• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.9 no.8
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• pp.577-584
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• 2003

Traditional ankle rehabilitation procedures are tedious, repetitive, and require therapist's help. Therefore, they do not provide patients with good motivation to actively participate in the rehabilitation exercises. In addition, objective diagnosis and evaluation of the treatment progress have been difficult because records of exercise history are made by passive instruments from time to time. The virtual reality technology can make these procedures more fun so that patients can perform everyday rehabilitation exercises more actively. Moreover, haptics technology can give active resistance to the patients ankle motion to improve strength of muscles as well as can record ankle's motion and force histories for objective diagnosis and evaluation. This paper summarizes development of a virtual environment fur reforming the conventional ankle rehabilitation procedures. First of all, conventional rehabilitation procedures have been summarized. Secondly, haptic design and control, user interface design, virtual environment contents design are described. Lastly, mutual cooperation among many developers including medical doctors and therapists and future works are commented.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.124-131
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• 2011

Ankle arthrodesis has been considered to be the standard operative treatment for end-stage ankle arthritis, nevertheless currently increasing arthroplasty. Indication for arthrodesis is painful ankle from global arthrosis regardless of the etiology. But it is hard to be carried out in the several circumstance such as infection states, poor vascularity, severe diabetes, prematurity, etc. So thorough evaluation should be done before the surgery, including adjacent joints status. The ideal position for fusion is neutral in flexion, functional valgus, and slightly external rotation. Methods of arthrodesis would be largely divided into two categories as in situ fixation and realignment procedure. The lateral and anterior longitudinal approaches are two common procedures, and fixation modalities are also variable. The long-term results of arthrodesis have been reported. Even the close follow-up have shown subsequent degeneration of adjacent joints, benefits such as reliable pain loss, easy correctability for deformity, and improved functional status with considerable durability can be expected in the most patients.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.283-287
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• 2013

Purpose: To evaluate the result of arthroscopic modified Brostrom procedure with suture anchor for chronic lateral ankle instability. Materials and Methods: Fifty-two patients with chronic lateral ankle instability were analyzed, who underwent arthroscopic modified Brostrom procedure between December 2010 and May 2012. Clinical evaluation was performed using AOFAS scroring and Sefton grading system. Results: The average AOFAS hind foot score increased from preoperative 61.9 to 88.8 at the last follow up. There were 35 excellent, 9 good, 4 fair, 4 poor results according to Sefton grading system. For one patient, lateral ankle instability recurred. Conclusion: Arthroscopic modified Brostrom procedure is considered to be an effective and satisfactory technique.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.145-150
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• 2018

High ankle sprain (distal tibiofibular syndesmosis injury) occurs from rotational injuries, specifically external rotation, and may be associated with ankle fractures. The prevalence of these injuries may be higher than previously reported because they may be missed in an initial examination. Syndesmosis injury can lead to significant complications in injured ankle joints, so a precise physical examination and radiological evaluation is necessary. The most important treatment goal is to have the tibia and fibula located in the correct position with respect to each other and to heal in that position. The methods to fix these injuries is controversial.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.61-68
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• 2018

Background: This study was performed to review the efficacy of national and international randomized controlled trials (RCT) investigating Chuna manipulative treatment for ankle sprains. Methods: Online databases (PubMed, Cochrane, EMBASE, CNKI, NDSL, OASIS), were searched for studies where Chuna treatment was performed for ankle sprains up to October 12th, 2017. Only RCT were selected that fulfilled the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Data were analyzed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Results: There were 676 studies retrieved from the databases, resulting in analysis of 24 RCT. There was an average of 7 treatment visits over a 7 day period and the most frequent evaluation tool used was efficacy rate, with drug therapy being the most common control used in the trials. In 15 RCT, several Chuna methods were used in combination, amongst which, the osteopathic technique was most common. Statistically significant improvement in evaluation indices was reported in 19 RCT, and in 3 RCT, statistically significant improvement was reported, but not for all indices. In the remaining 2 RCT, there were no significant differences in any of the evaluation indices. No adverse reactions were reported in any of the RCT, although it was unknown whether all the trial protocols indicated that adverse reactions should be monitored, and for this reason, the risk of bias was unclear. Conclusion: The review of 24 studies suggest that Chuna manipulative treatment for ankle sprains was effective in most cases, although, potential bias in these studies was difficult to evaluate.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.2212-2220
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• 2020

Background: Repetitive damage to the ankle joint causes chronic ankle instability, and studies comparing the effects of exercise in open and closed chains as a treatment method are very rare. Objectives: To investigate the effects of open and closed kinetic exercises on muscle activity and dynamic balance of ankle joint in adults with chronic ankle instability. Design: Single-blind randomized controlled trial. Methods: The selected 30 subjects are randomly divided into open kinetic chain exercise experimental group (EGI, n=10), closed kinetic chain exercise experimental group (EGII, n=10), and stretching control group (CG, n=10). Open and closed kinetic exercises lasted 30 minutes three times a week for six weeks and stretching exercises performed four actions for 20 seconds and five sets. The measurement tools using surface electromyography to measure muscle activity in the ankle joint. The dynamic balance of the ankle was evaluated using the Y-Balance test. Results: Following the intervention, closed and open kinetic chain exercise group showed significant difference in tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius muscle activity and dynamic balance (P<.05). However, no significant difference in tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius muscle activity and dynamic balance between closed and open kinetic chain exercise group (P<.05). Conclusion: This study provides evidence that closed and open kinetic chain exercise can be presented as an effective exercise for the muscle activity of ankle muscle and dynamic balance of the subject with chronic ankle instability.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.71-76
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• 2015

