• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.253-261
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• 2012

Purpose: In this study, the following experiment was conducted to see how to apply the sprinter pattern in proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) and functional weight bearing exercise affected balance capabilities and weight bearing among chronic stroke patients. Methods: The subjects included 27 subjects who had been diagnosed with hemiplegia due to stroke. A total of 12 sessions was held, 3 sessions a week over 4 weeks, were provided to the groups. The control group received general rehabilitation program, and the experimental group performed sprinter pattern in PNF or functional weight bearing exercise. The weight bearing capability and static balance capability test was implemented by using Good-Balance System and Frailty and Injuries Cooperative Studies of Intervention Techniques, while the dynamic balance capability test was carried out by using Four Square Step Test and Timed "Up and Go". Results: The paretic/nonparetic side weight bearing by application of each exercise showed that there were no significant differences in variation among each groups on before exercise, after exercise, 2 weeks after exercise. Static balance test by application of each exercise showed that there were significant differences after exercise and 2 weeks after exercise. Dynamic balance test by application of each exercise showed that there were significant differences after exercise and 2 weeks after exercise. Conclusion: To put the results together, the application of sprinter pattern and functional weight bearing exercise was effective in improving static and dynamic balance capabilities. Therefore, these exercises are helpful to improve balance in patients with stroke.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of a handrail (presence and position) on treadmill gait and balance in stroke patients during gait training. Methods: 39 patients with stroke (male 31, female 8) participated in this study. The training groups were classified into a no-handrail group (NHG), front handrail group (FHG), and bilateral handrail group (BHG). Each group comprised 13 subjects. The subjects were trained to walk in a straight path 30 minutes per day for 8 weeks. The Good Balance System was used to measure static balance and dynamic balance. To measure walking ability, timed up and go (TUG) was also assessed. Results: The NHG showed no significant differences in static balance, dynamic balance, and TUG. The FHG was significantly different in their medial-lateral speed of static balance, dynamic balance, and TUG. The BHG was significantly different in their static balance, dynamic balance, and TUG. Conclusion: These findings consider the effects of holding handrails concomitantly with changes in postural stability. We conclude that for training stroke patients, treadmill walking while holding handrails improves balance and gait more than treadmill walking without holding handrails. The resulting changes in muscle activity patterns may facilitate the transfer to a gait pattern. The results of this study suggest methods for training treadmill walking in stroke patients.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.143-151
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• 2020

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effect of single-leg stance training according to different support surfaces on walking speed and balance in patients with chronic hemiplegia. Methods: Twenty-two patients with chronic stroke were randomly categorized into an experimental group (11 patients) and a control group (11 patients). In the experimental group, single-leg stance training was performed on an unstable surface after 50 min of general physical therapy. In the control group, single-leg stance training was performed on a stable surface after 50 min of general physical therapy. All participants performed five sets of single-leg stance exercises per minute and rested for 3 min. The intervention was performed 5 times a week for 4 weeks, and each patient was evaluated using the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Fugl-Meyer Assessment Scale (FMA), and difference in walking speed between the first and last day of the intervention. Results: Compared to baseline measurements, both study groups showed significant increases in FMA, BBS, and walking speed (p<.05) after the intervention. However, there was no statistically significant difference (p>.05) between the experimental and control groups. However, in the experimental group, the increases in FMA, BBS, and walking speed were 3.36 %, 9.50 %, and 7.71 %, respectively. In the control group, the increases in FMA, BBS, and walking speed were 2.39 %, 6.65 %, and 7.64 %. Conclusion: Single-leg stance training on different support surfaces could help improve walking ability and balance in patients with chronic hemiplegia.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.69-78
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify whether inclined treadmill gait training with rhythmic auditory simulation (RAS) could improve on balance and gait in stroke patients. Method: Fifteen stroke patients who had agreed with the study were allocated to the group 1(n=5), group 2(n=5), or group 3(n=5). The group 1, group 2 and group 3 performed RAS with inclined treadmill gait training, inclined treadmill gait training and treadmill without incline gait training respectively for 3 weeks (30 minutes per session, 5 times in a week). The balance was assessed using Timed Up & Go (TUG) and Berg Balance Sale (BBS), and the gait was evaluated using 6 Minutes Walking Test (6MWT) and spatio-temporal walking variables as walking speed, cadence, Single Limb Support of affected side(SLS) and Symmetric Index(SI) before and after training. Result: Both the group 1 and group 2 showed significant improvement after training in all variables of balance and gait. The group 3 showed significant improvement in TUG values, 6MWT values, walking speed, cadence and SI. The changes in the group 1 were significantly greater in all dependent variables of balance and gait than those of the group 2 and group 3. The changes in the group 2 were significantly greater in TUG values, BBS scores, 6MWT values, walking speed, and cadence than those of the group 3. Conclusion: The result of this study show inclined treadmill gait training with RAS is more effective to improve balance and gait in stoke patients than inclined treadmill or general treadmill gait training without RAS.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.1 no.4
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• pp.15-24
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• 2013

