• 한국전문물리치료학회지
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.51-59
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of intramuscular stimulation (IMS) therapy in older persons with musculoskeletal pain. The subjects were 181 older persons (54 males, 127 females) with musculoskeletal pain. Intramuscular stimulation unit with needles (size $.3{\times}30$ mm) was applied for the treatment. The analgesic effects were measured by visual analog scale (VAS). Results showed that the post-treatment VAS score was significantly decreased after IMS therapy for fifteen minutes compared to pre-treatment score. In addition, the post-treatment VAS score was significantly decreased in patients with chronic pain (pain duration of one year after onset) compared to the post-treatment VAS score in patients with subacute pain (pain duration less than three months after onset). There was no significant difference in analgesic effects according to gender and age groups. It is determined from this study that IMS therapy can be beneficial for patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain in clinical setting. Further study is needed to identify whether the IMS therapy can change the pain threshold in patients with neurologic pain.

• Osong Public Health and Research Perspectives
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• 제9권6호
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• pp.309-313
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• 2018

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the cranial vertebral angle (CVA) and the range of motion (ROM) was different between participants with a forward head posture (FHP), with or without pain. Methods: Forty-four participants who had FHP participated in this study. The FHP was assessed digitally by measuring a lateral view the CVA for each subject. A cervical ROM device measured the cervical ROM. The volunteers were allocated to either, with pain (n = 22), or without pain (n = 22) groups, and pain was evaluated using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale. Results: The FHP in the pain group showed a significant difference in the CVA, and the cervical ROM in both flexion and extension, compared with those in the FHP without pain group (p < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis indicated that the occurrence of cervical area pain was higher amongst subjects who had a decreased CVA and flexion motion. Conclusion: This study suggested that decreased CVA and cervical flexion range, were predictive factors for the occurrence of pain in the cervical region.

• 대한물리의학회지
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• 제14권3호
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• pp.55-62
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• 2019

PURPOSE: Text-mining has been shown to be useful for understanding the clinical characteristics and patients' concerns regarding a specific disease. Low back pain (LBP) is the most common disease in modern society and has a wide variety of causes and symptoms. On the other hand, it is difficult to understand the clinical characteristics and the needs as well as demands of patients with LBP because of the various clinical characteristics. This study examined online texts on LBP to determine of text-mining can help better understand general characteristics of LBP and its specific elements. METHODS: Online data from www.spine-health.com were used for text-mining. Keyword frequency analysis was performed first on the complete text of postings (full-text analysis). Only the sentences containing the highest frequency word, pain, were selected. Next, texts including the sentences were used to re-analyze the keyword frequency (pain-text analysis). RESULTS: Keyword frequency analysis showed that pain is of utmost concern. Full-text analysis was dominated by structural, pathological, and therapeutic words, whereas pain-text analysis was related mainly to the location and quality of the pain. CONCLUSION: The present study indicated that text-mining for a specific element (keyword) of a particular disease could enhance the understanding of the specific aspect of the disease. This suggests that a consideration of the text source is required when interpreting the results. Clinically, the present results suggest that clinicians pay more attention to the pain a patient is experiencing, and provide information based on medical knowledge.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• 제31권4호
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• pp.254-259
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• 2019

Purpose: This study examined the interactions between the job strain and social support in the workplace on the development of workrelated neck pain in office workers. Methods: The participants included 62 office workers without neck pain over the last twelve months. A battery of measures evaluating the potential workplace risk factors in office settings were conducted at the baseline, and at the 12 month incidence of work-related neck pain was reported via monthly questionnaires. Survival analysis evaluated the interaction effect between job strain and social support on the development of work-related neck pain. Results: The incidence of work-related neck pain was 1.91 (95% CI: 1.06 - 3.45) per 100 person months. The interaction effect between job strain and social support found that job strain may increase the risk of developing new work-related neck pain when lower social support existed in the workplace. On the other hand, the adverse effects of job strain on the development of neck pain were not significant when workers had higher social support from their colleagues and supervisors. Conclusion: An investigation of the moderating effects of risk factors on neck pain might reveal the unexplained relationship between the risk factors for the development of neck pain in office workers. Therefore, the interest in prevention plans and treatments should involve a comprehensive understanding of the risk factors at workplace.

