• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.187-193
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• 2007

Objectives : The objectives of this study were to investigate the relationship between electrical detection of ear acupuncture points and musculoskeletal pain. Methods : 18 adults who have musculoskeletal pain without trauma factorsparticipated in this study. They answered the questionnaire and their ear acupuncture points were examined with electrical detectors. We analyzed the relationship between electrical detection of ear acupuncture points and musculoskeletal pain with concordance rate and validity. Results : Total concordance rates of the head region was 68.00%(questionnaire) 32.08%(investigation), that of vertebral region was 67.86%, 59.38%, that of both upper limbs was 86.67%, 39.69%, and that of both lower limbs was 50.00%, 23.46%. The true positive rate was 0.704, the true negative rate was 0.492, the false positive rate was 0.508, and the false negative rate was 0.296 in the validity test. In the head, two concordance rates of the temporal and occipital regions were relatively higher than those of the parietal and frontal regions. In the vertebral region, two concordance rates of the cervical and lumbar regions were relatively higher than those of the thoracic and sacrum regions. In the upper limb, two concordance rates of the shoulder and shoulder joints were relatively higher than those of the others. In the lower limb, concordance rates of investigation were relatively low at all areas. The right lower limb was relatively higher than the left in concordance rates of the questionnaire. Conclusions : The results suggest that electrical detection of ear acupuncture points can be used in the diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal pain.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.30-37
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• 2008

Anticipatory postural adjustments are pre-planned by the central nervous system (CNS) before the activation of agonist muscles in the limbs, and minimize postural sway. Most previous studies on this topic have focused on upper-limb movement, and little research has been conducted on lower-limb movement. The purpose of this study was to investigate the recruitment order of left and right trunk muscles during limb movement. Fifteen healthy subjects (10 male, 5 female) were enrolled. Electro-myographic signals were recorded on the muscles of: (1) deltoid, lumbar erector spinae, latissimus dorsi and internal oblique during shoulder flexion, (2) rectus femoris, rectus abdominis, external oblique and internal oblique during hip flexion. During right upper limb flexion, the onset of left erector spinae muscle and left internal oblique muscle activity preceded the onset of right deltoid by 8.09 ms and 19.83 ms, respectively. But these differences were not significant (p>.05). A similar sequence of activation occurred with lower limb flexion. The onset of left internal oblique muscle activity preceded the onset of right rectus femoris muscle by 28.29 ms (p<.05). The onset of right internal oblique muscle activity preceded the onset of left rectus femoris muscles by 23.24 ms (p<.05). The internal oblique muscle was the first activated during limb movement. Our study established the recruitment order of trunk muscles during limb movement, and explained the postural control strategy of the trunk muscles in healthy people. We expect that this study will be used to evaluate patients with an asymmetric recruitment order of muscle activation due to impaired CNS.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.19-28
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• 1996

The purpose of this study was to asses and compare the effects of superficial heating on the pain threshold at limbs in healthy adult and adult hemiplegia. We used hot pack for superficial heat and applied to healthy adult(n=12) and adult hemiplegia(n=12) on lumbar region. Pain treshold was quantatively measured by an electrical stimulator and measured before hot pack application, immediatly and post 30 minutes after hot pack application on the distal parts of limbs(styloid process of radius, medial malleoulus of tibia). The results were as follows 1) A statically significant defference in pain treshold were not found at limbs of healthy adult and adult hemiplegia that have an affected side and a non-affected side before hot pack application, immediatly and post 30 minutes after hot pack apllication(p>0.05). 2) In comparance of pain threshold of upper and lower limbs in the all subjects, pain threshold was significantly increase at lower limbs(p<0.01). 3) In comparance of pain threshold of limbs between healthy adult and adult hemiplegia, pain threshold was showed a significant defferance at the upper and lower limbs of affected side before hot pack application(p<0.05, p<0.01).

