Background: Previous studies have been reported that when instrument assisted soft tissue mobilization (IASTM) and the self-myofascial release technique were used on the muscles. However, studies that applied the IASTM and self-stretching to the gastrocnemius muscle are thought to be necessary but there is no such previous study. Objectives: To investigate the effects of IASTM and self-stretching on gastrocnemius muscle thickness and the range of motion of joint in dorsiflexion in healthy college student. Design: Quasi-experimental design (single blind). Methods: The subjects were healthy college students in their 20s with a healthy body. As for the experimental method in this study, comparison between before and after the experiment was performed to compare the effects of myofascial release using IASTM and stretching. The preliminary survey investigated the range of motion (ROM) of ankle joint of the subjects. The thicknesses of gastrocnemius muscles were measured using ultrasonography. One day after the preliminary survey, IASTM interventions and self-stretching interventions were randomly selected. If IASTM intervention is selected, the IASTM of the gastrocnemius muscle was applied for 5 minutes. After than, muscle thickness and the ankle dorsiflexion ROM were measured. Subjects were asked to take a break for about one day after performing the intervention. Self-stretching was applied to the gastrocnemius muscle for 5 minutes identically. After than, muscle thickness and the ankle dorsiflexion ROM were measured. Results: The thickness of the gastrocnemius muscle decreased significantly IASTM intervention, and the ankle dorsiflexion ROM increased significantly IASTM intervention. Ankle dorsiflexion ROM increased significantly the selfstretching intervention. The amounts of change in ankle dorsiflexion ROM through the IASTM was significantly greater than that through self-stretching. Conclusion: In order to immediately increase muscle flexibility in a short time, the IASTM is more effective although the self-stretching method is also effective.

Background: A pressure ulcer is common in soft tissue over the greater trochanter (GT) in side-lying position, and sustained tissue deformation induced by the prolonged external force is a primary cause, which can be discussed with soft tissues’ viscoelastic properties (i.e., stress relaxation, creep response). Objects: Using an automated hand-held indentation device, we measured the viscoelastic properties of soft tissue over the hip area, in order to examine how the properties are affected by site with respect to the GT. Methods: Twenty participants (15 males and 5 females) who aged from 21 to 32 were participated. An automated hand-held indentation device was used to measure the stress relaxation time and creep response. Trials were acquired for three different locations with respect to the GT (i.e., right over the GT, 6 cm anterior or posterior to the GT). For each location, five trials were acquired and averaged for data analyses. Results: Soft tissues’ stress relaxation time and creep response were associated with site (F = 23.98, p < 0.005; F = 24.09, p < 0.005; respectively). The stress relaxation time was greatest at posterior gluteal region (19.22 ± 2.49 ms), and followed by anterior region (15.39 ± 2.47 ms) and right over the GT (14.40 ± 3.18 ms). Similarly, creep response was greatest at posterior gluteal region (1.16 ± 0.14), and followed by anterior region (0.95 ± 0.14) and right over the GT (0.89 ± 0.18). Conclusion: Our results showed that the stress relaxation and creep were greatest at the posterior gluteal region and least at right over the GT, indicating that the gluteal soft tissue is more protective to the prolonged external force, when compared to the trochanteric soft tissue. The results suggest that a risk of pressure ulcer over the GT may decrease with slightly posteriorly rotated side-lying position.

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.

