The purpose of this study was to identify the immediate effects of Maitland joint mobilization with kinematic taping in subacromial impingement syndrome patients. The Maitland joint mobilization was applied glenohumeral joint. The mobilization was performed at the end of rage to Grade IV. After that, kinematic tape was attached to shoulder joint (supraspinatis, infraspinatis, and trapezius muscles). The intervention period was four days. The measurement was done five times. The shoulder pain, range of motion (flexion, abduction, and rotation of the shoulder joint), muscle tone and stiffness (upper trapezius and deltoid muscle) were measured. The shoulder pain decreased. The range of motion (ROM) was increased all flexion, abduction, and rotation of the shoulder joint. Muscle tone and stiffness were decreased, especially upper trapezius of those was greatly decreased. The findings of present study suggest that Maitland joint mobilization with kinematic taping is effective in decreasing pain, muscle tone and stiffness, and in increasing shoulder ROM in patients with subacromial impingement syndrome.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of abdominal hollowing with ultrasound biofeedback on multifidus and transversus abdominis/internal oblique muscle activities during lifting tasks. This study recruited 12 healthy men. All subjects received training on expiration without and with abdominal hollowing with ultrasound biofeedback. After receiving training for each condition, the thickness of transversus abdominis was measured using ultrasound, and then, electromyography activities of transversus abdominis/internal oblique and multifidus during lifting tasks were measured using a surface electromyography system. The differences in thickness of transversus abdominis and electromyography activities of transversus abdominis/ internal oblique and multifidus between the two conditions were analyzed using paired t-test. Thickness of transversus abdominis and transversus abdominis/internal oblique and multifidus activities were significantly increased during expiration with abdominal hollowing with ultrasound biofeedback compared to during expiration without abdominal hollowing (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that abdominal hollowing with ultrasound biofeedback is effective in increasing trunk stabilizer muscle activities during both static and dynamic tasks such as lifting.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of lumbar stabilization and sling exercise on visual analogue scale (VAS), Korean Oswestry Disability Index (KODI), and stability index (ST) in patients with chronic lower back pain (CLBP). This study included participants with a VAS scale of 6 or higher and a KOD of 20-40%. They were randomly divided into a mat group (n=15) to perform lumbar stabilization exercises and a sling group (n=15) to perform sling exercises, and then they underwent a four-week experiment. The experimental results of this study were as follows: the VAS and KODI showed a statistically significant difference (P<.05) and a larger effect size within each group after the intervention, it exhibited no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P>.05). There were significant differences in ST before and after intervention in each group (P<.05), however there was no significant difference between the groups. The present study suggest that the effects of lumbar stabilization exercise and sling exercise are similar.

The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of Rolfing and Swedish massage. In total, 105 patients with cervical myofascial pain syndrome were divided into two groups based on the intervention: a 40-min Rolfing session (n = 52) or a 40-min Swedish massage session (n = 53). Pre- and pos-tintervention visual analog scale (VAS) scores for pain, muscle tone (Myoton F), muscle elasticity (Myoton D), and muscle stiffness (Myoton S) were measured to compare treatment effects between the two groups. The results revealed a significant decrease in the VAS score for pain, Myoton F, and Myoton S (p < .05), with no change in Myoton D (p > .05), after the intervention in the Rolfing group. Similar findings were obtained for the Swedish massage group. Intergroup comparison of the degree of improvement after the intervention revealed no significant difference for any variable. The findings suggest that both group indicated a similar decrease in pain, muscle tension, and muscle stiffness after the intervention, with no significant improvement in muscle elasticity.

The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of joint mobilization with respiratory muscle taping on pulmonary function and chest expansion ability in patients with chronic stroke. Thirty subjects (n=30) were randomly divided into three groups: a joint mobilization group (n=10), a respiratory muscle-taping group (n=10), and a joint mobilization with respiratory muscle-taping group (n=10). Measurements for pulmonary function and chest expansion were performed to assess its effectiveness. A spirometer was used to measure the pulmonary function, and a tape measure was used to assess the chest expansion. In the joint mobilization group, peak expiratory flow (PEF) was increased. Forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), and upper and lower chest expansion were also increased. All of variables of respiratory muscle-taping group also were increased. FEV1 and FVC were significantly different between joint mobilization with respiratory muscle-taping and respiratory muscle-taping group. The results of the present study suggest that mobilization with respiratory muscle taping increase the pulmonary function and chest expansion.

This study aimed to identify the effects of modified low-dye taping and foot intrinsic muscle strengthening exercise on foot pressure in people with flat feet. The subjects were 12 participants with flat feet in their 20s. They were randomly divided into two groups: taping and strengthening exercise. They performed the interventions twice a week for six weeks. The taping group was applied the modified low-dye taping. The exercise group was performed foot intrinsic muscle strengthening exercise for 30 minutes. The data were measured by Foot Pressure Measurement. There was no significant difference in plantar pressure between taping group and exercise group. There was also no significant difference in all variables before and after intervention in all groups. The present study suggests that taping and exercise can change the foot pressure in patients with flat-footed.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of unilateral shoulder bag weight and heel heights on trunk muscle activities. This study recruited 40 healthy women in their twenties. Electromyography activities of rectus abdominis muscle, external abdominal oblique muscle, internal abdominal oblique muscle and erector spinae muscle during standing position were measured using a surface electromyography system. The overall muscle activities of the trunk muscles were significantly increased in the contralateral trunk muscles (p<.05). Inaddition, the trunk muscles overall activities on the contralateral side without the shoulder bag was positive correlation with the heel height and unilateral shoulder bag weight (p<.05). Both high-heeled wear and unilateral shoulder bags are fashion items that cause asymmetry in the trunk muscles of women in their twenties. These findings suggest that the increase in the weight and heel height of the unilateral shoulder bag in women cause asymmetry of trunk muscle activities.

