Background: In previous studies, changes in postural alignment were found when the slope was changed during walking. Downhill walking straightens the trunk by shifting the line of gravity backward. Objects: This study investigated the effect of the downhill treadmill walking exercise (DTWE) on thoracic angle and thoracic erector spinae (TES) activation in subjects with thoracic kyphosis. Methods: A total of 20 subjects with thoracic kyphosis were recruited for this study. All the subjects performed the DTWE for 30 minutes. A surface EMG and 3D motion capture system were used to measure TES activation and thoracic angle before and after the DTWE. Paired t-tests were used to confirm the effect of the DTWE (p<.05). Results: Both the thoracic angle and TES activation had significantly increased after the DTWE compared to the baseline (p<.05). An increase in the thoracic angle indicates a decrease in kyphosis. Conclusion: The DTWE is effective for thoracic kyphosis patients as it decreases their kyphotic posture and increases the TES activation. Future longitudinal studies are required to investigate the long-term effects of the DTWE.

본 연구는 S시 N구 소재의 T의원에 내원환자 중 경추 단순방사선촬영(X-ray) 후 Cobb’s angle 35°이하 또는 Jochumsen’s depth 3mm이하로 경추후만곡이 나타나고 자세 불균형이 있는 참가자 12명을 대상으로 선정하여 기능교정이 경추 만곡도와 자세균형에 미치는 효과를 분석 하고자 실시하였다. 연구목적을 달성하기 위하여 단일군 전후 실험 설계(one group pre test-post test design)로 연구 참가자에게 주 2회 20분씩 기능교정 치료를 8주간 실시하였다. 사전조사로 치료 전 상담과 경추부 Lateral view X-ray 촬영과 Exbody 720 체형분석기를 이용하여 신체의 우측면을 촬영을 하였다. 사후조사는 기능교정 치료 후 Lateral view X-ray촬영과 Exbody 720 체형분석기 이용하여 신체의 우측면을 동일하게 촬영을 하였다. 각각 수집된 자료는 SPSS 21.0을 이용하여 분석하였다. 실증분석을 통하여 기능교정 치료 후에 경추후만곡 및 자세균형이 개선되는 결과를 얻어, 경추후만곡과 자세균형에 대한 기능교정 치료가 긍정적인 효과가 있는 것을 확인하였다. 또한 기능교정 치료가 병적 장애의 물리치료 및 삶의 질 향상에 기여하여 현대인의 신체적 균형을 이루어 2차적인 질병으로 진행되지 않도록 중재적 역할을 하여 일상생활에 큰 도움이 될 것으로 기대된다.

Background: Recently, there has been an emphasis on the use of interventions with biofeedback information for the maintenance or correction of posture. Objects: This study assessed the change of trunk posture and trunk muscle activation when people exhibiting postural kyphosis performed visual display terminal work with or without a contact feedback device (CFD). Methods: Eighteen right-handed individuals were recruited. Thoracic angle and right thoracic erector spinae (TES) muscle amplitude were analyzed. There were two sessions in these experiments. The control session involved 16 minutes of typing without a CFD, and the CFD session involved 16 minutes of typing with a CFD. The visual analog scale score was analyzed with a paired t-test, and the kinematic and electromyography data were analyzed through two-way repeated analysis of variance. Results: The paired t-tests revealed that subjects had significantly less pain after the CFD sessions than after the control sessions (p<.05). Significant main effects by session and by time were observed in the thoracic kyphosis angle (p<.05). There was a significant session×time interaction for TES amplitude (p<.05), along with significant main effects by session and by time (p<.05). Conclusion: The CFD caused people with postural kyphosis to straighten and to activate their TES continuously, even though they were habituated to bend their bodies forward. Therefore, the CFD was a beneficial treatment tool

The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in the flexicurve kyphosis index (KI), the flexicurve lordosis index (LI) and the distance from the inferior angle of the scapula to the nearest vertebral spinous process (DS), as a dependent variable of scapular protraction, after applying of adolescents with thoracic hyperkyphosis using three different garments. A repeated measures design was used. Ten adolescents ( years) with thoracic hyperkyphosis ( Cobb angle) were recruited from a university hospital. A flexicurve ruler was used to measure KI and LI and a scoliometer was used to measure DS under three different conditions: wearing-a hospital garment (HG), wearing-a sham garment (SG), and wearing-an experimental garment (EG). KI under EG condition was significantly decreased compared with that wearing the HG. However, there was no significant difference between wearing the SG and HG. LI when wearing the EG was significantly increased compared with that when wearing HG. However, there was no significant difference under SG and HG conditions. DS when wearing the EG was significantly decreased compared with wearing HG. However, there was no significant difference between the SG and HG. The results of this study show that the EG was effective in decreasing KI, but not effective in decreasing LI. Hence, the effect of the EG for correcting sagittal spine angle in adolescents with thoracic hyperkyphosis is still debatable. However, since we showed that DS decreases in the EG, this method could be applied in correcting the scapular protraction.