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Purpose@#This study investigated the immediate biomechanical effects of unilateral mastication for 10 minutes on the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) with 21 healthy adult participants. @*Methods@#The gum group chewed gum on the right side for 10 minutes, and the control group rested for 10 minutes. Biomechanical data were obtained using a three-dimensional infrared camera before and after intervention. An independent t-test assessed the variation of kinematic data to identify differences between before and after intervention. @*Results@#Among biomechanical variables, the gum group’s length of the left forehead middle region and the temporomandibular joint angle decreased compared to the control group (p<0.05). @*Conclusion@#Caution with unilateral masticatory activity is recommended, as unilateral mastication causes biomechanical changes due to excessive load on the soft tissues of the contralateral TMJ.
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Purpose@#The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review of randomized controlled studies from 2012 to present that explore the diagnostic accuracy of clinical tests used for diagnosing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. @*Methods@#Study design: Systematic review. Literature search of the PubMed and Scholar databases was conducted using keywords related to diagnostic accuracy of clinical tests for ACL injury. The PRISMA Guidelines were followed to conduct this study. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool was utilized to assess the quality of each included study. @*Results@#As a result, 8 studies were included, and 6 clinical tests used in ACL tears were evaluated for diagnostic accuracy. The pivot shift test was reported as having the highest +LR (29.5) value with a sensitivity of 59% and a specificity of 98%. However, the test with the lowest -LR value was the lever test, and the values were as follows: -LR (0.08), +LR (4.7), specificity (80%), sensitivity (94%). @*Conclusion@#In this study, it was concluded that a single clinical test is not sufficient to determine the presence of ACL injury. Test combinations have a higher diagnostic accuracy than a single test. In this study, the accuracy of the clinical tests was examined without considering the amount of ACL rupture and acute-chronic condition. Further research is required to examine the impact of these two factors on diagnostic accuracy of clinical test.
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Purpose@#The purpose of this study was to figure out how PAP (Post-Activation Potentiation) phenomenon affects short-term performance efficiently. @*Methods@#This study was conducted with 18 Taekwondo athletes and 16 healthy adults. By using isokinetic dynamometer, two different intervention, TDP (Top-down program) and BUP (Bottom-up program), were performed to measure isokinetic parameter; (peak torque:PT, total work: TW, average power: AP, and average torque: AT) of knee extensor for intragroup, intergroup comparison and two-way ANOVA. @*Results@#The Taekwondo athletes group showed statistically significant differences in all isokinetic parameters PT, TW, AP, and AT after TDP (p 0.05). PT and TW at TDP were statistically significant (p < 0.05) when the rate of change in TDP and BUP was compared and analyzed considering the difference in physical ability between the Taekwondo athlete group and the healthy adult group. However, AP and AT were not statistically significant. Finally, when examining the interaction between the two groups and two exercise sequence according to isokinetic parameters, only TW (p < 0.05) showed a statistically significant interaction, while PT (P = 0.099), AP (P = 0.103), and AT (P = 0.096) did not. This study suggests that short-term performance can be improved through the PAP phenomenon when TDP is applied to the Taekwondo group. @*Conclusion@#According to our result, for Taekwondo athletes, if the goal is to improve short-term performance just before the main game, we suggest a training program through TDP.
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Purpose@#This study aims to measure the improvement of balanced ability and rapid response of 30 healthy adults by performing dynamic stretching, static stretching, and sargent jump. @*Methods@#The sample 30 peoples without any musculoskeletal disease who volunteered to be the subject of the study. We measured all subjects on following metrics to evaluate the function and stability under the normal condition, with dynamic stretching (DS) group, static stretching (SS) group: vertical jump height and reaching distance Anterior, Posteromedial, Posterolateral and NO (Normal eye open), NC (Normal eye close), PO (Pillow with eye open), and PC (Pillow with close eye) were evaluated. All measures were analyzed using independent t-test and One-way repeated Anova. @*Results@#There was a significant increase in SJH (Sargent jump) in both groups (p 0.05). There was no significant improvement in ST (Stability Index) and WDI (Weight Distribution Index) in both groups (p > 0.05). @*Conclusion@#Both DS and SS showed significant improvement in SJH and Y-balance tests, which are dynamic functions, but had no significant effect on static balance ability.
