본 연구에서는 전기 근육 자극(electrical muscle stimulation, EMS)에 사용되는 기존의 하이드로겔 패드의 단 점인 사용 편의성, 쾌적성 등을 보완할 수 있는 e-textile (electronic textile)을 이용한 전기 근육 자극(electrical muscle stimulation, EMS) 패드인 EMSCT (electrical muscle stimulation conductive textile)를 연구를 하고자 하 였다. SWCNT (Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube)와   의 농도 및 함침 공정 횟수를 변수로 하여, EMSCT는 5 가지 직물(라디론, 네오프렌, 스판쿠션, 폴리100%, 베르가모)에 전도성을 부여하여 실험이 진행되었다. SWCNT (Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube)와   을 이용한 패딩 공정을 거쳤으며, 교류 측정 결과 하이드로겔 과 가장 유사한 교류를 나타내는 것은 SWCNT:   = 2:1의 베르가모 원단이라는 결과를 얻을 수 있었다. 또한, 편 의성, 사용성, 심리적 만족성에 관한 사용성 평가를 통해 기존 하이드로겔 패드에 비해 EMSCT가 좋은 사용성을 가진다는 결과를 얻을 수 있다.

본 연구는 뇌졸중 후 발생한 삼킴 장애 환자를 대상으로 목근육에 표면 전극을 이용한 전기 자극 치료가 삼킴 장애에 미치는 영향을 알아보고자 하였다. 연구방법 : 본 연구는 연세대학교 원주의과대학 부속 원주기독병원에서 뇌졸중으로 진단 받은 사람으로서 삼킴 장애가 비디오투시검사를 통해 확인된 18명을 대상으로 하였다. 자연회복 여부를 확인하기 위하여 2주 동안 삼 킴 장애 치료를 목적으로 한 어떠한 처치도 받지 않았고, 그 후 전기 자극 치료를 하루 1시간, 일주일에 5회, 4주간 실시하였다. 삼킴 기능의 변화를 알아보기 위하여 2주 통제 기간 전후와 전기 자극 치료 2주후, 전기 자 극 치료 4주 후에 비디오투시검사를 실시하여 각 대상자별 4회의 검사가 실시되었다. 녹화된 동영상을 바탕으 로 연하 곤란 척도와 인두 통과 시간을 측정하였다. 결과 : 대상자들은 통제기간동안 삼킴 기능의 변화가 없었지만(p>.05), 2주간의 전기 자극 치료 후 유의한 삼킴 기능의 향상을 보였으며(p<.05), 4주 전기 자극 치료 후에도 2주 전기 자극 치료 후보다 유의한 삼킴 기능의 향 상이 있었다(p<.05). 그러나 인두통과시간은 2주 치료 후, 4주 치료 후 모두 유의하게 변하지 않았다(p>.05). 삼 킴 후 인두기의 잔여물은 양배꼴동, 후두개곡에서 유의하게 줄어들었다(p<.05). 결론 : 본 연구 결과 대상자들은 2주 기간 동안 삼킴 기능의 자연 회복을 보이지 않았고 전기 자극 치료 후에 유의 한 기능 향상을 보여 전기 자극 치료의 효과를 증명하였다. 대상자들은 2주 전기 자극치료에서 뿐만 아니라 4주 치료 후에도 계속적인 기능 상승을 보였는데 앞으로는 본 연구보다 장기적인 치료의 효과와 이의 지속여부를 확 인하는 연구가 필요할 것으로 생각된다. 또한 인두통과시간은 삼킴 기능의 변화를 민감하게 나타내지 못하였으 므로 인두 통과 시간만을 측정하는 삼킴 기능의 평가는 추후 연구에서도 주의가 필요할 것으로 생각된다.

Skeletal muscle injury occurs frequently in sports medicine and is the most general form of injury followed by physical impact. There are growth factors which conduct proliferation, differentiation, and synthesis of myogenic prodromal cells and regulate vascular generation for the continued survival of myocytes. The purpose of the present study was to confirm the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) and electrical stimulation (ES) on muscle recovery processes according to vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression. Eighteen Sprague-Dawley rats were separated into 2 experimental groups and a controlled group. All animals had suffered from crush damage in the extensor digitorum longus for 30 seconds and were killed 1, 3, and 7 days after injury. 30 Hz and 1 mA impulsion for 15 minutes was applied to the EA experimental groups Zusanli (ST36) and Taichong (LR3) using electroacupuncture and the same stimulation was applied to the ES group using an electrical node. Hematoxyline-Eosin staining and VEGF immunohistochemistry were used to ascertain the resulting muscle recovery. There were few morphological differences between the EA and ES groups, and both groups were observed to have tendencies to decrease atrophy as time passed. In the controlled group, gradually diminishing atrophy could be observed, but their forms were mostly disheveled. There were few differences in VEGF expression between the EA and ES groups, and tendencies to have an increased quantity of VEGF with the lapse of time were observed in both groups. In the controlled group, a little VEGF expression could be observed merely 7 days after injury. In conclusion, EA and ES contributed to muscle recovery processes and could be used for the treatment of muscle injury.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of intramuscular stimulation (IMS) therapy in older persons with musculoskeletal pain. The subjects were 181 older persons (54 males, 127 females) with musculoskeletal pain. Intramuscular stimulation unit with needles (size mm) was applied for the treatment. The analgesic effects were measured by visual analog scale (VAS). Results showed that the post-treatment VAS score was significantly decreased after IMS therapy for fifteen minutes compared to pre-treatment score. In addition, the post-treatment VAS score was significantly decreased in patients with chronic pain (pain duration of one year after onset) compared to the post-treatment VAS score in patients with subacute pain (pain duration less than three months after onset). There was no significant difference in analgesic effects according to gender and age groups. It is determined from this study that IMS therapy can be beneficial for patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain in clinical setting. Further study is needed to identify whether the IMS therapy can change the pain threshold in patients with neurologic pain.

Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a common problem that can interfere with rehabilitation as well as activities of daily living. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of both transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and microcurrent electrical neuromuscular stimulation (MENS) on DOMS, Twenty-seven untrained and male volunteer subjects were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups: 1) a group that received TENS (7 Hz), 2) MENS (60 , .3 pps) or 3) a control group that received no treatment. Subjects performed repeated eccentric exercise of the non-dominant forearm flexor muscle with submaximal intensity by the simply designed eccentric exercise devices. Treatments were applied after 24 hours and 48 hours. Subjects attended on two consecutive days for treatment and measurement of elbow flexion, extension, resting angle (universal goniometer), and pain (visual analogue scale: VAS) on a daily basis. Measurements were taken after treatment. Analysis of results were as follows; 1) There were no significant differences between TENS and MENS by one-way repeated ANOVA, 2) The t-test for pain, resting, flexion and extension angle revealed significant differences within TENS group, 3) The t-test for resting angle revealed significant differences within MENS group.