Background: Passive or therapist-assisted stretching, followed by scapular stabilization exercises, has been shown to be effective. However, most previous studies have focused on stretching individual muscles or specific movement directions, often neglecting the role of active scapular stretching. Objects: This study aimed to compare changes in the muscle activity of the lower trapezius (LT), serratus anterior (SA), and upper trapezius (UT), as well as the scapular posterior tilt (SPT) angle before and after scapular circle (SC) stretching during SPT exercise. Methods: Twenty participants were recruited for this study. Electromyography electrodes were attached to the LT, SA, and UT. Muscle activity and the posterior scapular tilt angle were measured while performing the SPT exercises. After the SC stretch, the measurements were repeated in the same manner. The LT, SA, and UT electromyography activities and SPT angles were analyzed using paired t-tests. Results: LT activity was significantly higher in the SC stretch plus SPT exercise compared with in the SPT exercise alone (p = 0.018). There were no significant differences in SA activity between the SPT and SC stretch plus SPT exercise conditions (p = 0.812). UT activity significantly increased in the SC stretch plus SPT exercise compared with that in the SPT exercise (p = 0.001). The SPT angle was significantly enhanced during SPT exercise after the SC stretching compared to that without SC stretching (p = 0.009). The RSP improved by 2.32% compared to the initial posture when only the SPT was performed, and improved by 9.95% when the SPT was performed after the SC stretching. Conclusion: These results suggest that performing SC stretching prior to SPT exercise may effectively improve scapular alignment and posture, even when UT activation increases more than of the LT. Elevated UT activity highlights the need to address muscular balance in corrective exercise design.

Background: Chronic ankle instability (CAI) is a prevalent condition among Taekwondo athletes, often associated with pain, psychological factors, and impaired physical performance. However, few studies have investigated the relationship among ankle muscle strength, pain, kinesiophobia, and physical performance in Taekwondo athletes with CAI. Objects: This study aimed to examine the relationship between ankle muscle strength, pain, kinesiophobia, and physical performance in Taekwondo athletes with CAI. Methods: Forty Taekwondo athletes with CAI participated in the study. Pain was assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), and kinesiophobia was measured with the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia-11 (TSK-11). Physical performance was evaluated using the single-leg vertical jump (SLVJ) and single-leg hop for distance. The strength of the ankle muscles is measured using a Smart KEMA strength sensor. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were calculated to determine relationships among variables. Results: SLVJ showed a significant negative correlation with VAS (r = –0.506, p < 0.01) and a positive correlation with strength of the ankle inversion with dorsiflexion (IDF) (r = 0.356, p < 0.05). VAS was negatively correlated with strength of the ankle eversion with plantarflexion (r = –0.365, p < 0.05), IDF (r = –0.371, p < 0.05) and inversion with plantarflexion (r = –0.370, p < 0.05). No significant correlations were found between TSK-11 and physical performance, pain, or ankle muscle strength outcomes. Conclusion: Pain intensity and ankle muscle strength in specific ankle positions are associated with SLVJ in Taekwondo athletes with CAI. These findings suggest that the intensity of pain and the strength of the ankle evertor and invertor at specific ankle joint positions should be considered when evaluating Taekwondo athletes with CAI. Furthermore, managing pain and implementing strengthening exercises for the ankle evertor and invertor can be recommended to improve SLVJ.

Background: Knee osteoarthritis is a highly prevalent chronic condition that affects approximately 80% of individuals aged ≥ 65 years. Major problems include pain, dysfunction, reduced quality of life, balance ability, and muscle tone. Objects: This study examined the effects of multidirectional knee-strengthening exercises using elastic bands on knee pain, functional disability, quality of life, balance ability, and rectus femoris (RF) muscle tone in elderly patients aged ≥ 65 years with knee osteoarthritis. Methods: Forty-eight patients aged ≥ 65 years with knee osteoarthritis participated in the study. The participants were assigned randomly to either the experimental group (n = 24) or the control group (n = 24). Both groups performed knee-strengthening exercises, but the experimental group incorporated elastic bands into their exercises. All interventions were conducted 3 times a week for 30 minutes per session over 4 weeks. The effects were assessed before and after the intervention using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), Korean version of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (K-WOMAC), Euro Quality of Life 5 Dimension (EQ-5D), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and RF muscle tone. Between-group differences before and after the intervention were analyzed using the independent t-test, and withingroup differences were examined using the paired t-test for pre-post intervention comparisons of the dependent variables. Results: Both groups showed significant improvements in the NRS, K-WOMAC function, KWOMAC total score, EQ-5D, BBS, and RF muscle tone after the intervention (p < 0.05). In addition, the experimental group showed significant improvements in the NRS, K-WOMAC, BBS, and RF muscle tone compared with the control group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Multidirectional knee-strengthening exercises using elastic bands can be an effective intervention to improve knee pain, functional disability, balance ability, and RF muscle tone in elderly patients aged ≥ 65 years with knee osteoarthritis.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between occupational conditions and foot morphology in industrial workers. Objects: A total of 118 workers from Cheonan and South Korea were recruited through a manufacturing plant for participation in this study. Methods: Musculoskeletal findings were evaluated by musculoskeletal symptoms disease questionnaire. We measured foot structure and foot plantar pressure-based variables using the Arch Finder System. Pearson’s correlation analysis was used to investigate statistical examination. Results: Longer years of service revealed a weak negative correlation with foot width, medial arch height, and metatarsal width; workers with foot pain and laborious positions record high values of plantar pressure than those in office positions. Furthermore, strong bilateral correlations were observed between the foot morphological structure parameters of participants (r = 0.796–0.890). Conclusion: Occupational conditions, particularly duty duration and job type, influence plantar pressure and foot structure. Plantar pressure assessment may aid in the early identification and prevention of work-related musculoskeletal disorders.

