The purpose of this study was to examine contraction of abdominal muscles on surface electromyographic (EMG) activity of superficial cervical flexors, rib cage elevation and angle of craniocervical flexion during deep cervical flexion exercise in supine position. Fifteen healthy subjects were participated for this study. All subjects performed deer cervical flexion exercise with two methods. The positions of two methods were no volitional contraction of abdominal muscles in hook-lying position with 45 degree hip flexion (method 1) and 90 degrees hip and knee flexion with feet off floor for inducing abdominal muscle contraction (method 2). Surface EMG activities were recorded from five muscles (sternocleidmastoid, anterior scaleneus, recuts abdominis, external oblique, internal oblique). And distance of rib cage elevation and angle of craniocervical flexion were measured using a three dimensional motion analysis system. The EMG activity of each muscle was normalized to the value of reference voluntary contraction (%RVC). The EMG activities, distance of rib cage elevation. and angle of craniocervical were compared using a paired t-test between two methods. The results showed that the EMG activities of sternocleidmastoid and anterior scaleneus during deep cervical flexion exercise in method 2 were significantly decreased compared to method 1 (p<.05). Distance of rib cage elevation and angle of craniocervical flexion were significantly decreased in method 2 (p<.05). The findings of this study indicated that deep cervical flexion exercise with contraction of abdominal muscles could be an effective method to prevent substitute motion for rib cage elevation and contraction of superficial neck flexor muscles.

The purpose of this study was to measure intrarater and interrater reliability of a portable digital pressure algometer. Fifty healthy subjects were recruited for this study. Pressure pain thresholds of splenius capitis, levator scapular, and upper trapezius muscles were measured using by FPK algometer and portable digital pressure algometer. Three trials were done on each subject by two examiners. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used to determine the reliability of each measure. The intrarater reliability of the FPK algometer was good and excellent (ICC .63~.79) and the interrater reliability was poor and good (ICC .15~.57). The intrarater reliability of a portable digital pressure algometer was excellent (ICC .75~.86) and the interrater reliability was poor and good (ICC .35~.61). This result suggests that the intrarater reliability and interrater reliability of a portable digital pressure algometer were better than an FPK algometer.