Purpose : The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the effects of task-oriented training program on balance, activities of daily living(ADL) performance, and self-efficacy in stroke patients. Method : Two subjects with stroke in experimental group participated in the task-oriented training program, while two subjects with stroke in control group received traditional rehabilitation therapy for 4 weeks, 30 minutes per session, four times per week. The task-oriented training program consisted of four tasks with 4 difficulty levels. In two groups, balance was examined with using the Berg Balance Scale(BBS), ADL performance was examined with using the Modified Barthel Index(MBI), and Self Efficacy was evaluated with using the Self-Efficacy scale(SES) before and after 4-week training. Result : After 4 weeks training, all scores of measurement variables increased in both the experimental group and the control group, but the average rates of change differed between the two groups. After the training program, the scores of BBS, MBI, and SES in experimental group increased to 11.4%, 9.9%, 15.4%, respectively than pre-training. Conclusion : According to the results of this study, task-oriented training program might be proposed as a intervention to improve balance ability, ADL performance, and self-efficacy in stroke patients.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.5-22
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to investigate the balancing training effect on weight bearing ratio and postural sway on the unstable surface for the CVA patients with balance disability. The inclusion criteria were walking independently 20m distances. Eighteen subjects, 4 with right and 14 with left hemiplegic patients were participated in this study. The range of age was from 35 to 75 and the duration from onset time was from 1 to 38 months. The intervention program including balancing training that they were introduced for 10 minutes every other day during 12 weeks to experimental group, and general therapeutic exercise to control group. The result of this study were as following; 1. The balancing training on the unstable surface showed that the postural sway of left/right distribution would appear more effective on sitting with eyes opened. 2. The balancing training on the unstable surface showed that the postural sway of forward/rear distribution, left/right distribution and distance would appear more effective on standing with eyes opened. 3. The balancing training on unstable surface would increase more effective on the weight-bearing ratio of left/right difference and frequency. 4. The balancing training on unstable surface was statistical significant on the postural sway of left/right distribution and area in experimental group. and it was statistical significant on the postural sway of forward/rear distribution, left/right distribution and distance in control group, too.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.39-47
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of a horse riding simulator and galvanic vestibular stimulation on improving the ability to balance posture and proprioception. Thirty healthy adults participated and were randomly assigned to a horse riding simulator group ($n_1$=10), galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) group ($n_2$=10), control group ($n_3$=10). Experiment groups were trained 3 times per week over 6 weeks. The ability to balance posture was measured by force plate and proprioception was measured by Joint position sense. The following results were obtained. the changes of balance index were significant interaction in each group in accordance with the experiment time in 0, 3 and 6 weeks (p<.05). All groups showed the most decreasing pattern compared with the control group. But was not statistically significant. Proprioception was significant interaction in each group in accordance with the experiment time (p<.05). All groups showed the most decreasing pattern compared with the control group. The above results indicated that the 6 weeks horse riding simulator and galvanic vestibular stimulation training demonstrated positive effects in the ability to balance posture and proprioception. These results suggest that the horse riding simulator and galvanic vestibular stimulation training could be therapeutic intervention that can improve balance and postural control.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.11-20
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• 2007

