Background: Lumbar stability exercise promotes deep muscle functions, and it is an effective intervention method for increasing proprioceptive sensation. This study aims to explore and compare the effects of lumbar stability exercise with respiratory resistance and whole body vibration on patients with lumbar instability. Methods: This study is a 3-group randomized control trial. Through screening tests, 48 patients with lumbar instability were selected and randomly assigned to SE group (n = 16), stabilization exercise program using respiratory resistance (SER) group (n = 16), and stabilization exercise program using respiratory resistance and whole body vibration (SERW) group (n = 16). In order to compare the effects depending on the intervention methods, quadruple visual analogue scale (QVAS), Functional Ability Roland-Morris low back pain and disability questionnaire ([RMDQ], center of pressure path length, velocity, and area), Korean version of fear-avoidance beliefs questionnaire, and Pulmonary Function were used for measurement. Results: All of the groups showed significant improvements in QVAS, RMDQ, Korean version of fear-avoidance beliefs questionnaire, and balance abilities before and after the interventions. The SER group and SERW group showed a significant difference in QVAS and RMDQ than the SE group (P < .05). In addition, balance ability showed a significant difference in SERW group (P < .05), where only the SER group showed a significant difference in pulmonary function indexes including forced vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in 1 second, maximum inspiratory pressure, and maximum expiratory pressure (P < .05). Conclusion: Stabilization exercise program using respiratory resistance and whole-body vibration administered according to the purpose of intervention methods may be effective exercise programs for people with lumbar instability.

Background: Intensive neuromuscular stabilization exercise on highly obese patients with low back pain results in positive effects of body fat decline and prevention of complications. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of progressive neuromuscular stabilization exercise on unstable surface on pain, motor function, psychosocial factors, balance, and abdominal contraction with highly obese patients with lumbar instability. Methods: This study is a double-blinded randomized controlled trial. A total of 46 highly obese patients (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 30 kg/m²) with lumbar instability were assigned randomly to experimental group (n = 23) and control group (n = 23). The control group performed the intensive progressive exercise on a stable surface and the experimental group on an unstable surface. Result: Significant differences were shown for BMI, QVAS, K-ODI, FABQ, and balance ability for both groups before and after the intervention (P < .05), and only the experimental group showed significant difference for transverse abdominis muscle thickness in contraction and contraction rate (P < .05). Compared to the control group, the experimental group showed significant difference (P < .05) in the amount of changes for QVAS, K-ODI, balance ability, transverse abdominis muscle thickness in contraction, and contraction rate. Conclusion: Progressive neuromuscular stabilization exercise program on unstable surfaces demonstrated to be an effective and clinically useful method to decrease pain level, increase motor function, balance, and transverse abdominis muscle thickness in contraction and contraction rate for highly obese patients with lumbar instability.

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of eyeball exercise and cervical stabilization programs to patients with chronic neck pain, tension-type headache (TTH), and forward head posture (FHP). MATERIAL AND METHODS The design of this study was a randomized controlled trial. A total of 40 participants were randomly divided into 2 groups: the experimental group (n=20) and the control group (n=20). Both groups received cervical manual therapy and biofeedback-guided stabilization exercises (30 min/session, 3 sessions/week, 6 weeks). In addition to the regular treatments, the participants in the experimental group also performed eyeball exercises for 20 minutes per session, 3 sessions per week, for a total of 6 weeks. Changes in neck pain (numeric rating scale, NRS), neck disability index (NDI), quality of life (Short Form-12 Health Survey Questionnaire, SF-12), headache impact test-6 (HIT-6), craniovertebral angle (CVA), cranial rotation angle (CRA), and muscle tone were measured. RESULTS Both groups showed significant improvements in NRS, NDI, SF-12, HIT-6 scores, CVA, CRA, and muscle tone (p<0.05). The experimental group had significant differences in NDI, SF-12, HIT-6 scores, and suboccipital muscle tone compared to the control (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Combining the eyeball exercise program with commonly used manual therapy and stabilization exercises for patients with chronic neck pain can help reduce nerve compression and promote muscle relaxation in the eye and neck areas. The method is thus proposed as an effective intervention to enhance function and quality of life in patients with chronic neck pain patients, TTH, and FHP.

Background: Mirror therapy (MT) is an intervention used for upper extremity rehabilitation in stroke patients and has been studied in various fields. Recently, effective MT methods have been introduced in combination with neuromuscular electrical stimulation or with electromyography (EMG)-triggered biofeedback. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of functional electrical stimulation (FES)-based MT incorporating a motion recognition biofeedback device on upper extremity motor recovery to chronic stroke patients. Methods: Twenty-six chronic stroke patients with onset of more than 6 months were randomly assigned into experimental group (n = 13) and control group (n = 13). Both groups participated in conventional rehabilitation program, while the control group received conventional MT intervention and the experimental group received FES-based MT with motion recognition biofeedback device. All interventions were conducted for 30 min/d, 5 d/wk, for 4 weeks. Upper limb motor recovery, upper limb function, active-range of motion (ROM), and activities of daily living independence were measured before and after the intervention and compared between the 2 groups. Results: The Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA), manual function test (MFT), K-MBI, and active-ROM (excluding deviation) were significantly improved in both groups (P < .05). Only the experimental group showed significant improvement in upper extremity recovery, ulnar and radial deviation (P < .05). There was a significant difference of change in Brunstrom’s recovery level, FMA, MFT, and active-ROM in the experimental group compared to the control group (P < .05). Conclusion: FES-based MT using gesture recognition biofeedback is an effective intervention method for improving upper extremity motor recovery and function, active-ROM in patients with chronic stroke. This study suggests that incorporating gesture-recognition biofeedback into FES-based MT can provide additional benefits to patients with chronic stroke.

A spirometer is a medical device frequently used clinically for the diagnosis and prediction of lung disease. This study aimed to investigate the clinical usefulness of a hand-held spirometer (The Spirokit), compared with conventional spirometry in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). This study was conducted from February 2022 to October 2022. Measurements from 80 patients with COPD (male: 53, female: 27) were obtained using The Spirokit and PC-based pulmonary function test equipment, and the resulting values were compared and analyzed. For the concurrent validity comparison of The Spirokit, the intra-class correlation (ICC 2, 1), coefficients of variation (CV_ME), 95% limits of agreement (95% LOA), and Cohen’s Kappa Index were analyzed. The Spirokit showed high agreement (ICC: 0.929–0.989; 95% LOA: −0.525 to 2.559; and CV_ME: 0.05–0.08) with the PC-based pulmonary function tester. Using the Cohen’s kappa coefficients, the device showed high sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy scores of Pa: 0.90, Pc: 0.52, and K: 0.79, respectively, indicating considerable agreement. The Spirokit, a portable pulmonary function test device, is a piece of equipment with high validity and portability, with high potential for replacing PC-based pulmonary function test equipment.