Background: The application of Kinesio tape (KT) has become an alternative treatment for the reduction of edema owing to its distinct characteristics that mimic skin behavior. Although many studies have found that KT application has a positive effect on edema related to breast cancer and rehabilitation following mandibular third molar surgery, there is little evidence to support the use of KT for musculoskeletal injuries.
Objects: The purpose of this study was to review the literature related to KT application for reducing edema caused by musculoskeletal disorders.
Methods: A literature search (July 2022) was performed on PubMed for articles published between January 2012 and June 2022. The following keywords were used: “Kinesio taping,” “Kinesio tape,” “swelling,” and “edema,” with different combinations and derivations. Only articles available in English were included in this study.
Results: Among 68 identified studies, seven met our search strategy and criteria and were included in the literature review. Five of these studies investigated musculoskeletal disorders of the knee joint; two of them reported that KT application had a positive effect on edema measured using perimetry following total knee replacement and anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. However, the KT application did not improve swelling in patients with acute lateral ankle sprains. Pediatric patients with acute proximal phalangeal joint sprain experienced a more significant improvement in the reduction of swelling than the group using a splint.
Conclusion: This literature review found discrepant evidence to support using KT for edema control in musculoskeletal disorders. Further research is needed to determine the effectiveness of KT for controlling edema following musculoskeletal injuries.
Background: The craniocervical flexion test (CCFT) was developed for the activation and endurance of deep cervical flexors. However, the muscle thickness and muscle thickness changing ratio of the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) and deep cervical flexor (DCF) muscles in subjects with and without forward head posture (FHP) have not been reported.
Objects: To determine the difference in thickness of the SCM and DCF muscles and the difference in the muscle thickness changing ratio between SCM, DCF, and DCF/SCM 20 mmHg and DCF/SCM 30 mmHg between subjects with and without FHP.
Methods: Thirty subjects with and without FHP were enrolled. The muscle thickness of the SCM and DCF was measured when maintained at a baseline pressure of 20 mmHg and a maximum pressure of 30 mmHg using a pressure biofeedback unit during the CCFT. Ultrasonography was used to capture images of SCM and DCF muscle thickness during the CCFT, which was calculated using the picture archiving and communication system (PACS).
Results: We observed a significant difference within the pressure main effect between SCM and DCF at a baseline pressure of 20 mmHg and a maximum pressure of 30 mmHg (p < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the muscle thickness and muscle thickness changing ratio for SCM and DCF during CCFT between subjects with and without FHP.
Conclusion: There was no significant difference in the muscle thickness recruitment pattern during CCFT in posture changes between subjects with and without FHP.
Background: Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is a physical modality used to activate skeletal muscles for strengthening. While voluntary muscle contraction (VMC) follows the progressive recruitment of motor units in order of size from small to large, NMES-induced muscle contraction occurs in a nonselective and synchronous pattern. Therefore, the outcome of muscle strengthening training using NMES-induced versus voluntary contraction might be different, which might affect balance performance.
Objects: We examined how the NMES training affected balance and proprioception.
Methods: Forty-four young adults were randomly assigned to NMES and VMC group. All participants performed one-leg standing on a force plate and sat on the Biodex (Biodex R Corp.) to measure balance and ankle proprioception, respectively. All measures were conducted before and after a training session. In NMES group, electric pads were placed on the tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, and soleus muscles for 20 minutes. In VMC group, co-contraction of the three muscles was conducted. Outcome variables included mean distance, root mean square distance, total excursion, mean velocity, 95% confidence circle area acquired from the center of pressure data, and absolute error of dorsi/plantarflexion.
Results: None of outcome variables were associated with group (p > 0.35). However, all but plantarflexion error was associated with time (p < 0.02), and the area and mean velocity were 37.0% and 18.6% lower in post than pre in NMES group, respectively, and 48.9% and 16.7% lower in post than pre in VMC group, respectively.
Conclusion: Despite different physiology underlying the NMES-induced versus VMC, both training methods improved balance and ankle joint proprioception.
Background: Older adults use different ankle muscle activation patterns during difficult static balance conditions. It has been suggested that this is related to a decline in proprioception with age, resulting in reduced postural balance. However, the association between proprioception and ankle muscle activity during quiet standing has not been directly assessed.
Objects: This study aimed to investigate the effects of age and sensory condition on ankle muscle activity and the association between ankle proprioception and ankle muscle activity. Methods: We recruited 10 young women and 9 older women. Ankle proprioception was evaluated using joint position sense (JPS) and force sense (FS) divided by dorsiflexion and plantarflexion. The electromyographic activity of the tibialis anterior (TA) and gastrocnemius (GCM) muscles was collected during quiet standing.
