Background: Despite its high prevalence, interventions in plantar fasciitis remain inconclusive. To improve the daily life of plantar fasciitis patients, it is necessary to identify appropriate interventions to improve pain and foot pressure and balance. Improving the interventions for plantar fasciitis is one of the main goals for rehabilitation. Objectives: To investigate the changes in pain and static-dynamic foot pressure and balance through the evaluation of 42 plantar fasciitis patient before and after the foot stretching and joint mobilization interventions. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: The 42 subjects of the study were divided into a stretching group and a joint mobilization group with 21 subjects being assigned to each group. The results before and after the experiment were analyzed by applying stretching and joint movement interventions for a total of 6 weeks. Results: Before and after the intervention, there were significant improvements in the pain index and static-dynamic foot pressure and static balance in both stretching and joint mobilization groups. However, the between-group comparison indicated no significant differences. Conclusion: The stretching and the joint mobilization can improve the pain and static-dynamic foot pressure and static balance in plantar fasciitis patients.

Background: Core muscle weakness occurs due to trunk asymmetry and spinal malalignment after stroke. Core exercise is being implemented to improve trunk control and sitting position in stroke patients. Objectives: To investigated the effects of core muscle electrical stimulation on trunk control and dynamic balance in stroke patients. Design: Quasi-experimental study. Methods: A total of 30 stroke patients were recruited and divided into two groups: experimental group (core muscle electrical stimulation group) and control group (sham core muscle electrical stimulation group). Trunk impairment scale (TIS) was used to measure trunk control. BioRescue was used to measure sitting dynamic balance. Results: In both groups, all TIS scores and sitting dynamic balance abilities were improved increased significantly after intervention (P<.05). Changes in TIS scores and sitting dynamic balance abilities were significantly greater in the experimental group than the control group (P<.05). Conclusion: It was found that core muscle electrical stimulation can be used as an effective method for trunk control and balance recovery in stroke patients.

Background: A functional movement screen (FMS) can be used as an intervention method as well as a test method. Compensatory action due to a faulty functional movement result in imbalance of the body, and decrease in proprioceptive sensation and flexibility. However, the benefits of exercise using FMS on proprioceptive sensation and flexibility are unclear. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effect of exercise using FMS on the proprioceptive sensation and flexibility. Design: Pretest-posttest control group experimental design. Methods: Fifty-two young adults in their 20s were divided into an FMS exercise group (FEG, n=26) and a control group (CG, n=26). The FEG conducted FMS exercise intervention for 12 days, and CG did not implement any intervention. Each group evaluated proprioceptive sensation and flexibility before and after exercise. To measure proprioceptive sensation, the angles were measured at both shoulder joints, elbow joints, hip joints, and knee joints using the active joint sensory position test method. To measure flexibility, situp forward bending evaluation was performed. Results: In the FEG, bilateral proprioceptive sensation and flexibility improved significantly after intervention (all P<.01). There were no significant differences in the CG (all P>.05). After the intervention, there were significant differences between the groups in both proprioceptive sensation and flexibility (all P<.05). Conclusion: The findings suggest that exercise using FMS can significantly improve proprioceptive sensation and flexibility. Therefore, it is suggested to consider exercise using FMS as an intervention to increase joint proprioceptive sensation and flexibility.

Background: Korea citation index (KCI) enhances the quality of journals by securing a management system for domestic journals and strengthening the international competitiveness of excellent domestic journals. Errors in studies, papers, and investigations of statistical methods have been reported worldwide in the medical field. However, there is a lack of studies on statistical methods and error investigations in physical therapy journals in Korea. Objectives: To investigated the frequency of statistical methods and research errors in physical therapy journal articles evaluated by KCI. Design: Review. Methods: Ten journals classified as physical therapy journals by December 2021, which are candidate journals or higher, were targeted. The study focused on original articles published from 2017 to 2021 and investigated the frequency of statistical methods used, sample size calculations, result tables, effect sizes, and confidence intervals. Results: Statistical methods used in physical therapy studies in Korean journals mainly employed group comparative analysis. However, in most cases, the basis for sampling, effect size, and confidence interval were not presented, even though most of the results tables were included. Conclusion: This study allowed us to examine the most frequently used statistical methods in Korean physical therapy studies and assess the reporting status of sample size calculations, result tables, effect sizes, and confidence intervals. Efforts are needed to publish high-quality papers to improve the quality of Korean physical therapy journals.

Background: The Natural killer cell activity measurement test of the ELISA method developed by company A could have many economic benefits in terms of cost and time compared to the existing 'cytotoxicity test method'. A portable incubator capable of culturing the specimen while moving was developed as a way to save test time and secure the stability of the specimen when transferring the specimen to the entrusted institution. Objectives: This study investigated efficacy evaluation of NK cell activity measurement in a portable incubator. Design: Experimental research. Methods: 100 participants were selected to measure NK cell activity. The collected blood was placed in a general incubator and a portable incubator at the same time to start culturing, and the plasma was separated by centrifugation. The NK cell activity test was measured by enzyme immunometry. Results: In the verification of the culturing performance of the developed portable incuvator, no significance was found between the general incuvator and the portable incuvator, and the same performance was maintained in culture. Conclusion: Portable incubators have a great effect on shortening the test time and securing the stability of samples.

