Background: Patients who underwent rotator cuff repair (RCR) require management to control pain and prevent re tear and stiffness. Thoracic mobilization has been applied for the improvement of vertebra and shoulder movements and pain reduction. Also, core stability exercise is an intervention necessary for rehabilitation after shoulder surgery. Objectives: To examine the short term benefits of thoracic mobilization and core stability exercise for patients after RCR. Design: Randomized controlled trial with multi arm parallel group and single blind assessor. Methods: 30 participants after RCR were recruited. Participants were categorized into conventional physical therapy (CPT) group, thoracic mobilization (TM) group, and core stability exercise (CSE) group according to the randomization program. Each treatment, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimuli (TENS), TM, and CSE was applied to each group. 3 physical therapists only conducted evaluations; VAS (visual analogue scale), ROM (range of motion), and Korean version of Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI). Results: VAS and SPADI were statistically reduced, and ROM was statistically improved in all 3 groups. In between three group comparisons of changes in outcome variables, there was not a significant difference in VAS, but there was a significant difference in ROM and SPADI. In the post hoc test, ROM and SPADI showed a significant difference in TM and CSE compared to CPT. Conclusion: TM according to Maitland concept and CSE had beneficial effects compared to CPT in patients after RCR.

Background: More women than men experience genu recurvatum, which can lead to knee pain and arthritis if left unattended. Pilates combined with taping is a suitable rehabilitation method for women with genu recurvatum. Objectives: To aimed the effect of taping and Pilates stabilization exercise on physical alignment and improvement of genu recurvatum in women with genu recurvatum. Design: A Randomized controlled trial. Methods: Twenty-one women were divided into three groups: taping group (back of knee taping and quadriceps femoris taping, n=7), Pilates exercise group (hip, knee and abdominal muscles exercise, n=7), and combined group (taping with pilates exercise, n=7). The measured variables were sagittal plane alignment and back and abdominal muscle, knee flexor and extensor strength. Results: After the intervention, all sagittal plane alignments were significantly improved in both the Pilates and combined groups. Sagittal plane alignment was significantly improved in the combined group compared with the taping group. Back and abdominal muscle strength were significantly improved in the Pilates and combined groups compared with the taping group. Knee flexor and extensor were significantly improved in the combined group compared with the Pilates group and in the Pilates group compared with the taping group. Conclusion: Pilates exercise with taping or Pilates exercise alone was effective intervention methods to improve physical alignment and strength in women with genu recurvatum.

이 연구의 목적은 코어 저항 운동이 농업 여성노인들의 근감소증 지표에 미치는 영향을 보고자 하였다. 이 연구에 참여한 피검자는 65세 이상의 천안시 거주 농업 여성노인 15명과 통제군 여성 15명으로 하였다. 코어 운동군은 주 2회 60분간 코어 강화 운동을 실시하였고, 종속변인인 근감소증 지표로는 악력, 의자 앉았다 일어서기, 근육의 면적과 단기운동수행력으로 4m 보행, 2.44m 걷기 및 400m 걷기를 실시하였다. 코어 저항 운동 결과 의자 앉았다 일어서기의 유의한 개선을 보였으나 근단 면적에서는 집단 간에 유의한 차이를 보였다. 또한 단기운동수행 능력 중 4m 보행속도에서 유의한 상호 작용과 2.44m 왕복걷기와 400m 걷기에서는 유의한 개선을 보이는 것으로 나타났다. 이상과 같이 코어 저항 운동은 근육의 활성화로 인해 하체근육 및 단기 운동수행능력을 개선을 가져오는 것으로 판명되었다.

