BACKGROUND: This prospective cohort study was carried out to investigate the relation of lifestyle variables to total mortality in residents aged 60-64 of a rural community in Korea. METHODS: A total of 1,042 residents was interviewed by face-to-face survey for baseline data collection in 1996 and 955 residents were successfully followed up until April 2002, among which 91 died. RESULTS: In univariate logistic regression, consumption of cigarette per day, duration of smoking, status of smoking, frequency of drinking per month, status of drinking, average duration of TV watching per day and average duration of sleeping were statistically significant, predicting total mortality. None of the variables reflecting leisure-time physical activities were statistically significant. Adjusting for sex, age, education, current as well as past chronic diseases history, and limitation of daily living with multiple logistic regression, those smoking more than 40 years and current smokers showed reduced, but statistically significant RRs, 1.89 (95% CI 1.05-3.41) and 1.82 (95% CI 1.01-3.25), respectively. Sleeping more than 10 hours a day showed RR, 2.41 (95% CI 1.11-5.22). CONCLUSION: These results suggested that some lifestyle variables, smoking and sleeping were predictive of total mortality while drinking, TV watching and leisure-time physical activities were not.
Chronic Disease ; Cohort Studies* ; Data Collection ; Drinking ; Education ; Korea ; Life Style* ; Logistic Models ; Mortality* ; Motor Activity ; Prospective Studies ; Rural Population* ; Smoke ; Smoking ; Tobacco Products

OBJECTS: The purpose of this study is to estimate the values of foot pressure of the stance phase during a gait cycle in hemiplegic gait. METHOD: Thirty patients who had a stroke and forty healthy adults were evaluated by the EMED-SF system to analyze the stance phase of hemiplegic gait. The stance phase was evaluated by 6 points according to the foot pressure and center of pressure proposed by Lee et al.2) RESULTS: 1) In hemiplegics, the stance time of involved limb decreased compared with that of the uninvolved limb and increased that of control groups (p<0.05). 2) In hemiplegics, the midstance time increased but the loading response and terminal stance decreased compared with the uninvolved limb and controls (p<0.05). 3) In hemiplegics, the midstance time decreased and the loading response and terminal phase increased according to the increased Brunnstrom stage (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The results showed that an analysis of stance phase by the measurement of plantar pressure was a valuable parameter in the gait analysis of hemiplegic patients.
Adult ; Extremities ; Foot ; Gait ; Gait Disorders, Neurologic ; Humans ; Stroke

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes of the intramuscular temperature on buttock according to the application methods of cold jet-stream and to find the more effective method which reduces the intramuscular temperature. METHOD: Twenty eight healthy volunteers were examined. Cold-jet stream (CS) was applied on buttock (5 cm below of iliac crest, surface of gluteus medius muscle). We measured the time that skin temperature fall from room temperature to 10 degrees C (first period), the time rewarmed from 10 degrees C to 20 degrees C (second period), the time fall again to 10 degrees C (third period) and the time rewarmed again to 20 degrees C (fourth period). Cold-jet stream with infrared combination (CSIC) therapy was performed with the same method. RESULTS: At the first and third cooling periods, It took longer in CSIC group than CS group to decrease skin temperature. At fourth period, It took longer in CSIC group than CS group to rewarm skin. In CS and CSIC groups, fourth period is longer than second period. CONCLUSION: It took longer in CSIC method than CS only to decrease skin temperature to 10degrees C. Rewarming speed of skin temperature was slower twice cold-jet stream applies than once. Rewarming speed of skin temperature was slower at old-jet stream and infrared combination therapy than cold-jet only.
Buttocks* ; Healthy Volunteers ; Rewarming ; Rivers* ; Skin Temperature* ; Skin*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of infrared for lengthening applying time of cold-jet stream therapy without cold pain. METHOD: Each of the two methods of cryotherapy, cold-jet stream (CS) and cold-jet stream combined with infrared therapy (CSCI), was applied to the medial aspect of 32 volunteers' knees. The first phase was the required time that skin was dropped to 10oC with CS/CSCI. The second phase was the time for rewarming to 20oC without CS/CSCI. The third phase was the required time that skin dropped to 10degrees C again with CS/CSCI. The fourth phase was the time for re-warming to 20oC again without CS/CSCI. RESULTS: The required time which cold pain appeared after CS/CSCI were 51.3 sec and 62.3 sec, respectively, with significance (p<0.01). In CS and CSCI, first phase was 71.6 sec and 90.7 sec, respectively, and third phase was 33.2 sec and 39.9 sec, respectively (p<0.01). At second and fourth phases, it took 46.9 sec and 56.6 sec in CS (p<0.01), and took 46.9 sec and 54.6 sec in CSCI (p<0.01). CONCLUSION: As compared with CS, CSCI delayed sensation time of cold pain and prolonged application time of CS at the knee.
Cryotherapy ; Knee* ; Rewarming ; Rivers* ; Sensation ; Skin