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Purpose@#The purpose of this study is to confirm the effect of static stretching of the plantar flexor for 5 minutes on balance and ankle muscle activity when walking in young adults. @*Methods@#This study experimented on 20 healthy college students without vestibular and musculoskeletal diseases. Subjects performed static stretching intervention of plantar flexor for 5 minutes on a stretch board set at 15° to 25° Balance was measured four times before intervention (pre), after intervention (post), 5 minutes after intervention (post 5 min), 10 minutes after intervention (post 10 min), and ankle muscle activity was measured during walking. For the analysis and post hoc analysis, one-way Repeated Measure ANOVA and Fisher’s LSD (Last Significant Difference) was performed to find out the change in balance and the activity of ankle muscles before static stretching, pre, post, post 5 minutes rest, post 10 minutes rest. @*Results@#There was no significant difference in weight distribution index (WDI) in balance, but stability index (ST) showed a significant difference, and there was also a significant difference in correlation pre, post, post 5min rest, post 10 minutes rest (p 0.05). @*Conclusion@#The stability index (ST) increased significantly immediately after static stretching and decreased after 5 minutes. After static stretching, at least 5 minutes of rest are required to restore balance.
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Purpose@#This study investigated the effects of open kinetic chain (OKC) exercise for the gastrocnemius (GCM) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles on static and dynamic balance and muscle strength. @*Methods@#We recruited 21 healthy participants, dividing them into 3 groups (GCM, TA, and non-exercise). Each group contains 7 participants. Two exercise groups (GCM and TA) performed OKC exercise with elastic bands twice per week for 4 weeks, while non-exercise group did nothing. We obtained the data for static and dynamic balance and muscle strength before and after the intervention. We used the Kruskal–Wallis test to compare and analyze the pre–post-intervention differences among the groups. @*Results@#For static balance, the stability index of the TA group was the lowest for the dynamic platform (p < 0.05). The dynamic balance of the TA group increased for the anterior and posteromedial directions (p < 0.05). The peak torque increased in the TA group for dorsiflexion (D/F) movement and in the GCM group for plantar flexion movement compared with the other groups, except for the left direction during D/F (p < 0.05). @*Conclusion@#OKC exercises with elastic bands were effective for selectively increasing muscle strength. It is clinically thought that strength training for TA muscles will be effective among the muscles of the ankle.
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Purpose@#The purpose of this study is to objectively and systematically investigate the effect of Kinesio taping by organizing and analyzing the research results using effect size. @*Methods@#A total of 1,000 papers was searched, and 100 of them were selected the first time. Afterward, the effects of taping were analyzed and classified papers that studied balance, muscle strength, and pain, and finally 34 papers were selected. The effect size was calculated using the Effect Size Calculators (University of Colorado, USA) program. Statistical analysis was performed by using PASW Statistics software version 23.0 (IBM Co., Armonk, NY, USA). Descriptive statistics were used to obtain the effect size and confidence interval for each group. @*Results@#In a study related to balance control ability, the effect size was 1.519 in the young subjects group (20-39 years old), and the effect size in the elderly group (65 years or older) was 0.360. In a study related to muscle strength, the effect size was 0.469 in the group of young subjects and 0.250 in the middle-aged group (40-65 years old), and the effect size of the elderly group was 0.848. In the study related to pain control, the effect size was 0.469 in the young group, the effect size of the middle-aged group was 0.972, and the effect size of the elderly group was 1.040. @*Conclusion@#Kinesio taping differed in the degree of effect according to the age group of the subjects, but it was effective in balance control ability, muscle strength, and pain.