Results: Older women activated GCM muscle more than young during quiet standing and when performing difficult tasks. Older women had more errors in JPS dorsiflexion and FS plantarflexion than did young. The GCM muscle activity is related to JPS dorsiflexion and FS plantarflexion.
Conclusion: Lower proprioception of the GCM with age leads to increased muscle activity, resulting in reduced postural balance. There was no difference in TA proprioception or muscle activity among older women with frequent physical activity.
Background: The oxygen uptake efficiency slope (OUES) is the most important index for accurately measuring cardiopulmonary function in patients with acute ischemic heart disease. However, the relationship between the OUES variables and important cardiopulmonary function parameters remain unelucidated for patients with acute ischemic heart disease, which accounts for the largest proportion of heart disease.
Objects: The present cross sectional clinical study aimed to determine the multiple relationships among the cardiopulmonary function variables mentioned above in adults with acute ischemic heart disease.
Methods: A convenience sample of 110 adult inpatients with ischemic heart disease (age: 57.4 ± 11.3 y; 95 males, 15 females) was enrolled at the hospital cardiac rehabilitation center. The correlation between the important cardiopulmonary function indicators including peak oxygen uptake (VO2 peak), minute ventilation (VE)/carbon dioxide production (VCO2) slope, heart rate recovery (HRR), and ejection fraction (EF) and OUES was confirmed.
Results: This study showed that OUES was highly correlated with VO2 peak, VE/VCO2 slope, and HRR parameters.
Conclusion: The OUES can be used as an accurate indicator for cardiopulmonary function. There are other factors that influence aerobic capacity besides EF, so there is no correlation with EF. Effective cardiopulmonary rehabilitation programs can be designed based on OUES during submaximal exercise in patients with acute ischemic heart disease.
Background: Pronated foot posture (PFP) contributes to excessive dynamic knee valgus (DKV). Although foot orthoses such as medial arch support (MAS) are widely and easily used in clinical practice and sports, few studies have investigated the effect of MAS on the improvement of DKV during stair descent in individuals with a PFP. Moreover, no studies reported the degree of improvement in DKV according to the severity of PFP when MAS was applied.
Objects: This study aimed to examine the immediate effect of MAS on DKV during stair descent and determine the correlation between navicular drop distance and changes in DKV when MAS is applied.
Methods: Twenty individuals with a PFP (15 males and five females) participated in this study. The navicular drop test was used to measure PFP severity. The frontal plane projection angle (FPPA) was calculated under two conditions, with and without MAS application, using 2-dimensional video analysis.
Results: During stair descent, the FPPA with MAS (173.1° ± 4.7°) was significantly greater than that without MAS (164.8° ± 5.8°) (p < 0.05). There was also a significant correlation between the navicular drop distance and improvement in the FPPA when MAS was applied (r = 0.453, p = 0.045).
Conclusion: MAS application can affect the decrease in DKV during stair descent. In addition, MAS application should be considered to improve the knee alignment for individuals with greater navicular drop distance.
Background: The presence of the lumbopelvic-hip neuromuscular chain is essential for dynamic spinal stabilization; its therapeutic effects on dynamic movements of the distal extremity segment and underpinning motor mechanism remain unknown and warrant further study on participants with low back pain (LBP).
Objects: We aim to compare the effects of the broken chain exercise (BCE) and connected chain exercise (CCE) on electromyography (EMG) amplitude and onset time in participants with and without LBP.
Methods: Randomized controlled clinical trial. A convenience sample of 40 nonathletic participants (mean age: 24.78 ± 1.70) with and without LBP participated in this study. All participants underwent CCE for 30 minutes, 30-minute daily. We measured EMG amplitude and onset times on bilateral erector spinae (ES), gluteus maximus (GM), hamstring (HAM), transverse abdominis (TrA), internal oblique (IO), and external oblique (EO) during the prone hip extension (PHE) test before and after the BCE and CCE. We used multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) to analyze the amplitude and onset time difference between exercises (BCE and CCE) and Pearson’s correlations to determine any synergistic relationship among the HAM, GM, bilateral TrA/IO, and ES muscles. The statistical analyses were used at p < 0.05.
Results: MANOVA showed that CCE was more decreased on EMG amplitude in HAM and bilateral ES, while increased GM and contralateral TrA/IO than BCE (p < 0.05). MANOVA EMG onset time data analyses revealed that the main effect of the conditions was significant for all HAM, GM, and bilateral ES muscles, whereas the main effect for the group was significant only for GM and contralateral ES in healthy and LBP groups. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was computed to assess the relationship between BCE and CCE on dependent variables. In most of the muscles, there was a strong, positive correlation between the two variables, and there was a significant relationship (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: CCE produced more effective and coordinated core stabilization and motor control mechanism in the lumbopelvic-hip muscles in participants with and without LBP during PHE than BCE.