• 대한물리의학회지
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.117-124
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• 2019

PURPOSE: This study was to investigate the effects of crocodile breathing exercise on pain, muscle tone, and muscle stiffness of non-specific low back pain patients. METHODS: The subjects were 37 patients with nonspecific low back pain. The patients were divided into two groups. The experimental group (EG) performed crocodile breathing exercise and the control group (CG) performed chest expansion breathing exercise. The intervention was conducted for 10 minutes every day for a total of eight weeks. Pain was measured using a VAS. Muscle tone and stiffness were measured using Myoton PRO. Two points were measured for muscle tone and muscle stiffness. They were measured at 30mm from the spinous process of the L1 and T10 vertebra. RESULTS: Pain, muscle tone and muscle stiffness at the T10 level showed a significant decrease in both EG and CG. Muscle tone and muscle stiffness in the L1 level area decreased significantly in the experimental group but the control group did not show any difference. The only statistically significant difference was observed in the L1 muscle tone between the pre and post intervention values. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that Crocodile breathing is a good method for managing pain, muscle tone, and muscle stiffness in non-specific low back pain patients.

• 대한임상전기생리학회지
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• 제8권1호
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• pp.23-29
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• 2010

Purpose : This study is to offer clinical primary data that examines the change of imaging structure and the quantitative evaluation of muscle activity on myofascial trigger points. This study examines neuromuscular physiological characteristic by comparing the differences in physical findings, pressure pain threshold, imaging, and electrophysiological characteristics in latent and active myofascial trigger points muscle and normal muscle through the following experimental procedures. Methods : The participants for the study were thirty-three adults in their twenties. We divided three groups into normal, latent and active myofascial trigger points groups by physical findings. We analyzed the results of measured pressure pain, threshold for pain, ultrasound imaging perform for structure characteristic of muscle, surface EMG according to type of muscle contraction for function of muscle contraction. Results : Significant differences were indicated in pressure pain threshold (p<0.05). Significant differences were discovered in the ultrasound imaging analysis. There were increases in muscle Echogenicity white area index (p<0.001). There were significant differences that decrease in %MVIC (p<0.05), increase in MDF (p<0.05). Conclusion : From these results, active rnyotascial trigger points muscle showed quality deterioration on ultrasound imaging and decreased function of muscle contraction, increased motor unit action potential of II type fiber, and electrophysiologically. Imaging structure and neuromuscular physiological characteristic can be diagnostic and quantitative analytical techniques for myofascial pain syndrome and a primary factor that reflected in physical therapy intervention.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• 제33권3호
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• pp.258-266
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• 2020

Background: The genicular nerve block (GNB) is demonstrated from several reports to alleviate pain and improve knee functionality in patients with chronic knee osteoarthritis (OA). Ultrasound (US)-guided GNB has been the most used imaging method. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of US-guided versus blind GNB in the treatment of knee OA. Methods: This prospective, randomized clinical trial included patients with knee OA based on American College of Rheumatology diagnostic criteria. The patients were evaluated for clinical and dynamometer parameters at the baseline, 4 weeks after treatment, and 12 weeks after treatment. The patients underwent blind injection or US-guided injection. Results: When compared with the baseline, both groups showed significant improvement in pain, physical function, and quality of life parameters. Significant differences were observed between the groups for clinical parameters (30-second chair stand test, 6-minute walk test) in favor of the US-guided group. On the other hand, blind injection was more significantly effective on some parameters of the Nottingham Health Profile. There wasn't any significant improvement in isokinetic muscle strength for either group. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that both US-guided and blind GNB, in the treatment of knee OA, were effective in reducing symptoms and improving physical function. GNB wasn't an effective treatment for isokinetic muscle function. US-guided injections may yield more effective clinical results than blind injections.

