• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.375-389
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of Self-foot Reflex Massage (SRM) programme on the physical condition and anxiety level of hypertension workers. The research was designed in the pre and post-test. Sample test was done in five workers with essential hypertension. They were divided in two groups:- Group A and Group B. The Self-foot Reflex Massage (SRM) was applied three times a week for Group A and five times a week for Group B. The SRM was given in 40 minutes each time for 4 weeks from the 1st of January to the 30th of April in 2001. In order to evaluate the effect on SRM. blood pressure, total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL cholesterol and LDL cholesterol were measured as physical parameters and state trait anxiety inventory was used twice each time between before and after the exercise. The collected data was analysed by Mann-Whitney test with SPSS program. The results were as follows: 1. Average age for the subjects were 39.8 (ranged from thirty-two to fifty-three) and average period of hypertension history was 42 months (ranged from twenty to eighty-four). 2. There was no significant difference between two examined groups in blood pressure. But, there was a significant difference in SRM of pre and post-test for two groups. 3. There was no significant difference in blood cholesterol between two groups and between pre and post-test. 4. State trait anxiety showed significant difference between pre and post-test except the results between two groups. This result suggests that SRM is effective on the decrease of systolic and diastolic pressure and the relief of state trait anxiety except for the blood cholesterol. Therefore, blood cholesterol is needed further evaluation in large subjects and longer period. Further research is regarded as necessary to evaluate and to compare the precise effects of SRM on the foot reflex massage (FRM) in anxiety.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.212-221
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of foot reflexology on premenstrual syndrome and dysmenorrhea in female college students. The research design of this study was a quasi-experimental design. Of the forty female college students, twenty were assigned to the experimental group and, twenty to the control group. The data were obtained over 2 months(November 26, 2001 to January 31, 2002) from a nursing of C college located in S city. The instrument used to assess premenstrual syndrome and dysmenorrhea was Keele's VAS(Visual Analogue Scale) and opening records. Subjects in the experimental group received foot reflexology for 6 times with 1 hours during 60 days, and subjects assigned to the control group did not receive foot reflexology. Data were analysed with percentage, mean, standard deviation, $x^2$-test, unpaired t-test, and repeated measure ANOVA, using SAS Program. The results of the study are as follow, 1.The symptoms which the group of experimental and the group of control discomforts the most are sensitiveness(35%), abdominal pain (30%),lower abdominal pain (30%) and lumbago (20%). The method of relieve premenstrual syndrome and dysmenorrhea by which the subjects employ the most to solve their premenstrual syndrome and dysmenorrhea is the getting along by enduring(67.5%) and bed rest (32.5%). 2.The mean score of the premenstrual syndromes and dysmenorrhea before foot reflexology was 8.35, it was 4.16 at the first menstruation after foot reflexology and 3.25 at the second menstruation for the experimental group. 3.The relieved symptoms after foot reflexology was fatigue(50%), insomnia(40%), abdominal pain(35%), lower abdominal pain (30%) and constipation(30%). Foot reflexology was effective in improve the symptoms of the female college students who have the premenstrual syndrome and dysmenorrhea.

• Asian Oncology Nursing
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.180-190
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the improvement and maintenance effects of foot reflexology (FR) on sensations after breast cancer surgery with those of lavender foot bath (LFB). Methods: Using a single-blind design, both 18 women to receive 20-min FR by trained experts and 14 women to soak feet in $40^{\circ}C$ foot tub water with 5 drop lavender essential oil, 15-min were intervened every two days. Repeated measures were taken pre 1st-(baseline-4th op. day), pre 3rd-(2nd data), and pre 5th-intervention (3rd data) with following up at 1-week after 5th intervention (4th data). The reliable translated Korean version of Baron's Breast Sensation Assessment Scale was used to assess sensations after breast cancer surgery (SABCS) characterized by prevalence, frequency, severity, and distress. Results: A significant difference between baseline and the 3rd, and a decrease tendency from baseline to the 3rd were observed for the severity and distress in FR and for the prevalence and severity in LFB. A significant or important decrease tendency between the 3rd and the 4th were observed for the severity and distress in FR and for the severity in LFB. Conclusion: Iterative FR has the improvement and maintenance effects on the severity and distress while LFB has only those on the severity.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.35 no.7
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• pp.1221-1228
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• 2005

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of foot reflexology on fatigue and insomnia in patients suffering from coal workers' pneumoconiosis. Method: This study was a quasi-experimental study of pre-test and post-test design in a non-equivalent control group. The subjects of this study consisted of both the experimental group of twenty-nine and the control group of thirty coal workers' pneumoconiosis patients. Data was collected from December 10, 2002 to February 15, 2003. Foot reflexology was performed for 60 minutes twice a week through five weeks in the experimental group, but none in the control group. To evaluate the effects of foot reflexology, the scores of fatigue and insomnia were measured before and after the experiment in both groups. Fatigue was evaluated by Fatigue Symptoms Inventory. Insomnia was measured with the visual analogue scale (VAS). Data of this experiment was analyzed by Chi-square test, t-test, unpaired t-test and Repeated Measures ANOVA with the SAS Program. Results: The scores of fatigue and insomnia decreased in the experimental group but not in the control group. There was a significant difference of fatigue and insomnia between the two groups. Conclusion: It is suggested that foot reflexology might have beneficial effects on reducing fatigue and insomnia in patients suffering from coal workers' pneumoconiosis, and can be recommended as a nursing intervention program for patients with coal workers' pneumoconiosis.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.17-30
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of aroma therapy and foot reflex massage on stress, depression, and sleep pattern of institutionalized elderly. The design of this study was non-equivalent control group pre-posttest design. The data were collected from February 24 to April 9 of 2005. Fifty-one elderly were divided into two groups, 26 institutionalized elderly for the experimental group and 25 institutionalized elderly for the control group. The experimental group underwent aromatherapy and foot reflex massage two days per week(40 minutes per session} over five weeks period. Stress(subjective stress and serum cortisol level), depression, and sleep pattern were assessed in both groups before and after intervention. Five weeks after intervention were spended, the experimental group was again assessed. Five weeks without intervention were spended, the control group was again assessed. The data were analyzed by the statistical program SPSS WIN 12. The results of this study were as follows; $\cdot$ Stress of the experimental group with the intervention was significantly lower than that of the control group. $\cdot$ Depression of the experimental group was significantly lower than that of the control group. $\cdot$ Sleep pattern of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group. In conclusion, the aroma therapy and foot reflex massage program had positive effect on Institutionalized elderly's on stress(subjective stress and serum cortisol level), depression, and sleep pattern.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.57-62
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• 2014