Objectives The aim of this review is to analyze the study tendency in papers related with ankle sprain which are published in Korea. Methods I searched the OASIS and checked relevant Korean journals. I classified the papers by field of study, publish date, main treatment, evaluation methods and analysed the study tendency. Results 1. There are 9 case studies, 4 comparative effectiveness studies, 11 controlled studies. 2. The paper was published almost every year for more than one. 3. Treatment tool such as acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, acupotomy, heating-conduction acupuncture, etc. was used. 4. The most commonly used evaluation method is VAS (Visual Analog Scale) and AHS (Ankle-Hindfoot scale). Conclusions These results suggest that Korean medical treatment on the ankle sprain can be useful as cure medicine, but there are not sufficient evidence based papers, so there should be further studies.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.88-94
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• 2003

Purpose: Bioabsorbable screws are used to fix the syndesmotic injury of ankle because of no need for additional operation to remove it. The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of polylevolactic acid (PLLA) screws of in the treatment of the syndesmotic injury of ankle. Materials and Methods: Eight patients of the syndesmotic injury of ankle with malleolar fracture were evaluated in this study. They were managed with plate and screw fixation for malleolar fracture and polylevolactic acid screw fixation for syndesmotic injury, followed by plaster splinting for 6 weeks. Clinical and radiographic evaluation were done and functional scores were assessed. Results: In all cases, malleolar fractures were healed without problematic widening of syndesmosis. There were no sinus tract formation and no wound complication. Of eight patients, five had excellent results and three had good results. Conclusion: We conclude that polylevolactic acid screw is good material for fixation of the syndesmotic injury of ankle.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.82-89
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• 2010

Ankle-foot orthosis with an artificial pneumatic muscle which is intended for the assistance of plantarfelxion torque was developed. In this study, power pattern of the device in the various pneumatics and the effectiveness of the system were investigated. The pneumatic power was provided by ankle-foot orthosis controlled by user‘s physiological signal, that is, muscular stiffness in soleus muscle. This pneumatic power can assist plantarflexion torque of ankle joint. The subjects performed maximal voluntary isokinetic plantarflexion motion on a biodexdynamometer in different pneumatics, and they completed three conditions: 1) without wearing the orthosis, 2) wearing the orthosis with artificial muscles turned off, 3) wearing the orthosis activated under muscular stiffness control. Through these experiments, we confirmed the effectiveness of the orthosis and muscular stiffness control using the analyzing isokinetic plantarflexion torque. The experimental results showed that isokinetic torques of plantarflexion motion of the ankle joints gradually increased in incremental pneumatic. The effectiveness of the orthosis was -7.26% and the effectiveness of the muscular stiffness control was 17.83% in normalized isokinetic plantarflexion torque. Subjects generated the less isokinetic torques of the ankle joints in wearing the orthosis with artificial muscles turned off, but isokinetic torques were appropriately reinforced in condition of wearing the orthosis activated under muscular stiffness control(17.83%) compared to wearing the orthosis(-7.26%). Therefore, we respect that developed powered orthosis is applied in the elderly that has weak muscular power as the rehabilitation equipment.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.119-122
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• 2010

Purpose: One of the main contributors to proximal fifth metatarsal fracture is ankle inversion and the incidence of recurrence may increase in patients with ankle instability. So, the authors confirmed the patients of proximal fifth metatarsal fracture with ankle instability by checking the history and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and assessed the value of MRI as therapeutic prognosis and clinical indicators for prevention of recurrence. Materials and Methods: Patients with proximal fifth metatarsal fractures visited our hospital during recent five years were reviewed. 35 patients with suspected damage by ankle inversion had been identified a history of ankle instability and checked the hindfoot malalignment through hindfoot alignment view and MRI was performed prospectively. The patients was devided to three groups on the location of fracture site and the groups were compared each other. Results: The mean time from injury to checking MRI was 10.7 days. There was no structural abnormality and was no significant difference according to the location of fracture. The patients with history of ankle inversion were 31(88.6%) and the patients with history of chronic or recurrent injury were 22 patients (62.9%). The lesion of MRI related to lateral ankle instability were identified in all patients. Conclusion: This study noted a high incidence of lateral ankle instability that was identified by MRI in the patients of proximal fifth metatarsal fracture. Aggressive treatment for lateral ankle instability should be needed for complications as proximal fifth metatarsal fracture to reduce the recurrence and occurrence.