The aim this study was to examine the effect of general squat and wall squat exercises on the muscle activity of the vastus medialis oblique (VMO) and vastus lateralis (VL), and the muscle activity of the VMO and VL during squat exercises depending on the flexion angle of the knee joint. Thirty adults in their 20s participated in the study, and subjects were divided into the general squat group, and the wall squat group, and their electromyographic (EMG) was monitored and collected during squat exercises. The muscle activity of the VL during squat exercises was compared between the two groups, and that of the wall squat group was higher than that of the general squat group, indicate a statistically significant difference (p<.05). The muscle activity of the VMO of the wall squat group was also higher than that of the general squat group, indicate a statistically significant difference (p<.05). The muscle activity depending on the angle of the knee joint was compared between the two groups, and that of the VL showed a statistically significant difference between different angles of the knee joint (p<.05). That of the VMO also showed a statistically significant difference between different angles of the knee joint (p<.05). The findings of the present study suggest that wall squat is more effective in improving the muscular strength of the VL and VMO than general squat, and that maintaining the angle of the knee joint at 60° is more effective in improving the muscular strength than maintaining it at 15° or 45°

The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of task-oriented progressive resistance strength training and functional electrical stimulation (FES) on the gait speed and activity of daily living (ADL) in stroke patients. Twenty one patients diagnosed with stroke were randomly divided into 3 groups: the task-oriented progressive resistance strength training group (TPRSTG, n=7), the task-oriented progressive resistance strength training with FES group (TPRSTFESG, n=7), and the control group (CG, n=7). The length of intervention for each session in all groups was 30 minutes, and was performed once a day, 5 times a week, for a total of 6 weeks. The gait speed was measured using 10m walking velocity Test (10MWT) and the ADL was measured using the functional independence measure (FIM). TPRSTFESG demonstrated the most statistically significant lapse in 10MWT (p<.05). While post-intervention analysis showed a significant difference in ADL (p<.05), further analysis between each group indicated that there were no statistically significant differences between the groups post-intervention. These findings suggest that application of both task-oriented progressive resistance strength training with FES is the most effective intervention in improving gait speed.

This study aims to identify the effects of extracorporeal shock wave therapy and stretching technique on flexibility, muscle tone and pressure pain threshold of a shortened hamstring. A total of 40 patients with hamstring shortening was randomly assigned to either the extracorporeal shock wave therapy group (n=20) or extracorporeal shock wave therapy with stretching technique group (n=20) to identify the effects of the two different forms of physical therapy intervention. All the participants underwent extracorporeal shockwave therapy twice a week for 3 weeks, and the extracorporeal shockwave therapy with stretching technique group performed stretching techniques with the same frequency for 3 weeks. To measure hamstring flexibility before and after intervention, the passive straight leg raising test was performed, and muscle tone and pressure pain threshold were assessed. The flexibility of the hamstrings significantly improved, while the pressure pain threshold increased in both groups. These findings suggest that the effective in improving hamstring flexibility, reducing muscle tone, and increasing pressure pain threshold in adults with hamstring shortening.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of central posteroanterior mobilization on the pain, muscle tone, flexibility of trunk flexion, lumbar lordosis in patient with chronic back pain has been studied. The target subject was a 23 year old man, who had chronic back pain without surgical history within six months. The pain has been indicated by the pressure pain threshold, when the subject was pressed his spinous process of L3-L1 by the pressure of grade Ⅳ. The muscle tone, elasticity, and stiffness were measured by the MYOTONEⓇ PRO, and the flexibility of trunk flexion was evaluated by the distance from the figure tips to the floor, when subjects flexed their body. The lumbar lordosis was measured from the X-ray picture. The lumbar central posteroanterior mobilization of Maitland orthopedic physical therapy has been applied to the spinous process of L3-L1 in grade Ⅳ by five sets and 10 times for each set. According to the measurement result right after the intervention, the pain decreased from 2/10 to 1/10 based on the visual analogue scale. The flexibility of trunk flexion (distance from the finger tips to the floor) increased The muscle tone decreased from 15.3 to 14.65 and the muscle stiffness also decreased 53.5 from 310 to 256.5. However, the muscle elasticity increased from 0.89 to 1.04 and there was no changed on the lumbar lordosis as 25°. The results of the present study suggest that the central posteroanterior mobilization decrease the pain, muscle tone, and muscle stiffness of the lumbar area, however increase the muscle elasticity and flexibility of the trunk flexion.