• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.35 no.12
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• pp.1585-1591
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• 2011

In this paper, we present a new exoskeleton-type data glove that can sense the movement of the human finger and reflect the force to the finger. The data glove is designed on the basis of the skeletal structure of the human hand, and the finger module has 1 degree-of-freedom because it includes three four-bar mechanism joints in series and a wire-coupling mechanism. In addition, the transmission ratio of the finger module is maintained at 1:1.4:1 over the entire movement range, and hence, the module can perform both extension and flexion. In addition, to enable adduction/abduction motion of the human hand, a unique MCP joint is designed by using two universal joints. To validate the feasibility of the data glove, master-slave control experiments based on force-position control between the data glove and the robot hand are conducted.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.79-85
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• 1991

The author studied 20 healthy adults (20 hands) as a control and 30 patients (40 hands) with carpal tunnel syndrome to evaluate the clinical usefulness of measuring nerve conduction velocity after wrist fiexion in diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome. The median nerve conduction velocity over wrist to finger segment was measured before and after wrist flexion for 1, 2 and 5 minutes, using belly-tendon method for motor nerve distal latency(MNDL) and antidromic method for sensory nerve conduction velocity(SNCV). The results were as follows : 1. In control froup, MNDL increased in 1 hand and SNCV decreased in 2 hands after wrist flexion. In patient group, MNDL increased in 2 hands and SNCV decreased in 3 hands after wrist flexion. 2. In both control and patient group, there were no significant changes in mean values of SNCV and MNDL between before and after wrist flexion. 3. Phalen's wrist flexion test was positive in 5 percent of control and 60 percent of patient group. 4. Tinel's sign was present in 10 percent of control and 33 percent of patient group.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.297-303
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of inhalation and exhalation exercise combined with upper extremity proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation pattern on two spirometry values: forced volume vital (FVC) and peak expiratory flow (PEF). Methods: Thirty-two healthy adults were divided into two groups: 1) a combined group, which performed upper extremity D2 flexion pattern (shoulder flexed/abducted/external rotated, forearm supinated, wrist radial deviated, and finger extended) during exhalation and D2 extension pattern (shoulder extended/adducted/internal rotated, forearm pronated, wrist ulnar deviated, and finger flexed) during inhalation; and 2) reverse combined group, which performed the D2 flexion pattern during inhalation and the D2 extension pattern during exhalation. The inverse application of upper extremity movements during inhalation and exhalation induced selective resistance or assistance on respiration. FVC and PEF were measured at two time points, before and after four weeks. Results: In both groups, the pre-post intervention comparison showed significant increases in FVC and PEF (p < .05). In the between-groups comparison, the reverse combined group showed a significantly higher PEF than the combined group at four weeks post intervention (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The combined respiration exercise with reverse PNF upper extremity patterns using selective resistance showed an effective increase in PEF in healthy adults. Clinicians and researchers might consider using selective resistance as a widely applicable and cost-effective option for respiratory rehabilitation planning.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.1066-1070
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• 2016

The purpose of this article was to investigate the effects of Maitland's transverse movement on change of pain, trunk flexion movement and Cobb's angle in patient with upper thoracic scoliosis. The subject are 37 years old with chronic low back pain participated in this study and has no experience surgery within the last six months due to back pain. 10 set was applied 10 times on the T3-T5 applied the transverse movement with grade IV to each segment by skilled physical therapist. Transverse movement was applied convex toward the concave side. Pressure pain threshold was reduced from 4/10 to 2/10. Trunk flexion range that is the distance between the middle finger and floor was increase from 7.3cm to 2cm. Cobb's angle was decreased from degree 18 to 16. This result demonstrated that the Maitland's transverse movement was benefit to reduce the pain and Cobb's angle, and to increase the trunk flexion movement.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.33-39
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• 2012

Purpose : The purpose of this case report was to examine the effects of intergrative intervention approach on a patient with lumbar herniated nucleus pulposus (HNP). Methods : The subject was a 53 years old woman with lumbar HNP. The subject received conventional physical therapy combined with exercise therapy and manual therapy. Pain on visual analog scale (VAS), finger to floor (FTF), lumbar lateral flexion, L5 motor, and straight Leg-Raising (SLR) were evaluated at baseline and after 4 weeks. Results : The change of VAS, FTF, left lateral flexion, and right lateral flexion were decreased (9 vs. 5, 41 vs, 25, 56 vs. 42, 54 vs. 41, respectively) and the change of L5 motor and SLR were increased (Fair vs. Fair+, 60 vs. 75, respectively). Conclusion : Our findings suggest that Integrative intervention may be considered in patient with lumbar HNP.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.304-308
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• 2010