Background: Trunk movements are an important factor in activities of daily living; however, these movements can be impaired by stroke. It is difficult to quantify and measure the active range of motion (AROM) of the trunk in patients with stroke.
Objects: To determine the reliability and validity of measurements using a digital goniometer (DG) and smart phone (SP) applications for trunk rotation and lateral flexion in stroke patients. Methods: This is an observational study, in which twenty participants were clinically diagnosed with stroke. Trunk rotation and lateral flexion AROM were assessed using the DG and SP applications (Compass and Clinometer). Intrarater reliability was determined using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) with 95% confidence intervals. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to determine the validity of the DG and SP in AROM measurement. The level of agreement between the two instruments was shown by Bland–Altman plot and 95% limit of agreement (LoA) was calculated.
Results: The intrarater reliability (rotation with DG: 0.96–0.98, SP: 0.98; lateral flexion with DG: 0.97–0.98, SP: 0.96) was excellent. A strong and significant correlation was found between DG and SP (rotation hemiplegic side: r = 0.95; non-hemiplegic side: r = 0.90; lateral flexion hemiplegic side: r = 0.88; non-hemiplegic side: r = 0.78). The level of agreement between the two instruments was rotation (hemiplegic side: 23.02° [LoA 17.41°, –5.61°]; non-hemiplegic side: 31.68° [LoA 23.87°, –7.81°]) and lateral flexion (hemiplegic side: 20.94° [LoA 17.48°, –3.46°]; non-hemiplegic side: 27.12° [LoA 18.44°, –8.68°]).
Conclusion: Both DG and SP applications can be used as reliable methods for measuring trunk rotation and lateral flexion in patients with stroke. Although, considering the level of clinical agreement, DG and SP could not be used interchangeably for measurements.
Background: A spinal extension and intensive rehabilitation program reduced the symptoms and pain of kyphosis, and improved function.
Objects: This study aimed to demonstrate the effect of a spine extension device on the degree of thoracic kyphosis and extension angles, confirm reduction of the kyphosis angle and an increase in flexibility.
Methods: Thirteen adults were enrolled in the experiment, using the spine extension device, which was set to passively extend the spine. The angle between the spinous process of the first thoracic vertebra and the spinous process of the twelfth thoracic vertebra was measured by dual inclinometer before and after using the spine extension device.
Results: In the static posture, the thoracic kyphosis decreased after using the spine extension device in the thoracic extension posture, and there was a significant difference (p < 0.05); thoracic extension angle increased with statistical significance (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: In this study, the thoracic kyphosis angle and thoracic extension angle of the subjects before and after using spine extension device was compared and analyzed, which proved that the spine extension device can effectively improve the mobility of spinal extension.
Background: The PyeongChang 2018 Winter Paralympic Games (WPG) being one of the most successful Paralympic Games (PG) in modern athletic world history, hosted the largest number of elite athletes representing 49 National Paralympic Committees (NPCs).
Objects: The present investigation highlighted the demographic and clinical characteristics of injured athletes and non-athletes and the physiotherapy services provided during the PyeongChang 2018 WPG.
Methods: Prospective descriptive epidemiology study, in which the study group comprised of 201 participants (51 athletes and 150 non-athletes) who were admitted to and utilized the polyclinic physiotherapy service of 2018 PyeongChang WPG in Physiotherapy Department of Paralympic Village from March 1, 2018 to March 20, 2018.
Results: Qualitative frequency analysis of injury type demonstrated highest number of chronic injuries (51%, n = 100) in athletes and non-athletes. Anatomical injury site analysis revealed that the spine and shoulder areas were affected with equal frequency for athletes (54.9%, n = 14), whereas for non-athletes, the frequencies of spine and shoulder area injuries were 36.7% (n = 55) and 26% (n = 39), respectively. The Pyeongchang WPG showed a high rate of athletes visiting the physiotherapy service during the pre-competition period (33.3%, n = 50), which may have led to smaller incidence rate of traumatic injury. The physiotherapy treatment service analysis demonstrated that manual therapy (35.4%, n = 230) was most commonly utilized, followed by transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation/interference current therapy (TENS/ICT), therapeutic massage and therapeutic exercise.
Conclusion: We established the importance of prophylactic and preventive physiotherapy services to reduce the risk of sports injuries during WPG.