Background: We developed a novel integrative lumbar stabilization technique that combines lumbar extension (LE) exercise with abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM) to ameliorate low back pain (LBP) associated with neuromuscular imbalance and instability, based on the collective evidence of contemporary spinal rehabilitation. Objects: The specific aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of LE exercise with and without ADIM on core muscle strength, lumbar spinal instability, and pain, as well as functional characteristics in individuals with LBP using advanced radiographic imaging techniques. Methods: patients with mechanical LBP (N = 40, 6 males; 35.1±7.6 years) were recruited and randomly assigned either to the combined LE and ADIM (experimental group) or the LE alone (control group). Outcome measures included the visual analog scale, the modified Oswestry Disability Index, muscle strength imbalance (MSI), and radiographic imaging. The lumbar intervertebral displacement (LID), intervertebral (IV) and total lumbar extension (TLE) angles were calculated to evaluate the lumbar segmental instability. Results: The experimental group showed significant differences in the L3-L4, L5-S1 LIDs, L4-L5 and L5-S1 IV angles, and TLE angle as compared to the controls (p<.05). Immediate pain reduction and muscle strength imbalance ratio were significantly different between the groups (p<.05). Conclusion: These results suggest that the addition of ADIM significantly increased lumbar spinal stabilization in individuals with LBP, thereby reducing pain associated with functional lumbar flexion during daily activities.

The purpose of this study effectiveness of core strengthening exercise programs on symmetric double limb support and balance ability for elderly. The subjects that 30 persons between the ages of 65~80 elderly participated were divided into two groups randomly for 8 weeks. Tetrax interactive balance system and Berg's balance scale were used to assess support and stability. Paired t-tests were used to evaluate the changes before and after intervention. The difference between the groups was compared using an independent t-test. The experimental group showed significantly increase weight support, stability, balance(p<.05). However, the control group not showed significantly increase weight support, stability, balance(p>.05). In a variation, experimental and control groups showed significantly increased rate of weight support, stability, balance(p<.05). Consequently, core strengthening exercise program should be considered as a therapeutic method for the elderly to improve the balance ability and effectiveness on falls.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of supporting surface instability to trunk and lower extremity muscle activities during bridging exercise combined with core-stabilization exercise. Thirty young healthy adults (15 males and 15 females) voluntarily participated in this study. Each subject was asked to perform bridging exercise combined with core-stabilization exercise on three different supporting surfaces (stable ground surface, the wooden balancing board, and the air cushion). The muscle activities were measured using surface electromyography (EMG) during performing exercise. To test statistical significance, one-way ANOVA with repeated measures was used with the significance level of .05. The findings of this study are summarized as follows. (1) There were significant differences in muscle activities on internal oblique, external oblique, gluteus medius, semitendinosus, biceps femoris, medial gastrocnemius and lateral gastrocnemius during exercise (p<.05). (2) The biceps femoris and lateral gastrocnemius showed significantly higher muscle activity on the wooden balancing board rather than on the ground, and semitendinosus, biceps femoris, medial gastrocnemius and lateral gastrocnemius showed significantly higher muscle activity on the air cushion rather than on the ground (p<.05). Therefore, it is concluded that muscle activities in the trunk and the lower limbs during bridging exercise combined with core-stabilization exercise was affected with instability of supporting surface. Further researches are needed to investigate the long term effect of bridging exercise on muscle activity with patient group.

Core stability exercises for patients with hemiplegia have become increasingly important and a variety of exercises have been developed over the years to give the hemiplegic patients more stable postural control. This study examined the therapeutic effects of the core stability exercises on the ability of static and dynamic postural control. Fifteen hemiplegic patients (7 males, 8 females, age ranging from 46 to 76 years) hospitalized in a Daejoen rehabilitation hospital were enrolled in this study. Nine and 6 patients had a cerebral infarction and cerebral hemorrhage, respectively. The subjects participated in a core stability exercise program consisting of a total of 12 sessions 3 times each week over a 4-week period with each exercise lasting approximately 15 minutes. The ability of static and dynamic postural control by Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and Timed Up and Go (TUG), respectively, were measured before and after the core stability exercise. A Wilcoxon signed ranks test was used to compare the effects of the ability of static and dynamic postural control before and after core stability exercise in patients with hemiplegia. The =.05 level of significance was used for the statistical tests. Core stability exercises were effective in improving the ability of static postural control; BBS (p<.05). Core stability exercises were also effective in improving the ability of dynamic postural control; TUG (p<.05). Overall, core stability exercise is believed to be an important therapeutic method in rehabilitation programs for hemiplegic patients.