• The Journal of the Korea institute of electronic communication sciences
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• v.9 no.11
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• pp.1283-1290
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• 2014

This study was conducted to apply microcurrents of $500{\mu}A$ effective for ATP generation to leg muscles to which delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) had been induced in order to examine whether the microcurrent stimulation was effective for gait improvement. Forty subjects were randomly assigned to an experimental group of 20 subjects and a placebo group of 20 subjects. Microcurrents were applied immediately after inducing DOMS and 24 hours and 48 hours thereafter and changes in the center of pressure (COP), cadence, and affected stance phases were measured. According to the results of the measurement, changes in the COP, cadence, and affected stance phases at 48 hours after the induction of DOMS were statistically significant compared to the values before the induction. The COP of the experimental group became statistically significantly lower and the ratio of affected stance phases of the experimental group became statistically significantly higher compared to the placebo group at 48 hours after the induction of DOMS. Therefore, $500{\mu}A$ microcurrents showed effects for gait improvement by promoting the recovery and healing of damaged muscles.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.83-96
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of lift to the shoe of the affected limb on gait patterns in subjects with hemiplegia. The subjects of this study were 18 post-stroke hemiplegics. For the study, insole of the paretic side was lifted 10mm higher, and duration of static weight bearing, dynamic weight bearing and stance phase were measured from one cycle of the gait, before and after the lift application. For the measurement of carry-over effect of lift, we got data of those three items prior to and 3 weeks after lift application and 3 days after removal of the lift. Static weight bearing was significantly increased both just after and continuous application of lift for 3 weeks than before. Dynamic weight bearing was significantly decreased in heel contact and footflat phases only when just after application of the lift, without any change after 3 weeks application. In heel-off phase, dynamic weight bearing did not show any significant difference between before and just after application of lift whereas significantly decreased after 3 weeks application. Duration of stance phase was not changed among anytime of application. According to this study, lift applied to the shoe of the peretic limb was effective in inducing static weight bearing in the paretic limb, but did not significantly effect dynamic weight bearing on gait patterns. This study suggests that symmetry, induced by shoe lift applied to the paretic limb, could help correct abnormal posture that would be caused in standing and prevent development of abnormal muscle tone in subjects with hemiplegia caused by unilateral stroke.