Background: With rapid advances in digital technology, tablet PC use among university students has increased significantly. While convenient, prolonged use often causes neck and shoulder discomfort due to poor posture, such as forward head posture and rounded shoulders. Although students commonly use tablets for writing, there is limited research on head movements during these tasks. Objects: To compare frontal plane head movements and tablet tilt angles between college students with and without neck pain during tablet PC use. Methods: Participants were divided into two groups based on neck pain presence (neck pain group and no pain group). Each participant sat at a table, adjusted the tablet stand angle independently, and placed the tablet accordingly. Participants wore earphones and dictated English sentences to ensure focused handwriting and the evaluator recorded all process. These video recordings of handwriting sessions were analyzed for frontal plane head movements using Kinovea software. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was applied to reveal the group differences in tablet tilt angle, total head movement (THM), horizontal head movement (HHM), and vertical head movement (VHM). Results: There were no significant differences between the neck pain and no neck pain groups in tablet tilt angle or HHM (p > 0.05). In contrast, the neck pain group exhibited significantly greater THM (p < 0.001) and VHM (p < 0.01). Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate no significant relationship between neck pain and tablet tilt angle or HHM, but a significant association with increased VHM and THM. These findings provide basic knowledge for understanding movement patterns in individuals with neck pain.

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare gluteus medius (Gmed) and quadratus lumborum (QL) muscle activities and the Gmed/QL activity ratio, during five hip abduction exercises in individuals with Gmed weakness. Objects: Nineteen participants with clinically identified Gmed weakness performed five hip abduction exercises: side-lying hip abduction (SHA), side-bridge (SB), SB using sling (SB-sling), SB with hip abduction (SB-HA), and SB-HA using sling (SB-HA-sling). Surface electromyography recorded Gmed and QL, normalized to %maximum voluntary isometric contraction (%MVIC). A repeated-measures ANOVA was used to assess differences across conditions. Results: Significant differences were found in Gmed (F = 68.980, p = 0.001) and QL (F = 10.676, p = 0.001) activation across exercises. Gmed activity was highest in SB-HA (61.77 ± 14.46 %MVIC), while SHA produced the highest Gmed/QL activity ratio (1.70 ± 0.26), indicating more selective Gmed activation. SB and SB-sling showed lower Gmed activity and higher QL activation. SB-HA-sling resulted in moderate Gmed activation without significantly increasing QL activation. Conclusion: The SB-HA exercise is effective for co-activating Gmed and QL, while SHA and SB-HA-sling are better suited for selectively targeting Gmed with minimal QL compensation. These findings support exercise selection based on specific rehabilitation goals.

Ainsliaea acerifolia, a perennial herbaceous plant endemic to forested regions of the Korean Peninsula, has drawn attention for its bioactive properties and potential as a functional food and medicinal resource. Despite its ecological and economic value, little is known about its spatial distribution or habitat preferences under changing climatic conditions. This study aims to quantify the current and future habitat suitability of A. acerifolia in southeastern Korea—including Gyeongsangnam-do, Busan, and Ulsan—using the MaxEnt (Maximum Entropy) species distribution model. A total of 217 presence records were compiled from both GBIF data and field surveys, and seven key environmental variables were selected through multicollinearity screening. Model performance was robust (mean AUC = 0.845), and key predictors included topographic roughness (TRI), precipitation of the driest month (Bio14), and mean diurnal range (Bio2). Under current climate conditions, 31.5% of the study area was identified as suitable habitat (≥0.222), with only 4.7% categorized as core habitat (≥0.6). Future projections under SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, and SSP5-8.5 scenarios indicated substantial habitat contraction, particularly in coastal and lowland areas, with refugial zones likely to persist in mid-elevation inland mountains (500–900 m). These findings suggest that A. acerifolia is highly sensitive to climatic variability and emphasizes the urgent need for conservation strategies focused on climate-resilient refugia and ecological corridors. The study provides a spatial framework for species conservation planning under future climate uncertainty.

Pine wilt disease (PWD), caused by the pine wood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus), is a major threat to Pinus thunbergii forests in South Korea. Although climatic conditions are known to affect the spread of PWD, the specific influences of temperature and geography on nematode density and tree mortality remain unclear. This study assessed monthly PWN density and black pine mortality across three regions—two coastal (Geoje and Sacheon) and one inland (Jinju)—from 2021 to 2023. Nematode density and tree mortality consistently peaked in autumn across all regions. A strong positive correlation was observed between nematode density and tree mortality (r = 0.7468, p < 0.01), while temperature showed no significant correlation with either variable. These results indicate that PWD severity is more closely tied to nematode activity than to temperature alone, and that regional and seasonal variability must be considered in disease assessment. The findings highlight the need for region-specific monitoring and management strategies that prioritize high-risk periods, particularly autumn, when nematode activity and disease expression are most pronounced. This research provides essential data to support adaptive PWD control programs under changing climatic conditions.