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to investigate the incidence and ratio of biphalangeal toes in Korean adult and to investigate whether this finding correlates with the evolution of human toes. METHOD: The materials used in this study consisted of 1,290 radiographs of the human feet obtained from 645 adults with foot symptom and complete osseous growth. The 1,290 radiographs consisted of anteroposterior weightbearing radiographs and nonweightbearing oblique radiographs. Those were retrospectively reviewed and carried out of detailed macroscopic examinations. RESULTS: Biphalangeal toe was observed for the 5th toe in 934 cases (72.40%), for the 4th toe in 161 cases (12.48%), for the 3rd toe in 7 cases (0.54%), and for the 2nd toe in 1 case (0.08%). Bilaterality of biphalangeal and triphalangeal toes for each toe was observed over 97.1%. CONCLUSION: Our results are in agreement with Nakashima and it is likely that over 70% of the Asian population have only two phalanges in their fifth toes, and it seems to be an example of microevolution or genetic adaptation to bipedalism.
Adult ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Foot* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Retrospective Studies ; Toes* ; Weight-Bearing

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of a self-stretching exercise on the pressure threshold of myofascial trigger point. METHOD: We examined the changes of pressure threshold in 66 patients with myofascial trigger points before and after a self-stretching exercise of shoulder girdle and also tested the visual analogue scale (VAS) of the subjective pain intensity. The self-stretching exercise of shoulder girdle includes a stretching exercise of four muscles in shoulder girdle simultaneously, including upper trapezius, levator scapulae, infraspinatus, rhomboideus major and minor, which is followed by 1) a sitting position, relaxed, 2) lateral bending of neck to contralateral side, 3) forward and downward stretching of ipsilateral arm with protrusion of scapula and internal rotation of arm maximally to the contralateral foot. Each stretching motion is maintained for 30 seconds. RESULTS: The results of the patients experiencing unilateral or bilateral myofascial neck and shoulder pain showed that the pressure threshold of trigger point increased in response to the self-stretching exercise as assessed by a pressure algometer. Also visual analogue scale (VAS) decreased in response to the self-stretching exercise. CONCLUSION: We conclude that the self-stretching exercise of shoulder girdle is an effective method for the simultaneous stretching of upper trapezius, levator scapulae, infraspinatus, rhomboideus major and minor.
Arm ; Foot ; Humans ; Muscles* ; Neck ; Scapula ; Shoulder Pain ; Shoulder* ; Superficial Back Muscles ; Trigger Points*

OBJECTIVE: The purposes of this study were to evaluate the causes of intoeing gait and to investigate the association between femoral anteversion and tibial torsion. METHODS: The subjects were 23 children with intoeing gait. The association between increased femoral anteversion and external torsion of the tibia was investigated by computed tomography and 3-dimensional computed tomography. The tibial torsion angle was measured by computed tomography. Femoral anteversion angle was measured by computed tomography and 3-dimensional computed tomography. RESULTS: The intoeing gait was caused by increased femoral anteversion in 67.4% of the cases, by internal tibial torsion in 21.7% and by other factors in 10.9%. There was a clear correlation between the degree of femoral anteversion and the degree of external torsion of the tibia. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that most common cause of intoeing gait is increased femoral anteversion and that in cases of increased femoral anteversion, compensatory external torsion of the tibia develops during growth.
Child ; Gait* ; Humans ; Tibia