The objective of this study was to discern the effects of a balance training program on the performance of lower extremities in order to improve strength (muscle power, flexibility, walking power), balance control and walking ability in the elderly. The subjects selected were aged 65 years and over, with no known relevant medical history that may disturb their balance, and have also been visiting the Gimhae Senior Welfare Center. The variable group consisted of 30 subjects, of whom were people who had been participating in balance training programs (One Leg Standing; OLS, Functional Reach; FR, Timed Get Up and Go; TUG) as an intervention for 8 weeks 3 times per a week. They were examined in order to identify their balance control before and after. The control group consisted of thirty subjects who preferred to exercise without any intervention relating to balance training program. The subjects were measured before and after balance training in order to determine the effectiveness of exercise and the effectiveness of exercise combined with the aid of a Balance Performance Monitor. 1. Mean time on OLS test with left and right sided extremities in the experimental group was 35.44 sec, 42.10 sec longer than control group respectively. In FR tests applied to the left and right side, mean reaching distance was increased up to 5.56 cm, 6.73 cm in experimental group respectively. Mean time on TUG test from a chair in experimental group was decreased to 2.33 sec. 2. Mean value of decline in the level balance control, both left and right side, decreased to 2.24% as examined by the Balance Performance Monitor. Mean scores for sway level after balance training decrease to .98% and for balance control both anterior and posterior directions decreased to mean 1.07% and 1.44%, respectively.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.83-91
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was both to examine the effects of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) lower leg taping and treadmill training on the gait and balance abilities of patients with hemiplegia resulting from a stroke and to provide a taping method based on the PNF concept. Methods: Twenty patients with hemiplegia resulting from a stroke were randomly and equally assigned to a control group (n=10), which received treadmill training, and to an experimental group (n=10), which received PNF lower leg taping and treadmill training. The intervention was conducted five times per week for six weeks. In order to measure changes in the gait ability of the subjects, a 10-meter walking test (10MWT) and a 6-minute walking test (6MWT) were conducted, and in order to measure changes in the subjects' balance ability, a timed up and go test (TUG) was performed. In order to compare differences within each group before and after the intervention, a paired-t test was carried out, and in order to compare differences between the two groups, the analysis of covariance was utilized. All statistical significance levels were set at ${\alpha}=0.05$. Results: There were significant differences before and after the intervention within both groups in changes of 10MWT, 6MWT, and TUG (p<0.01). Regarding differences between the two groups, the experimental group underwent more effective changes than the control group in 6MWT and TUG (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study applied PNF lower leg taping and treadmill training to patients with hemiplegia resulting from a stroke, and this resulted in improvement in the subjects' gait and balance abilities. Taping and treadmill training based on the PNF concept is considered to be usefully applied as one of the programs to improve hemiplegic patients' gait and balance abilities.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.215-222
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• 2020

Purpose: The study investigated the effect on chronic stroke patients' balance of a weight shift to the affected side using an insole on the less affected side during treadmill walking training. Methods: The subjects were 7 patients who had been diagnosed with stroke 6-24 months prior to the study. In each case, an insole was applied on the patient's less affected side during treadmill walking training. Each training session lasted 30 minutes and was undertaken 5 times per week for 4 weeks. Biorescue equipment that measures shifts in center of pressure was used to assess balance ability as measured by the Korea-Berg balance scale (K-BBS) before and after each training intervention. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to evaluate within-group effects. Results: The results revealed statistically significant before and after differences in area, pressure, length, and mean velocity of the balance test and on K-BBS (p < 0.05). Conclusion: In chronic stroke patients, using an insole to adjust the height of the shoe on the less affected side is an effective means of increasing weight-shifting on the paralyzed side during treadmill gait training.