• 대한정형도수물리치료학회지
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.51-58
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• 2018

Backdround: Using RUSI (Rehabilitation Ultra Sound Imiging) method, which showed high reliability in soft tissue measurements, we compared the muscle relax and contraction, sex, and physical characteristics of the activity of the multifidus muscle in patients with chronic low back pain and normal subjects. Methods: In this study, 16 patients (male: 8, female: 8) with chronic low back pain and 16 healthy adult (male: 8, female: 8) were participated. Subjects lied prone posture on the table with elbow flexed $90^{\circ}$ and shoulder abducted $120^{\circ}$ (starting position). Test was applied two types that muscle relax position and muscle contraction position. Muscle relax position is equal to starting position and muscle contraction position is that upper extremity lift up about 5cm from the table. We measured the thickness of the multifidus muscle in each position by ultrasound. Results: There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups in deviation of Both Side Difference of Activated resting-Arm Lifting Ratio according to posture change between the chronic low back pain patient group and the normal group. Conclusion: The result of this study support previous study showing that there is an imbalance in the activity of multifidus in patients with chronic low back pain.

• 한국전문물리치료학회지
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• 제13권3호
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• pp.92-101
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics and the current condition of musculoskeletal pain sufferers among fitness center users. The investigation used self-reporting questionnaire with the 797 subjects. On average, the subjects were 30.6 years old, 168.8 cm in height and 65.2 kg in weight. Among them, 423 were male (53.1%) and 374 were female (46.9%). Out of them, 276 suffered from pain, (35.2%). More men felt muscle aches than women (p<.05). In terms of pain, lower back area topped the list with 44.9%, followed by the lower extremities (30.1%), the neck (17.8%) and the upper part of the body (17.8%). Dieters suffered the most from pain (86.2%) while those exercising to build strength suffered the least with 26.8%. There was a significant relationship between the purpose for exercising and the amount of pain suffered (p<.05). By kind of exercise, pain stroke aerobic exercisers disproportionately with 42.4% while it almost steered clear of exercisers for strengthening with 26.9%. There was significant relationship between the kind of exercise and pain suffered (p<.05). The type of suffering differed by body shape. A significantly higher number of overweight people experienced pain than underweight people (p<.05). 32.8% of pain sufferers commented that the pain affects their workout, and on this issue there was no gender difference (p>.05). The pain caused more difficulties in doing activities of daily living for overweight or obese peoples than underweight peoples (p<.05). More than a third of health club and fitness center users are experiencing musculoskeletal pains. Measures such as professional training or information provision is required to prevent injury or disorder caused by improper exercise.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• 제23권5호
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• pp.29-34
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the short term effects of the traction and decompression device, which is a newly developed domestic medical device, on pain and functional activity in patients with chronic low back pain with or without radicular pain. Methods: Forty patients with chronic low back pain were included and allocated to decompression (n=20) and traction groups (n=20). They received decompression or traction therapy for 20 minutes a day, 3 days per week for two weeks. For evaluating pain and functional activity, a visual analogue scale (VAS) for low back pain and the Oswestry back pain disability index (ODI) were obtained on pre-treatment, and at 6, 12 and 15 days after treatment. Patients'satisfaction levels were measured 15 days after treatment. Results: VAS was significantly decreased at 12 days and 15 days post-treatment compared to pre-treatment in both groups (p<0.05). ODI was significantly decreased at 12 days and 15 days post-treatment compared to pre-treatment in the decompression group (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups in the VAS and ODI scales (p>0.05). Patients' satisfaction levels were significantly higher in the decompression group than in the traction group (p<0.05). Conclusion: These findings suggest that decompression therapy might be effective for increasing functional activity in patients with low back pain and could provide patients with higher satisfaction than traction therapy. This study provided validity data for the therapeutic effects of the decompression device in patients with low back pain and it will be useful for medical cost development and patient education of this device.