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Purpose@#The purpose of this study is to objectively and systematically investigate the effect of Kinesio taping by organizing and analyzing the research results using effect size. @*Methods@#A total of 1,000 papers was searched, and 100 of them were selected the first time. Afterward, the effects of taping were analyzed and classified papers that studied balance, muscle strength, and pain, and finally 34 papers were selected. The effect size was calculated using the Effect Size Calculators (University of Colorado, USA) program. Statistical analysis was performed by using PASW Statistics software version 23.0 (IBM Co., Armonk, NY, USA). Descriptive statistics were used to obtain the effect size and confidence interval for each group. @*Results@#In a study related to balance control ability, the effect size was 1.519 in the young subjects group (20-39 years old), and the effect size in the elderly group (65 years or older) was 0.360. In a study related to muscle strength, the effect size was 0.469 in the group of young subjects and 0.250 in the middle-aged group (40-65 years old), and the effect size of the elderly group was 0.848. In the study related to pain control, the effect size was 0.469 in the young group, the effect size of the middle-aged group was 0.972, and the effect size of the elderly group was 1.040. @*Conclusion@#Kinesio taping differed in the degree of effect according to the age group of the subjects, but it was effective in balance control ability, muscle strength, and pain.
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PURPOSE@#Although previous studies on the screw-home movement (SHM) for autopsy specimen and walking of living persons conducted, the possibility of acquiring SHM based on inertial measurement units received little attention. This study aimed to investigate the possibility of measuring SHM for the non-weighted bearing using a micro-electro-mechanical system-based wearable motion capture system (MEMSS).@*METHODS@#MEMSS and camera-based motion analysis systems were used to obtain kinematic data of the knee joint. The knee joint moved from the flexion position to a fully extended position and then back to the start point. The coefficient of multiple correlation and the difference in the range of motion were used to assess the waveform similarity in the movement measured by two measurement systems.@*RESULTS@#The waveform similarity in the sagittal plane was excellent and the in the transverse plane was good. Significant differences were found in the sagittal plane between the two systems (p0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#The SHM during the passive motion without muscle contraction in the non-weighted bearing appeared in the entire range. We thought that the MEMSS could be easily applied to the acquisition of biomechanical data on the knee related to physical therapy.
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BACKGROUND: Methylmercury (MeHg) easily crosses the blood-brain barrier and accumulates in the brain. Accumulated MeHg will cause neurological symptoms. We report four pediatric cases of neuropsychological findings with high blood MeHg concentrations. CASE PRESENTATION: Four children were admitted for follow-up study because their total mercury (THg) concentration in the blood was found to be high during a national survey. Case 1 was a 9-year-old female with a 16.6 microg/l blood THg concentration in the survey. During admission, the blood THg, hair THg, and blood MeHg concentration(mercury indices) were 21.4 microg/l, 7.2 microg/g, and 20.1 microg/l, respectively. In our neuropsychological examination, cognitive impairment and attention deficit were observed. Her diet included fish intake 2-3 times per week, and she had been diagnosed with epilepsy at 3 years of age. Case 2 was a 12-year-old male with blood THg of 15.4 microg/l in the survey and the mercury indices were 12.7 microg/l, 5.7 microg/g, and 11.8 microg/l, respectively, on admission. He was also observed to have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Case 3 was a 10-year-old male child with blood THg of 17.4 microg/l in the survey, and the mercury indices on admission were 21.6 microg/l, 7.5 microg/g and 21.5 microg/l, respectively. In his case, mild attention deficit was observed. Case 4 was a 9-year-old male with blood THg of 20.6 microg/l in the survey and the mercury indices were 18.9 microg/l, 8.3 microg/g, and 14.4 microg/l, respectively, on admission. Mild attention difficulty was observed. CONCLUSION: We suggest that fish consumption may be the main source of MeHg exposure, and that MeHg may have been the cause of the neuropsychological deficits in these cases.