The purpose of this study was to estimate mean pressure thresholds over several skeletal muscles, grip and pinch strengths in female telephone operators. Pressure thresholds on muscles of neck and shoulder were measured with a pressure algometer, and grip and pinch strength were measured with a Jamar dynamometer and a Jamar pinch gauge in 904 female telephone operators. The pressure threshold was highest in the supraspinatus and lowest in the cervical paraspinals. There was no statistically significant difference between right and left corresponding muscles. The mean grip strength was 22.29 kg in the right hand, 21.97 kg in the left hand. The mean tip pinch strength was 0.56 kg in the right, 0.51 kg in the left. The mean lateral pinch strength was 2.21 kg in the right, 2.12 kg in the left. The mean palmar pinch strength was 1.82 kg in the right, 1.66 kg in the left. There was no significant correlation between grip, pinch strength and age(p>0.05). There were positive correlations between height, weight and grip strength. There were positive correlations between exposure duration to visual display terminal and pinch strength.
Cumulative Trauma Disorders ; Female* ; Hand ; Hand Strength* ; Humans ; Muscle, Skeletal ; Muscles ; Neck ; Pinch Strength* ; Shoulder ; Telephone*

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to evaluate the effect of ankle bracing (Aircast) on postural sway and limb load asymmetry (LLA) in normal adults. METHOD: 263 healthy subjects volunteered. These subjects were performed the balance test on three different conditions, 1st test fulfilled without ankle brace, 2nd test with aircast on one ankle and 3rd test with aircast on the other ankle. All subjects were divided into two groups; younger(<65 years) and older (> or = 65 years) group. Postural sway and body weight distribution were recorded while the subjects were standing on two adjacent force platforms during 30 seconds trial. All subjects chose a comfortable stance with feet apart and asked to look straight ahead at a fixed point in a quiet room. RESULTS: There were significant differences not only in LLA but also in postural sway between younger and older group. The difference of postural sway and LLA in older group was more prominent that in younger group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The results indicated that ankle bracing improved postural sway irrespective of age. Moreover in older group, ankle bracing on one ankle that was in the absence of LLA improved postural sway by far.
Adult ; Ankle* ; Body Weight ; Braces* ; Extremities* ; Foot ; Humans

The aim of this study was to measure the cusp deflection during composite restoration for MOD cavity in premolar and to examine the influence of cavity dimension, C-factor and restoration method on the cusp deflection. Thirty extracted maxillary premolar were prepared to four different sizes of MOD cavity and divided into six groups. The width and depth of the cavity were as follows. Group 1; 1.5 x 1 mm, Group 2; 1.5 x 2 mm, Group 3; 3 x 1 mm, and Group 4-6; 3 x 2 mm respectively. Group 1-4 were restored using bulk filling method with Z-250 composite. However, Group 5 was restored incrementally, and Group 6 was restored with an indirect resin inlay. The cusp deflection was recorded at the buccal and lingual cusp tips using LVDT probe for 10,000 seconds. The measured cusp deflections were compared between groups, and the relationship between the cube of the length of cavity wall/the cube of the thickness of cavity wall (L3 / T3), C-factor and cusp deflection or %flexure (100 x cuspal deflection / cavity width) was analyzed. The cusp deflection of Group 1-4 were 12.1 microm, 17.2 microm, 16.2 microm and 26.4 microm respectively. The C-factor was related to the %flexure rather than the cusp deflection. There was a strong positive correlationship between the L3 / T3 and the cusp deflection. The cusp deflection of Group 5 and 6 were 17.4 microm and 17.9 microm respectively, which are much lower value than that of Group 4.
Bicuspid ; Inlays