• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.1-8
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• 2021

Background: Chronic neck pain (CNP) is associated with weakness in the deep neck flexor muscles, a shortening of the neck extensors, and a reduction in endurance. In addition, muscle imbalance can lead to neck pain and musculoskeletal dysfunction. This study compared neck extensor muscle fatigue, muscle strength, and muscle endurance time between patients with CNP and healthy adults during isometric neck extension. Methods: Thirty participants (15 patients with CNP and 15 healthy adults) were recruited in this research. The outcome measures included splenius capitis (SC) muscle fatigue, isometric neck extensor strength, and muscle endurance. The independent T-test was used to compare the continuous dependent variables between the CNP group and the healthy group. Results: The independent T-test indicated that muscle fatigue in the left SC differed significantly between the CNP group and the healthy group. A significant difference was also noted in the isometric neck extensor and neck extensor strength between the groups. Conclusion: Our results provided promising clinical evidence that patients with CLP have reduced neck extensor strength and endurance and increased SC muscle fatigue, which results in neck pain.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.19-25
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• 1992

The pressure pain thresholds of head and neck muscles of patients suffering from tensiontype headache220, all female, ages ranged from 13 to 50 years (28.4$\pm$9.6) and 39 healthy controls, all female, ages ranged from 14 to 46 years (24.4$\pm$9.2) were recorded by the electronic algometer (Electyronic Algometer Type I, Somedic, Stockholm, Sweden). And the obtained results were as follows : 1. The pressure pain thresholds of patient group were lower than those of controls in superior sternocleidomastoid muscle, middle sternocleidomastoid muscle, and trapezius insertion muscle (P<0.001) 2. The pressure pain thresholds of patient group were not different from those of controls in anterior temporal, middle temporal, posterior temporal, deep masseter, anterior masseter, inferior masseter, medial pterygoid, posterior digastric, splenius capitus and upper trapezius muscle (P>0.05). 3. Seventy-one percent of tension-type headache patients had more than one muscle, of whicb pressure pain threshold was lowered significantly (less than mean of control - 1.5SD). 4. The pressure pain thresholds of head and neck muscles should be considered as a criterion for the diagnosis of tension-type headache.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.49-56
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• 2020

PURPOSE: This study examined the difference in muscle activity of the trunk and legs during flat walking with or without an abdominal drawing-in maneuver. METHODS: This study was conducted on 15 healthy males and eight females who were attending D University in Busan. This experiment was conducted after 15 minutes of abdominal drawing-in training using a pressure biofeedback unit before the experiment, and the difference in the muscle activity of the trunk and legs during flat walking with or without an abdominal drawing-in technique was investigated. Surface electromyography was used, and the electrode attachment site was the right sternocleidomastoid muscle, splenius capitis muscle, rectus abdominis muscle, external abdominal oblique muscle, transverse abdominis muscle, erector spinae muscle, vastus medialis muscle, and vastus lateralis muscle (TM DTS, Noraxon, USA). The data were analyzed statistically using a paired t-test on SPSS version 18.0 (IBM). RESULTS: The muscle activity of the rectus abdominis muscle, external abdominal oblique muscle, transverse abdominis muscle, vastus medialis muscle were increased significantly and maintained more than walking without maintaining an abdominal drawing-in maneuver (p < .05). Moreover, muscle activity of the erector spinae muscle was decreased significantly and maintained more than walking without maintaining an abdominal drawing-in maneuver (p < .05). CONCLUSION: Maintaining an abdominal drawing-in maneuver during flat walking is more effective during walking training.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.151-157
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• 1992

In urethane anesthetized cats, each vestibular semicircular canal nerve was electrically stimulated, and reflex responses of the cervical extensor and flexor (the splenius capitis and sternomastoid muscles) were recorded by means of electromyography. Stimulation of a unilateral (anterior, horizontal or posterior) canal nerve elicited excitation of the contralateral cervical muscles and inhibition of the ipsilateral ones; during the canal nerve stimulation, the two muscles in one side of the neck revealed synergistic responses. Based on these experimental results, we formulated a diagram showing the functional connections between the vestibular semicircular canals and the cervical muscles in the vestibulocollic reflex.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.11-20
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• 2020

