Background: The craniocervical flexion test (CCFT) was developed for the activation and endurance of deep cervical flexors. However, the muscle thickness and muscle thickness changing ratio of the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) and deep cervical flexor (DCF) muscles in subjects with and without forward head posture (FHP) have not been reported. Objects: To determine the difference in thickness of the SCM and DCF muscles and the difference in the muscle thickness changing ratio between SCM, DCF, and DCF/SCM 20 mmHg and DCF/SCM 30 mmHg between subjects with and without FHP. Methods: Thirty subjects with and without FHP were enrolled. The muscle thickness of the SCM and DCF was measured when maintained at a baseline pressure of 20 mmHg and a maximum pressure of 30 mmHg using a pressure biofeedback unit during the CCFT. Ultrasonography was used to capture images of SCM and DCF muscle thickness during the CCFT, which was calculated using the picture archiving and communication system (PACS). Results: We observed a significant difference within the pressure main effect between SCM and DCF at a baseline pressure of 20 mmHg and a maximum pressure of 30 mmHg (p < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the muscle thickness and muscle thickness changing ratio for SCM and DCF during CCFT between subjects with and without FHP. Conclusion: There was no significant difference in the muscle thickness recruitment pattern during CCFT in posture changes between subjects with and without FHP.

Background: Flat feet can be identified by assessing the collapse of the medial longitudinal arch (MLA) and these conditions can trigger epidemiological changes in the feet. Many of previous studies compared the muscle activity of lower body in terms of intervention and dynamics to treat the structural defect of flat feet. However, few studies have investigated or analyzed the muscle activity of gastrocnemius muscle in the subjects with flat feet. Objects: This study investigated the differences in changes of medial and lateral plantar flexors in subjects with flat feet during bipedal heel-rise (BHR) task and analyzed the differences in muscle activity between two groups by measuring the electromyography (EMG) of abductor hallucis (AH), tibialis anterior (TA), medial gastrocnemius (MG), lateral gastrocnemius (LG). Methods: A total of Twenty one adult females participated in this experiment. Subjects were assigned to groups according to the navicular drop test. The task was applied to the leg, where the heel lifting action prevailed. The muscle activity of the medial and lateral feet plantar flexors was evaluated, and the % maximum voluntary isometric contractions (%MVIC) of these were compared. Results: For the difference between groups the muscle activity (%MVIC) of LG muscle was statistically significantly low in flat feet group compared to healthy feet group (flat feet: 64.57, healthy feet: 90.17; p < 0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study will contribute to identifying the muscle activities of medial and lateral feet plantar flexors among subjects with flat feet, which can cause abnormal epidemiological changes in the feet.

Background: Cervical dysfunction is a common pathomechanical marker in individuals with forward head posture (FHP). To overcome the limitations of the isometric chin-tuck (ICT) exercise, dynamic neuromuscular stabilization (DNS), which emphasizes an entire spinal chain exercise, has recently shown promising clinical results. Objects: Purpose of this study was to compare the immediate effects between ICT and DNS techniques. Methods: 43 young subjects (mean age, 24.0±5.0 years) were recruited. Group of subjects with FHP were measured under baseline, ICT, and DNS conditions. Outcome measures included sitting height, longus colli (LC) and sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle thickness and LC/SCM thickness ratio. One-way repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare the continuous dependent variables among FHP, ICT, and DNS conditions at p<.016. Results: Both ICT and DNS exercise conditions yielded significantly increased LC muscle thickness, LC/SCM thickness ratio and sitting height than did FHP condition (p<.0001, respectively). Sitting height was significantly greater in DNS exercise than in the ICT exercise (p<.0001). Conclusion: The present results demonstrated that sitting height was greater in the DNS exercise than in the ICT exercise, as well as both corrective postural training exercises were effective on LC/SCM muscle balance ratio when compared with the baseline FHP condition. Therefore, it is considered that DNS exercise can be the recommended exercise for people with FHP.

The purpose of the study was to investigate the immediate effects of negative pressure soft tissue therapy on muscle tone, muscle stiffness and balance in patients with stroke. In total, 20 patients with stroke and assigned to the negative pressure soft tissue therapy group (NPST, n=10) or, placebo-negative pressure soft tissue therapy group(Placebo-NPST, n=10). Both groups underwent NPST or placebo-NPST once a day during the experimental period. MyotonPRO was used to assess the parameters for muscle tone and stiffness. Biorescue was used to assess the parameters for balance. Each group showed improvements in muscle tone, muscle stiffness, and balance ability (p<.05). Especially, Muscle tone, muscle stiffness, and anterior length in the limit of stability were the significant improvement on NPST group (p<.05). The results of the study suggest that the NPST is effective in improving muscle tone, muscle stiffness, and balance ability in patients with stroke.

Background: The deep cervical flexor (DCF) muscles have a crucial role in the management of neck pain. For preventing neck pain by activation of the DCF, craniocervical flexion (CCF) is an effective exercise. However, sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle is considered to affect negatively the activation of the DCF. SCM muscle which is an accessory muscle for respiration is activated differently depending on types of breathing patterns. It’s not certain that breathing patterns affect the SCM and DCF muscles thickness during CCF exercise. Objects: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of breathing patterns on the SCM and DCF muscles thickness during CCF exercise. Methods: Forty-five subjects participated in this study, and they were classified according to their breathing pattern, as follows: Costodiaphragmatic breathing (CDB) and upper costal breathing (UCB) groups. Ultrasonographic imaging of the SCM and DCF muscles was performed during five incremental levels of CCF during tidal breathing and expiration. Results: There was a significant interaction between the breathing pattern and the phase of CCF for percentage of SCM muscle thickness changes (p˂.05). In phase 1 CCF, a percentage of SCM muscle thickness changes was increased in the UCB group than in the CDB group (p˂.05). There was an increase in DCF muscles thickness with each additional CCF phase (p˂.05). Conclusion: Recruitment of SCM muscle was increased in the UCB group while performing CCF with a low intensity. There were no significant differences on DCF recruitment between the breathing pattern groups. Higher CCF exercise intensities elicited a higher DCF recruitment.