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.114-123
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• 2005

We analyzed the demographic and job features of 197 shipyard workers with work-related musculoskeletal disorders(WMSDs) compensated by the Industrial Accident Compensation Insurance Act, and the features of the disorders, the causes of operation and the induced behaviors. The three shipbuilding companies surveyed were located in Busan Metropolitan city and Gyungsangnam-do. The results were as follows. 1. The ages of WMSDs patients in shipyard were $43.6{\pm}8.6$ and the job tenure was $14.3{\pm}5.6$. The 40's of them was 40.1%, and the 30's was 29.4%. Patients less than 5 year-work duration were 85.3%, and ones more than 16 year-work duration 6.6%. In occupations, welders were 32.5%, pre-welders 17.3%, and setting engineers 6.6%. 2. The causes of WMSDs in shipyard were works(95.4%) and outer crash or accident shock (3.6%). Based on the standard of the NIOSH induced behaviors, the causes were awkward posture (62.9%), excessive movement(19.3%) and repetitive movement(13.7%). 3. The compensated WMSDs by body part was the highest, 36%, in the spines, 32.0% in both the upper limbs and the spines, and 14% in the upper limbs. The number of cases of WMSDs in body were 96 in the cervical, 79 in the lumbar and 72 in the shoulders. 4. As a result of chi-square test(${\chi}^2$) between diagnosis and operation in body, welding and spot welding had the most diagnoses in all parts of the body among other occupations. Chi-square test(${\chi}^2$) between diagnosis and induced behavior in body showed that awkward postures recorded the highest rate and repetitive movements was the second. 5. The most hazardous occupation was the welding(incidence rate=9.7) and the most hazardous behavior was the awkward posture.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.60-65
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• 2007

Complex Regional Pain Syndromes (CRPS) type I and type II are neuropathic pain conditions that are being increasingly recognized in children and adolescents. The special distinctive features of pediatric CRPS are the milder course, the better response to treatment and the higher recurrence rate than that of adults and the lower extremity is commonly affected. We report here on a case of pediatric CRPS that was derived from ankle trauma and long term splint application at the left ankle. The final diagnoses were CRPS type I in the right upper limb, CRPS type II in the left lower limb and unclassified neuropathy in the head, neck and precordium. The results of various treatments such as medication, physical therapy and nerve blocks, including lumbar sympathetic ganglion blocks, were not effective, so implantation of a spinal cord stimulator was performed. In order to control the pain in his left lower limb, one electrode tip was located at the 7th thoracic vertebral level and two electrode tips were located at the 7th and 2nd cervical vertebral levels for pain control in right upper limb, head, neck and right precordium. After the permanent insertion of the stimulator, the patient's pain was significantly resolved and his disabilities were restored without recurrence. The patient's pain worsened irregularly, which might have been caused by psychological stress. But the patient has been treated with medicine at our pain clinic and he is being followed up by a psychiatrist. (Korean J Pain 2007; 20: 60-65)

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.49-54
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• 2016

Background: Prolonged sitting leads to low back discomfort and lumbopelvic muscle fatigue. This study examined the characteristics of body perceived discomfort and trunk muscle fatigue during 1 hour of sitting in three postures in office workers. Methods: Thirty workers sat for 1 hour in one of three sitting postures (i.e., upright, slumped, and forward leaning postures). Body discomfort was assessed using the Body Perceived Discomfort scale at the beginning and after 1 hour of sitting. Electromyographic (EMG) signals were recorded from superficial lumbar multifidus, iliocostalis lumborum pars thoracis, internal oblique (IO)/transversus abdominis (TrA), and rectus abdominis muscles during 1 hour of sitting. The median frequency (MDF) of the EMG power spectrum was calculated. Results: Regardless of the sitting posture, the Body Perceived Discomfort scores in the neck, shoulder, upper back, low back, and buttock significantly increased after 1 hour of sitting compared with baseline values ($t_{(9)}=-11.97$ to -2.69, p < 0.05). The MDF value of the EMG signal of rectus abdominis, iliocostalis lumborum pars thoracis, and multifidus muscles was unchanged over time in all three sitting postures. Only the right and left IO/TrA in the slumped sitting posture was significantly associated with decreased MDF over time (p = 0.019 to 0.041). Conclusion: Prolonged sitting led to increased body discomfort in the neck, shoulder, upper back, low back, and buttock. No sign of trunk muscle fatigue was detected over 1 hour of sitting in the upright and forward leaning postures. Prolonged slumped sitting may relate to IO/TrA muscle fatigue, which may compromise the stability of the spine, making it susceptible to injury.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.429-436
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• 2011

