The aim of this study was to identify the correlation between the Mann Assessment of Swallowing Ability (MASA) and the Videofluoroscopic Dysphagia Scale (VDS) to investigate the applicability of the MASA as a follow-up test of swallowing function. Criterion validity was assessed for MASA results versus VDS scores of tests administered to 54 patients who had a stroke and dysphagia. A significant correlation was found between the MASA and the VDS (correlation coefficient = À0.509). In analyses of test-re-test reliability and inter-rater reliability of the scoring scale, intraclass correlation coefficients (2, 1) were high (0.98, 0.99). In conclusion, the results of the present study indicate that the MASA holds adequate clinical test-re-test and inter-rater reliabilities and criterion validity for measuring the swallowing abilities of Korean patients who had a stroke and dysphagia. The MASA could contribute to more systematic management of swallowing problems and efficient therapeutic service.

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This study compared the effects of craniocervical flexion exercise with conservative cervical flexion exercise in workers with chronic neck pain. Subjects were randomly allocated to two groups: control (n=20) and experimental group (n=20), respectively. The conservative exercise for the control group consisted of cervical flexion exercise, whereas the experimental group performed a craniocervical flexion exercise. To compare the two groups, the visual analogue scale (VAS) for a pain, neck disability index (NDI) for a neck disability scale, and cross sectional area (CSA) of longus colli muscle using ultrasound image were assessed on pre-intervention, post-intervention, and 2 weeks follow-up. 2-way repeated ANOVA was used with Bonferroni post-hoc test. (1) There were significant main effects (within and between groups) (p<0.05) and interaction effect (p<0.05) in VAS. Post-hoc test revealed that there were significant differences in all pair-wise comparisons. (2) There were significant main effects (within and between groups) (p<0.05) and interaction effect (p<0.05) in NDI. Post-hoc test revealed that there were significant differences between pre-intervention and post-intervention, pre-intervention and 2 weeks follow-up. (3) There were significant main effects (within and between groups) (p<0.05) and interaction effect (p<0.05) in CSA of longus colli muscle. Post-hoc test revealed that there were significant differences in all pair-wise comparisons. The findings indicate that craniocervical flexion exercise are more effective for improving pain, neck disability, and CSA of longus colli muscle than cervical flexion exercise in workers with chronic neck pain.

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