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation between smartphone use, body composition, posture and muscle properties of elementary school students. Methods : A total of 22 healthy elementary school students in Daejeon, South Korea, participated in this study with informed consent. Smartphone use was evaluated with Smartphone addiction self-report scale (S-scale) for youth. Body composition (BMI, percent body fat, body fat mass, and skeletal muscle mass) was measured using Inbody. To assess posture, forward head posture and round shoulder posture were measured using Dartfish motion analysis. Muscle properties (muscle tone, stiffness, and elasticity) were measured on the upper trapezius, splenius capitis and sternocleidomastoid muscles using Myoton. To investigate the correlation between the main variables, Pearson correlation analysis was performed. Results : Disturbance of adaptive function, which is one of sub-component of S-scale, had a weak positive correlations with BMI (r=.538, p<.01), and body fat mass (r=.453, p<.05). However, scores of S-scale showed no correlation with posture and muscle properties. The correlation between posture and muscle properties was analyzed, and round shoulder posture revealed a weak positive correlation with respect to stiffness (r=.418, p<.05) and elasticity (r=.502, p<.05) of the sternocleidomastoid muscle. Conclusion : Scores of S-scale demonstrated a weak correlation with body composition (BMI) among elementary school students, whereas S-scale scores were not correlated with the posture and muscle properties. Further research is needed to identify and focus on potential high-risk user groups of elementary students who are more dependent upon smartphones.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.137-144
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• 2019

Purpose: This study examined the effects of the abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM) on muscle activity in the trunk and legs while subjects walk on a ramp. Methods: The subjects were healthy adult males (n=15) and females (n=8) in their twenties. The subjects were asked to maintain the ADIM contraction for 15 minutes using a pressure biofeedback unit. Their muscle activity was then measured while ascending or descending the ramp with or without the ADIM contraction maintained. Activity in the sternocleidomastoid, splenius capitis, rectus abdominis, external oblique abdominal, transversus abdominis, erector spinae, vastus medialis, and vastus lateralis muscles was measured using surface electromyography (TM DTS, Noraxon, USA). A paired t-test was conducted using SPSS 18.0 (IBM) for statistical data processing. Results: Maintaining the ADIM contraction during ascension led to a significant increase (p<0.05) in muscle activity for the rectus abdominis, transversus abdominis, vastus medialis, and vastus lateralis, but a significant decrease (p<0.05) in muscle activity for the erector spinae, when compared to the same activity without the ADIM maintained. Furthermore, maintaining the ADIM contraction during descent led to a significant increase (p<0.05) in muscle activity for the rectus abdominis, external abdominal oblique, transversus abdominis, vastus medialis, and vastus lateralis, but a significant decrease (p<0.05) in muscle activity for the erector spinae, when compared to the same activity without the ADIM maintained. Conclusion: As a result of this study, it maintains the ADIM and reduces lumbar muscle activity at the waist and increases muscle activity in the legs when walking on a ramp. Therefore, maintaining the ADIM contraction during ramp walking is recommended as training to improve the function of patients' muscular skeleton.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.51-59
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• 2020

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to provide clinical basic data to reduce pain and improve function by comparing neck muscle activity and neck alignment using self-stretching and passive stretching exercises for chronic neck pain caused by forward head posture. METHODS: The subjects were divided into 15 subjects assigned to perform self-stretching exercise and 15 subjects assigned to perform passive stretching exercise. The intervention was conducted for a total of 4 weeks. The muscle activity in the neck was measured by surface electromyography (EMG) before intervention, and craniovertebral and cranial rotation angles were measured by X-ray. The 4-week intervention was conducted and the above items re-measured in the same manner and analyzed. RESULTS: Muscle activity within both groups after intervention using self-stretching or passive stretching exercise was significantly different (p < .05)(p < .01). Neck alignment of both groups was significantly different (p < .001)(p < .01). Further, muscle activities of the upper trapezius and splenius capitis muscles showed significant differences (p<.05). Lastly, neck alignment showed statistically significant difference (p < .05). CONCLUSION: Self-stretching exercise activated motor nerves as a posture correction exercise, thereby improving inhibition of muscle activity, muscle contraction delay, and pathological conditions of the muscle. For future research, interventions of self-stretching exercise will be needed for patients with chronic back pain accompanied by forward head posture, and various clinical studies on postural improvement of forward head posture by maintaining a normal muscle tone state are needed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.65-72
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• 2016