In this study, we have experimented with 9 players at the national delegate level. Although there were some differences in the average effects of 3 types of one-two straight movements after the application of wheel axle, there were no statistical differences in the case of surface reacting forces, electromyograms, and impact forces. When the right fist was impacted using the one-two straight movements and the wheel axle was applied with 3 segmentations, high impact forces were obtained for the pronation in the following order-72.01 $m/s^2$ (type 2), 70.93 $m/s^2$ (type 3), and 58.19 $m/s^2$ (type 1). Higher values of the surface reacting force were found for type 1 that did not exhibit pronation in the left foot, whereas in the case of the vertical direction of the right foot, type 2 with pronation exhibited higher values and impact forces. In the right electromyogram, high impact forces due to the activation of the muscular electric potential were obtained for lumbar erector (LE) spinae and triceps brachii (TB) with type 1; LE spina, latissimus dosi (LD), and upper trapezius (UT) with type 2; and brachioradialis (BR), UT, and rectus abdominal (RA) with type 3. Due to pronation and complex motions of the 3 pronation segmentations, the efficiency was higher for impacts due to one-two straight movements.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.237-241
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• 2000

Vertebral compression fractures commonly afflict the elderly. Some patients suffer from severe mechanical pain in spite of treatments with strong analgesics and bracing. Vertebroplasty, which was originally used for vertebral hemangioma, is effective for patients who do not respond to these more conservative treatments. However, the procedure has some risk. Leaks of bone cement into perineural tissues can be a serious complication. In contrast to the lumbar vertebrae, the outer margin of the pedicle of the thoracic vertebrae is almost in line with the outer margin of the body. This, combined with the thinner pedicle of the thoracic vertebrae, makes proper needle placement difficult. The posterolateral approach is preferred to the transpedicular approach in order to avoid the danger of destroying the inner cortex of the pedicle. But there can be a problems with the standard posterolateral approach. The rib can be broken, the pleura can be punctured. A new and safer approach is possible. Before penetrating the bone, the needle is positioned at the upper margin of the transverse process, 5 mm away from the pedicle. To achieve this positioning, the needle must puncture the skin 1~1.5 cm laterally and 3~5 mm cranially to the target point on the bone. This approach was used for 10 patients and we achieved good results with no serious complication.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.327-335
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• 2002

This study was performed to investigate the relationships among bone mineral densities (BMD), anthropometric data and lifestyle factors in the elderly. Subjects included 138 elderly (male: 38, female: 100) aged over 65 years, who were home-(dwelling in a low-income area of Puchon City. The BMDs of the lumbar spines (LS), femoral necks (FN), Ward′s triangles (WT) and trochanters (TC) were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. The females showed significantly lower BMDs in four sites (p < 0.0001) . The elderly aged over 75 revealed significantly more decreased femoral BMDs than the elderly aged 65 to 74. Female with BMIs of 20 to 25, showed significantly higher BMDs in LS, FN and trochanter than those with BMIs of less than 20. However, males displayed significantly higher BMDs in only LS with increasing BMIs. THe BMDs of LS correlated with weights (r = 0.543, p < 0.001), heights (r = 0.477, p < 0.001), upper arm circumferences (r=0.368, p < 0.01), waist circumferences (r=0.367, p < 0.001), subscapular skinfold thicknesses (r=0.363, p < 0.001) and flip circumferences (r=0.231, p < 0.01). Non-smokers and non-drinkers shelved significantly higher BMDs in trochanters only in the case of the males. Female milk-drinkers showed significantly elevated LS BMDs. Eighteen percent of the males were assessed as having osteoporosis, as compared to fifty percent of the females. Ninety-three percent of the females and 81.6% of the males responded that they often or always had "difficulty in standing for a long time".

• Journal of Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.74-78
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• 2015

A bus seat is required to be ergonomically designed in terms of its shape and physical properties to increase seating comfort. The present study is intended to develop a systematic bus seat evaluation protocol based on seating comfort. A total of 48 participants evaluated 12 parts (seat belt, recliner, armrest, headrest, upper-back support, lumbar support, seatback bolster, seatback overall, hip support, thigh support, seatpan bolster, and seatpan overall) of 12 bus seats with 17 subjective comfort measures (e.g., convenience of control, suitability of size, and overall comfort). Lastly, ergonomic features of shape and physical properties of each seat part were identified based on the subject evaluation analysis results. The developed bus seat evaluation protocol can be applied to evaluate various types of seats.