Background: Smart devices including smart phones have many benefits. However, prolonged used may aggravate cervical pain and postural deformity. Smart devices with appropriate applications (apps) may be useful cost-effective and easy-to-use instruments to relieve cervical pain and improve range of motion (ROM). Objectives: To review recent experimental studies on smart device-based apps on cervical pain and postural ROM improvement. Design: Systemic review study. Methods: Ten articles were selected through bibliographic searches and successive and exclusion procedure of the PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar. Out of initial 1,046 articles, 98 articles were selected from abstract review. 33 articles were selected for full article review. Final 10 research articles were selected. Results: Three static ROM feasibility, two active ROM feasibility, four self-management promotion, and one pre/post research study articles were included. Smart device with artificial intelligent (AI) based app were utilized promote adherence to physical activity. Conclusion: Smart device apps steadily showed high feasibility even for research purpose. Studies on AL and machine learning apps showed mixed results for need for wider and precision application.

Background: Studies using Smovey and Vibration foam rollers are mostly conducted with normal adults, breast cancer patients, and athletes. However, there are not many studies applied to stroke patients to date. Objectives: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of vibration exercise on the range of motion of the shoulder and knee joints in stroke patients. Design: A randomized controlled trial. Methods: A total of 36 stroke patients, with 12 in the Smovey and Vibration foam roller group (SVG), 12 in the Smovey and Non-Vibration foam roller group (SNVG), and 12 in the control group (CG) were randomly assigned to exercise three times a week for 6 weeks. The range of motion of the shoulder and knee joints was measured for each group before and after 6 weeks of exercise. For joint range of motion, shoulder flexion and extension and knee flexion and extension were measured using BPMpro. Results: In terms of the difference in time, the flexion and extension of the shoulder and the flexion and extension of the knee on the paretic side were significant in the SVG and SNVG. The CG was not significant. Shoulder flexion and extension and knee flexion and extension on the unaffected side were all insignificant. The differences between each group were significant between the SVG and the CG and the SNVG and the CG. SVG and SNVG were not significant. Conclusion: It was found that vibration exercise had a positive effect on the range of motion of the shoulder and knee joints. Therefore, it is thought that vibration exercise can be provided as a clinical intervention method for shoulder and knee range of motion.

Background: People these days use smartphone extensively as a means of diverse social activities, but excessive use of it has also created increasing forward head posture (FHP) with neck pain. To improve this FHP, neck stabilization exercise is necessary. Objectives: This study was to investigate the effects of stabilization exercise using biofeedback on FHP subjects with neck pain. Design: A non-randomized, controlled intervention study. Methods: This study chose 18 college students in their 20s whose neck disability index (NDI) was equal to or higher than 10 and cranio-vertebral angle indicated FHP as experimental group. The control group selected 18 persons with no neck pain and a normal range of cranio-vertebral angle. The stabilization movement was performed by applying three phases of pressure, with low of 20 mmHg, intermediate of 25 mmHg, and high of 30 mmHg, using the Stabilizer. To check the effects of stabilization exercise according to pressure, the circumference of deep neck muscles was measured with ultrasonic waves, and the activity of surface muscle of sternocleidomastoid (SCM) was measured using electromyography (EMG). Results: When the circumference of the deep neck flexor was analyzed according to the pressure change during stabilization exercise, the experimental group showed increase at all pressures. The activity of the SCM of the surface muscle increased in both groups as the pressure increased. Conclusion: The application of stabilization exercise was found to be more effective on forward head posture subjects with neck pain at lower pressures.

Background: Technological developments have led to the creation of a mechanical device capable of providing a representative massage as a passive treatment. The use of mechanical massage offers the distinct advantage of being user-friendly and available for use at any given time. Objectives: To investigated present the outcomes of utilizing a massage bed on the range of motion (ROM) and pressure pain threshold (PPT) in patients diagnosed with chronic low back pain. Design: ABA design of a single case study. Methods: To measure the ROM of the subject's trunk flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation, a tape measure and goniometer were utilized. Furthermore, PPT was measured using an electronic pressure pain meter. Baseline A and Baseline A’ periods were conducted for 5 consecutive days without intervention. Following the baseline periods, a massage bed intervention was administered for 1 hour daily for a total of 10 days during the Intervention B period. Daily assessments were performed, and the Intervention B period was conducted after the intervention. Results: The ROM effect was confirmed in trunk lateral flexion and rotation, while the PPT was effective in both L1, right L2, left L4, and left L5. Conclusion: The results of this study confirmed that the use of a massage bed improved the ROM and PPT in patients suffering from chronic back pain. Further randomized controlled trials involving a larger sample size are necessary to validate these findings.