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to determine the differences between the muscle activity of cranio-cervical flexion and extension muscles according to the types of tools used through a short-term intervention of cranio-cervical static stabilization exercises using small tools. METHODS: A total of fifteen male and female adults in their 20s who showed forward head posture in the overall body posture measurement system participated in this study. Each subject performed cranio-cervical static stabilization exercises about flexion and extension while using a sling, a foam roller, a TOGU ball, and without tools separately, and the muscle activity of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, scalenus anterior and splenius capitis was measured. Each value was measured for 10 seconds a total of three times. The maximum voluntary isometric contraction value was computed using the average during the middle four seconds. RESULTS: Cranio-cervical flexion exercises using various tool types, the average activity of the sternocleidomastoid and scalenus anterior muscles was significantly higher when applying the TOGU ball (p<.05). According to the results of implementing cranio-cervical flexion exercise using various tools, the maximum muscle activity of the sternocleidomastoid muscle was significantly higher for the TOGU ball (p<.05). CONCLUSION: Based on these results, the provision of an unstable surface using small tools rather than a stable surface is recommended as an exercise scheme for proprioceptive stimulation in a forward head posture. Particularly, we recommend using the TOGU ball for the provision of an unstable surface to increase the muscle activity of the sternocleidomastoid muscle and scalenus anterior.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.15-27
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• 2009

Objective : This study was carried to identify the anatomical component of BMM (Foot Taeyang Meridian Muscle in the human truncus), and further to help the accurate application to real acupunctuation. Methods: The human truncus was stripped off in order to demonstrate muscles, nerves and other components, and to display the internal structure of the BMM, dividing into outer, middle, and inner parts. Results: The BMM in the human truncus is composed of muscles, nerves, ligaments etc. The internal composition of the BMM in the human truncus is as follows: 1. Muscle A. Outer layer: medial palpebral ligament, orbicularis oculi, frontalis, galea aponeurotica, occipitalis, trapezius, latissimus dorsi, thoracolumbar fascia, gluteus maximus. B. Middle layer: frontalis, semispinalis capitis, rhomboideus minor, serratus posterior superior, splenius cervicis, rhomboideus major, latissimus dorsi, serratus posterior inferior, levator ani. C. Inner layer: medial rectus, superior oblique, rectus capitis, spinalis, rotatores thoracis, longissimus, longissimus muscle tendon, longissimus muscle tendon, multifidus, rotatores lumbaris, lateral intertransversi, iliolumbaris, posterior sacroiliac ligament, iliocostalis, sacrotuberous ligament, sacrospinous ligament. 2. Nerve A. Outer layer: infratrochlear nerve, supraorbital n., supratrochlear n., temporal branch of facial n., auriculotemporal n., branch of greater occipital n., 3rd occipital n., dorsal ramus of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th thoracic n., dorsal ramus of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th lumbar n., dorsal ramus of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th sacral n. B. Middle layer: accessory nerve, anicoccygeal n. C. Inner layer: branch of ophthalmic nerve, trochlear n., greater occipital n., coccygeal n., Conclusions : This study shows that BMM is composed of the muscle and the related nerves and there are some differences from already established studies from the viewpoint of constituent elements of BMM at the truncus, and also in aspect of substantial assay method. In human anatomy, there are some conceptional differences between terms (that is, nerves which control muscles of BMM and those which pass near by BMM).

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.339-348
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• 2012

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to compare muscle activations of neck, trunk and leg in cerebral palsy of spastic diplegia with genu recurvatum and knee flexion contracture, when using anterior and posterior walkers. Methods : We selected 21 cerebral palsy and received the written consent to participate in this study. The inclusion criteria for participation required patients to have spastic diplegic CP; to be between 3~6 years of age, to have a GMFCS III grade, to have no botulinum toxin injection and orthopedics surgery within before six months starting the study. Measurements of muscle activities (sternocleidomastoid, splenius capitis, rectus abdominis, erector spinea, gluteus maximus, rectus femoris, medial hamstring and calf muscles) were evaluated anterior and posterior walker ambulations. Statistical evaluation of these data were accomplished by utilizing the paired t-test and independent t-test by SPSS 20.0 program. Significance level was set at p<.05. Results : The following results were obtained. There was significant difference on muscle activation of neck, trunk and legs(soleus except) in anterior and posterior walkers. There was no significant difference in muscle activation of neck but significant difference in muscle activation of trunk, legs between genu recurvatum and knee flexion contracture(rectus abdominis, medial hamstring when using anterior walker, rectus abdominis, erector spinea, gluteus maximus, medial hamstring when using posterior walker). Conclusion : The conclusion of this study is the different knee joint forms would have different effect on muscle activation of trunk and legs while cerebral palsy of spastic diplegic ambulated with anterior walker and posterior walker.