Purpose: Many causes for triggering or locking of the fingers have been discussed in other literatures. The most common one is known stenosing tenosynovitis, which causes, a mismatch between the volume of the flexor tendon sheath and its contents. However, repeated trauma to the hand is uncommon cause of trigger finger. Therefore, we present a case of a rare condition of stenosing tenosynovitis which developed from a repeated relatively weak superficial flexor tendon injury. Methods: The patient was a 62-year-old woman who showed a painless, fixed and round mass on her right hand with no particular cause. Active and passive range of motion of the metacarpophalangeal joint of long finger was limited in flexion and extension. Ultrasonographic finding showed injured flexor digitorum superficialis tendon had fibrillar architecture with swelling between hyperechoic synovial membrane and hypoechoic surrounding area. Surgical exploration revealed that a bunched portion of the flexor digitorum superficialis and A1 pulley cause triggering during operation after adhesiolysis of scar tissue. Results: After releasing the A1 pulley, the range of motion of the metacarpophalangeal joint of long finger showed no limitation and histological examination of the subcutaneous tissue revealed fibrous fatty degeneration. In this case, releasing the A1 pulley with adhesiolysis of the subcutaneous scar tissue was successful and we obtained good functional outcome. Conclusion: We examined a patient in whom a repetitive impact forces to the palm caused longitudinal tear of the flexor tendon, leading to trigger finger. We experienced a rare case of stenosing tenosynovitis and trigger finger caused after close injury to flexor digitorum superficialis and its degenerative changes that caused mass like effect. To the best of authors' knowledge, our case of close injury to the flexor digitorum superficialis and unique morphologic change before rupture of tendon is rarely to be reported.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.587-592
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• 2007

Purpose: In case of postburn flexion contracture of the fingers, skin graft, geometrical relaxation techniques, local flap, and free flap have been used. Among these procedures, full-thickness skin grafts from the inguinal area are widely used to reconstruct a postburn flexion contracture in the fingers. But there are many esthetic and functional problems in this procedure. Especially, hyperpigmentation of the skin-grafted fingers poses a troublesome problem, particularly in the patients who have dark colored skin. To solve the problem, we have used pulp graft which was harvested from the lateral aspect of great toe. In the present study, we report pulp graft, with which we have obtained a good result in the treatment of postburn flexion contracture of the fingers. Methods: Between September of 2004 and August of 2006, great toe pulp graft was performed to 20 sites of 15 patients. After release of the postburn flexion contracture using Z-plasty, the composite tissue (pulp) harvested from the lateral aspect of great toe was grafted on the raw surface. Moisture dressing with ointment and foam dressing material was performed. Stratum corneum of the graft got stripped off in two to four weeks after pulp graft. The color of the pulp graft was slightly reddish, then it became similar to the adjacent tissue. Results: There was complete take in all the patients who were treated with pulp graft. Great toe pulp graft provided similar color and texture to the adjacent skin, high rate of graft take, and left only a minimal scar at donor site. Conclusion: Thick keratin layer and inelastic nature of the pulp make this type of the graft much easier and simpler, and ensure a better take. Pulp graft is useful method for the reconstruction of the postburn flexion contracture in fingers.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.171-183
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• 2023

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare universal goniometry (UG), which is commonly used in clinical practice to measure the range of motion (ROM) of finger joints with a wearable soft sensor glove, and to analyze the reliability to determine its usefulness. Methods: Ten healthy adults (6 males, 4 females) participated in this study. The metacarpophalangeal joint (MCP), interphalangeal joint (IP), and proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP) of both hands were measured using UG and Mollisen HAND soft sensor gloves during active flexion, according to the American Society for Hand Therapists' measurement criteria. Measurements were taken in triplicate and averaged. The mean and standard deviation of the two methods were calculated, and the 95% limits of agreement (LOA) of the measurements were calculated using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman plot to examine the reliability and discrepancies between the measurements. Results: The results of the mean values of the flexion angles for the active range of motion (AROM) of the finger joints showed large angular differences in the finger joints, except for the MCP of the thumb. In the inter-rater reliability analysis according to the measurement method, the ICC (2, 1) value showed a low level close to 0, and the mean difference by the Bland-Altman plot showed a value greater than 0, showing a pattern of discrepancy. The 95% LOA had a wide range of differences. Conclusion: This study is a preliminary study investigating the usefulness of the soft sensor glove, and the reliability analysis showed a low level of reliability and inconsistency. However, if future studies can overcome the limitations of this study and the technical problems of the soft sensor glove in the development stage, it is suggested that the measurement instrument can show more accurate measurement and higher reliability when measuring ROM with UG.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.345-353
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to compare the effects of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) and static stretching on weight distribution and flexibility for trunk flexion. Method: Sixty participants who had no musculoskeletal disorders were recruited from a local university within six months of this study. The participants were randomly assigned to a PNF stretching group (N=30) and a static stretching group (N=32). For the pre-and post-measurement design, the left-right weight distribution, anterior-posterior weight distribution, and finger-to-floor distance (FFD) were measured before and after the stretching interventions. Result: The FFD results were significantly improved after the interventions, regardless of the group differentiation (p<0.05). The PNF stretching intervention significantly increased the differences between anterior and posterior weight distribution compared to the static stretching group (p<0.05). Conclusions: Both the PNF and static stretching interventions could improve flexibility for trunk flexion mobility. Although the PNF intervention improved the weight distribution in the anterior-posterior direction, further research is required to investigate the various PNF interventions on left-and-right and anterior-posterior weight distribution.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.205-212
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• 2009

This paper proposes a biomimetic hand prosthesis with tendon-driven five fingers. Each finger is composed of a distal-middle phalange, a proximal phalange and a metacarpal bone, which are connected to a link mechanism. The finger flexion is a resultant motion by pulling a wire to serve as a tendon, but the finger extension is performed by an elastic mechanism composed of a restoration spring. The designed hand prosthesis with tendon-driven five fingers has totally six degrees of freedom. But its weight is merely 400.73g. The hand can perform various hand functions such as the grasping and the hand postures. From experimental results, we show that the proposed hand prosthesis is useful to amputees as a prosthetic hand.