목 적 : 수술 전·후 연부 조직 종양과 전이암 의심 환자에 대해 역동적 조영증강 검사와 확산 강조영상을 적용하여 도출된 매개변수의 수치와 시간-농도 곡선 그래프를 분석해 악성 병변의 진단 유용성을 확인하고자 한다. 대상 및 방법 : 본 연구는 후향적 연구로서 임상윤리 위원회의 승인을 얻어 진행하였으며 연구 기간은 2015년 02월 01일부 터 2016년 07월 31일까지 핵의학 검사나 전산화 단층 촬영을 선행하고 정확한 병변의 진단을 위해 MRI 검사를 의뢰받은 환자 51명을 대상으로 하였다. 연구에 사용된 프로토콜은 본원에서 시행되고 있는 역동적 조영증강 자기공명 검사에 최적 화된 검사기법과 확산 강조영상을 사용하였다. 정량적 평가는 획득된 데이터를 Tissue 4D를 사용하여 매개변수를 도출하였으며, 확산 강조영상에서 확산 제한되는 부분과 현성 확산 계수에서 신호 감소를 보이는 병변에 관심 영역을 설정하여 계측 하였다. 통계적 분석은 독립 표본 t-test와 상관 분석을 사용하였다. 결 과 : 계측된 매개변수의 평균값은 연부 조직 종양의 경우 Ktrans, Kep, Ve, ADCminimal, ADCmaximal, ADCmean, TCCpattern/type은 각각 0.161 ± 0.012, 0.661 ± 0.041, 0.268 ± 0.003, 0.828 ± 0.393, 1.218 ± 0.502, 1.304 ± 0.435, 2.675 ± 0.674, 5.500 ± 1.874이며, 전이암 의심 환자의 경우는 0.126 ± 0.019, 0.711 ± 0.012, 0.219 ± 0.024, 0.879 ± 0.392, 1.285 ± 0.412, 1.074 ± 0.393, 2.787 ± 0.606, 5.590 ± 1.161로 나타났다(p>0.05). 과 혈관성으로 인하여 확산 제한, 초관 류, ADC 신호감소가 동시에 나타난 경우는 연부 조직 종양은 20명 중 8명이고 평균적인 값들은 Ktrans, Kep, Ve, ADC 순으 로 각각 0.176 ± 0.121, 0.655 ± 0.297, 0.274 ± 0.146, 0.701 ± 0.203 이었다. 전이암의 경우는 31명중 9명의 평균값은 Ktrans, Kep, Ve, ADC 순으로 각각 0.133 ± 0.083, 0.698 ± 0.202, 0.187 ± 0.111, 0.889 ± 0.283 이었다. 혈관종, 탄력 섬유종 연골육종, 내연골종의 경우는 확산 제한과 초관류를 동시에 나타내지 않았다. 결 론 : 악성의 경우 매개변수의 기준값은 Ktrans, Kep, Ve, ADCminimal, ADCmaximal, ADCmean은 0.14 ± 0.09, 0.73 ± 0.47, 0.21 ± 0.11, 0.84 ± 0.40, 1.02 ± 0.40, 1.21 ± 0.43, TCC의 pattern은 Ⅲ(3)이고 type은 ⅴ(5), ⅵ(6), ⅶ(7) 이었다. 악성 종 양의 경우과 혈관성으로 인해 확산 제한과 초관류가 동시에 나타났으며, 역동적 조영증강에서 도출된 Ktrans, Kep, Ve의 값과 TCC 그래프의 pattern 분석을 상호보완적으로 적용했을 때 고식적 검사에 비해 정확한 질환 판별이 가능하였다. 그리고 수 술 전·후 병변에 잔존하는 종양과 항암 치료 후 개선되는 양상을 평가하는데 있어 매우 유용할 것이라 사료된다.

Of many approaches to reduce motion analysis errors, the compensation method of anatomical landmarks estimates the position of anatomical landmarks during motion. The method models the position of anatomical landmarks with joint angle or skin marker displacement using the data of the so-called dynamic calibration in which anatomical landmark positions are calibrated in ad hoc motions. Then the anatomical landmark positions are calibrated in target motions using the model. This study applies the compensation methods with joint angle and skin marker displacement to three lower extremity motions (walking, sit-to-stand/ stand-to-sit, and step up/down) in ten healthy males and compares their performance. To compare the performance of the methods, two sets of kinematic variables were calculated using different two marker clusters, and the difference was obtained. Results showed that the compensation method with skin marker displacement had less differences by 30~60% compared to without compensation. And, it had significantly less difference in some kinematic variables (7 of 18) by 25~40% compared to the compensa- tion method with joint angle. This study supports that compensation with skin marker displacement reduced the motion analysis STA errors more reliably than with joint angle in lower extremity motion analysis.

