combination of isotonic techniques in the supine position. Then, neck flexion and extension patterns were applied together with a reversal technique for stabilization, followed by a neck extension pattern with a combination of isotonic techniques in the prone position on the elbows. Finally, a neck flexion and extension pattern was used with a stabilizing reversal technique, and a neck extension pattern was applied with a combination of isotonic techniques in the sitting position for 60 minutes per day, 3 times per week for 8 weeks. To measure balance, numbness, and neck motion during neck flexion, the one-leg stand test and the visual analogue scale were used. Results: The right and left one-leg stand tests showed increased balance ability in the intervention phase. Upper extremity numbness was decreased in the intervention phase, and neck flexion motion was increased in the intervention phase. These increases were maintained after the intervention (Baseline II). Conclusion: These results suggest that a neck exercise using a PNF neck pattern with additional techniques in a progressive range of positions has a positive effect on cervical myelopathy patients for balance, numbness, and neck motion.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.103-108
• /
• 1990

A method to roll-over the paralyzed body by means of Functional Electrical Stimulation(FES) is considered. It is demonstrated that individual joint motions necessary for the rolling-over are realized by electrical stimulation. EMG measurements are also performed to analyze the cooperative activities of the muscles during rolling over motion in a case where an upper extremity was used. These results of two experiments using normal subjects verifies the fundamental feasibility of body control by FES.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.97-105
• /
• 2008

The kinematic variables for swimming and fin-swimming start motions were analyzed and compared using 3-dimensional cinematography. For the swimming start, the arm segment moved towards the upper rear and trunk towards the upper front followed by a descent towards the lower front, while the fin-swimming start motion showed movement towards the lower front for all segments. The total body center of gravity for the swimming start showed horizontal movement far to the front followed by a rapid descent while the fin-swimming start showed close movement towards the lower front in a short period of time. Upon entering the water, the center of gravity for swimming showed high vertical velocities while fin swimming had high horizontal velocities. For both swimming and fin swimming, the upper extremity velocity had more influence on the total center of gravity velocity than the lower extremities. Flexion of the hip joint was observed before the jump for the fin swimming start while the swimming start showed two flexions in mid-air succeeding the jump. The flexion and extension movements at the knee joint during the fin-swimming start motion were shown to be larger and more rapid than those of fin-swimming.

• PNF and Movement
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.305-313
• /
• 2020

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between a functional evaluation model and the Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA) scale in evaluating the upper extremities of stroke patients Methods: Thirty-eight stroke patients were evaluated using the FMA and performed reaching and grasping motions using a three-dimensional motion analysis (Qquas 1 series, Qualisys AB, Sweden). The participants sat on a chair with a backrest. The position of the cup was located at a distance of 80% to the front arm length. The markers were attached to the sternum, acromion, elbow lateral epicondyle, ulnar styloid process, three metacarpal heads, and the distal phalanges of the thumb and index finger. The variables of the correlation between the functional evaluation model and the FMA scale were analyzed. Multiple regression (stepwise) was used to investigate the effect of the kinematic variables. Results: A significant negative correlation was found between the movement time (p < 0.05), movement unit (p < 0.05), and trunk displacement values (p < 0.05) in the FMA total scores, while a positive correlation was found between the peak velocity (p < 0.05) and maximum grip aperture values (p < 0.05). As a result of the multiple regression analysis, the most significant factor was the movement unit, followed by the general movement assessment and trunk displacement. The explained FMA total score value was 62%. Conclusion: This study presents a new functional evaluation model for assessing the reaching and grasping ability of stroke patients. The factors of the proposed functional evaluation model showed significant correlations with the FMA scale scores and confirmed that the new functional evaluation model explained the FMA by 67%. This suggests a new functional evaluation model for reaching and grasping stroke patients.