경도 및 중등도 안면마비환자를 위한 셀프 스트레칭 치료의 의의

Abstract

Background: It is necessary for facial palsy patients to be educated and proceed consistently with self-stretching exercise considering facial muscular anatomy to maximize the effect of self-educated facial stretching exercise. But there are few references for the patients to specifically learn any methodological techniques that can be implemented in detail. It is aimed to demonstrate the effective and consistent home-educational stretching exercise for facial paralysis patients considering the anatomical features of facial muscles to provide easily-accessible technical methods. Materials and Methods: For the self-muscular stretching exercise, it is necessary to first learn the anatomical position and contraction direction of the muscles that basically form the facial part because the specific method differs according to the characteristics of each facial muscle. The basic technique consists of firm but gentle stretching of each affected muscle group in the opposite direction from which it contracts that can be combated by regular stretches and gentle isotonic exercises. Results: It is expected that patients suffering from facial paralysis can enjoy a better quality of life if they can use the facial exercise method that can be performed independently without anyone’s help in consideration of the direction of the facial anatomical muscles. Conclusions: This study is a method devised to minimize facial contracture by facial palsy in consideration of the anatomical characteristics of facial muscles in order to educate patients and facilitate home training in case of facial palsy.