Posterior shoulder muscle tightness is frequently observed in shoulder impingement syndrome because tightness in the posterior portion of the shoulder muscles can cause anterior and superior translation of the humeral head in relation to the glenoid fossa. The purpose of this study was to determine the immediate effects of soft tissue massage on acromiohumeral distance (AHD), anterior translation of the humeral head, and glenohumeral (GH) range of motion (ROM) in subjects with posterior shoulder muscle tightness. Twenty-seven subjects with greater than difference in the range of GH horizontal adduction between right and left sides were recruited. The range of GH horizontal adduction and internal rotation were measured by a digital inclinometer. The AHD and anterior translation of the humeral head were measured using ultrasonography. A paired t-test was used to compare AHD, anterior translation of the humeral head, and the range of GH horizontal adduction and internal rotation before and after soft tissue massage. The results showed that AHD increased significantly (p<.05) and the anterior translation of humeral head decreased slightly, but not significantly (p=.40) after the soft tissue massage. Furthermore, the ROM of horizontal adduction and internal rotation in the GH joint increased significantly after the soft tissue massage (p<.05). These findings indicate that soft tissue massage on posterior shoulder muscle tightness is an effective method to increase AHD and ROM in the horizontal adduction and internal rotation of the GH joint.

During maxillofacial surgery, the infraorbital and mental nerves are blocked at eac foramen to induce local anesthesia. This study examined the relative locations of the infraorbital foramen (IOF) and mental foramen (MF) based on soft-tissue landmarks. Twenty-eight hemifacial cadavers were dissected to expose the IOF and MF. The distances between the bilateral IOFs, the bilateral MFs, the alae of the nose (alares), and the corners of the mouth (cheilions) were measured directly on cadavers by using a digital vernier caliper. The vertical and horizontal distances of the IOF and MF relative to the alare and cheilion were measured indirectly on digital photographs using Adobe Photoshop (Adobe, CA, USA). The distance between the bilateral IOFs (58.09 ± 4.04 mm) was longer than the distance between the bilateral MFs (50.32 ± 1.93 mm). The distances between the bilateral alares and cheilions were 41.22 ± 3.44 mm and 58.43 ± 6.62 mm, respectively. The IOF was located 12.92 ± 3.75 mm superior and 7.88 ± 2.56 mm lateral to the alare, and the vertical angle (Angle 1) between these structures was 31.67 ± 13.36˚ superolaterally. The MF was located 21.83 ± 3.26 mm inferior and 5.56 ± 3.37 mm medial to the cheilion, and the vertical angle (Angle 2) between these structures was 14.05 ± 10.12˚ inferomedially. In conclusion, these results provide more detailed information about the locations of the IOF and MF relative to soft-tissue landmarks.

Stiffness of the posterior deltoid is as a causative factor in the limited range of glenohumeral horizontal adduction and various other shoulder pathologies including shoulder impingement syndrome, frozen shoulder, and humerus anterior glide syndrome. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of two techniques (soft tissue massage and cross-body stretch) on increasing the range of horizontal adduction. Thirty-two subjects with a or greater difference between the right and left sides in horizontal adduction were selected. Sixteen subjects from each group were allocated randomly. Interventions were applied on six occasions for 2 weeks, and the range of horizontal adduction was measured using an inclinometer at pre-and post-intervention. A analysis of variance (interventiontime) was used to compare the effects of the two techniques. In the soft tissue massage group, the angle of horizontal adduction significantly increased compared with the cross-body stretch group. These findings indicate that the soft tissue massage of the posterior deltoid muscle is a more effective method to increase the flexibility of the glenohumeral horizontal adduction.