Most analytical models of the human body have focused on conscious responses. A patellar tendon reflex, a representative example of spinal reflexes, occurs without a neural command. Muscle forces and activation of the quadriceps femoris muscles in healthy adults during patellar tendon reflex are identified in this study. The model is assumed to move in the sagittal plane, and the thigh and the trunk are assumed to be fixed in a sitting position so that the shank can move similar to a pendulum. The knee joint is modeled as a revolute joint, and the ankle joint is modeled as a fixed joint so that the shank and the foot can be regarded as one rigid body. Muscle forces are calculated following the inverse dynamic approach. Kinematic data obtained from an experiment (Mamizuka, 2007) are used as input data. Muscle activations are identified using a Hill-type muscle model. The obtained simulation results are compared with experimental results for validating the model and the underlying assumptions.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Nondestructive Testing
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.247-253
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• 2005

This study investigated the effects on foot and ankle roll-over characteristics according to different heel heights during walking. Fifteen female volunteers who have neither musculoskeletal nor foot problems were participated in gait analyses, wearing four different pairs of shoes in different heel heights. To obtain roll-over shape of foot/ankle complex, we used trajectories of knee and ankle joints as well as the renter of pressure between initial contact and opposite initial contact. Results revealed that the entire roll-over shape moved distally as the heel height increased but roll-over characteristics showed uniformly with different heel heights. In addition, we found that nondisablea persons automatically adapted to their foot/ankle complex to varying heel heights within 6cm, by moving the origin of roll-over shape distally to maintain roll-over characteristics. However, since the balance of the gait only by the ankle joint could not be achieved beyond the heel height of 6cm, compensations at the knee and the hip joints occurred simultaneously. Roll-over characteristics in human walking would provide simpler and wider understanding of human walking, and furthermore could be applied to the wide understanding of prosthetics and orthotics of the lower extremity as well as orthopaedic shoes.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.177-185
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• 2005

purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of foot reflexology on nausea, vomiting and fatigue in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Method: The research was a quasi-experimental study using a non-equivalent pre-post design and was conducted from Jan. 26, to Mar. 20, 2004. The subjects consisted of 34 patients with 18 in the experimental group and 16 in control group. A pretest and 2 posttests were conducted to measure nausea, vomiting and fatigue. For the experimental group, foot reflexology, which was consisted of 4 phases for 40 minutes, was given by a researcher and 4 research assistants. The collected data were analyzed by repeated measures ANOVA using the SPSS WIN 10.0 program. Results: There was a statistically significant decrease in nausea, and vomiting in the experimental group compared to the control group over two different times. In addition, there was a statistically significant decrease in fatigue in the experimental group compared to the control group over two different times. Conclusion: Foot reflexology was effective on nausea, vomiting and fatigue in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy in this study. Therefore, foot reflexology can be usefully utilized as a nursing intervention in the field of cancer nursing for breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.587-594
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• 2015

Purpose: To identify the effects of foot reflexology massage on fatigue, stress and depression of postpartum women. Methods: A nonequivalent control group pre-post design was used. A total of 70 women in a postpartum care center were recruited and were assigned to the experimental group (35) or control group (35). Foot reflexology massage was provided to the experimental group once a day for three days. Data were collected before and after the intervention program which was carried out from December, 2013 to February, 2014. Data were analyzed using Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and t-test. Results: The level of fatigue in the experimental group was significantly lower than the control group (t= - 2.74, p=.008). The level of cortisol in the urine of women in the experimental group was significantly lower than the control group (t= - 2.19, p=.032). The level of depression in the experimental group was significantly lower than the control group (t= - 3.00, p=.004). Conclusion: The results show that the foot reflexology massage is an effective nursing intervention to relieve fatigue, stress, and depression for postpartum women.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.105-114
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• 2007

Purpose: This study examined the effects of foot-reflexology massage on body weight, lower extremity edema, and serum lipids in postpartum women. Method: This study was a nonequivalent control-group pretest-posttest design. Postpartum women were assigned to the experimental group (n=16) or a control group (n=15). Foot reflexology massage was applied 5 times a week, for a total of 2 weeks to the experimental group. The tool for measuring lower extremity edema was the girth of the thigh, and the calf. The measuring tool for serum lipids was total cholesterol and TG in blood serum by clinical process. Data was analyzed by $x^2$-test, t-test, and paired t-test, ANOVA using SPSS/Win PC 14.0. Results: There was a statistically significant decrease in levels of TG in blood serum in the experimental group compared to the control group. Conclusion: Foot reflexology massage is a useful nursing intervention that decreases serum lipids level in postpartum women. Therefore foot reflexology massage is recommended as a nursing intervention strategy for serum lipids reduction in postpartum women.