• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.123-129
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• 2023

Objective: Kinesio tape has been applied to the ankle to improve balance and gait. Stroke patients show abnormal gait patterns due to foot drop. This study aimed to determine the effects of ankle balance taping which to support the ankle joint on balance and gait in patients with chronic stroke. Design: A randomized controlled trial. Methods: Twenty-four chronic stroke patients were selected and randomized into experimental group (n=12) and control group (n=12). The experimental group applied kinesio taping three times a week for three weeks, and the control group applied placebo taping for the same amount of time. To evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment, the subjects' walking ability, static balance, and dynamic balance were assessed before and after the experiment. Gait speed and spatiotemporal gait ability were measured to examine walking ability, postural sway velocity and velocity moment for static balance, and Timed-Up and Go test and Berg Balance Scale were conducted to check dynamic balance. Results: The experimental group showed a significant increase in walking ability, static balance, and dynamic balance in the within-group pre-post difference (p<0.05). In the between-group comparison, the experimental group had a significant difference in walking ability than the control group (p<0.05). Conclusions: Ankle balance taping can help improve gait, and this study can be used as a basis for future studies of ankle balance taping.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.24 no.10
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• pp.46-53
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• 2007

This paper describes the development of a high-precision measuring device with DSP (digital signal processor) for the accurate measurement of the 6-axis force/moment sensor mounted to a humanoid robot's ankle. In order to walk on uneven terrain safely, the foot should perceive the applied forces Fx, Fy, and Fz and moments Mx, My, and Mz to itself, and control the foot using the measured them. The applied forces and moments should be measured from two 6-axis force/moment sensors mounted to the feet, and the sensor is composed of Fx sensor, Fy sensor, Fz sensor, Mx sensor, My sensor and Mz sensor in a body (single block). In order to acquire output values from twelve sensors (two 6-axis force/moment sensor) accurately, the measuring device should get the function of high speed, and should be small in size. The commercialized measuring devices have the function of high speed, unfortunately, they are large in size and heavy in weight. In this paper, the high-precision measuring device for acquiring the output values from two 6-axis force/moment sensors was developed. It is composed of a DSP (150 MHz), a RAM (random access memory), amplifiers, capacities, resisters and so on. And the characteristic test was carried out.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.55-61
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• 1999

The purpose of this study was to compare the moment and power of affected Side and those of unaffected side during gait in hemiplegic patients after stroke. Force plate ana kinetic gait analysis was used. The following is resulted from this study. 1. In the hip joint, moment values had not difference between affected side and unaffected side. Power values had difference between affected and unafected side. 2. In the knee joint, moment values and power values had difference between affected side and unaffected side. 3. In the ankle feint, moment and power values had not, difference between affected side and unaffected side.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.509-515
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to analyze the correlation between passive ankle movement range and knee joint kinetic variables during squat movement. In this study, a total of 27 subjects participated in this study, 19 men and 8 women, who had no history of the musculoskeletal system of the lower extremity. To verify the correlation between the ankle joint flexibility and the knee joint kinetic variables during deep squat, it was performed pearson's correlation coefficient and variables showing statistically significant correlation were performed by simple regression analysis at a significant level of α .05. Through this study, the relationship between the peak joint moment and joint reaction force factors that determine ankle joint flexibility and knee joint pressure was confirmed. Therefore, when applying an exercise that can generate a lot of load on the knee joint such as deep squats during strength training, checking the degree of flexibility of the ankle joint among physical characteristics to the individual may reduce the stability of the body and the risk of injury to the knee joint. It is expected to be helpful in setting the intensity of exercise that can be done.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.161-169
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to investigate kinetic variables of the lower extremity during walking on three different stair widths in healthy adults. Ten healthy college-aged adults($23.5{\pm}3.5$) recruited for this study. Each stairs with the same height and length(l8cm and 90cm) under the Korean Constructional Law but three different widths(26cm, 31cm and 36cm) were conducted for this study. One force plate(9286AA, Kistler Co.) was put on third stairs. One-way ANOVA was performed to find the stair width effects during stair walking and the following findings ware obtained. There was significantly decreased in ankle resultant joint moment at Pull-Up phase(p<.05) and, significantly increased in knee extension moment during mid-stance phase as stair width increase(p<.05), but there was no significance in ankle resultant joint moment was found at Forward Continuance Phase in Ascending Stair Walking and There was significantly increased in ankle resultant joint moment as stair width increase during mid-stance phase(p<.05) and no significance in knee and hip resultant moments among the stair width in descending stair walking.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.51-57
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to compare and analyze kinetic variables of lower limbs according to types of ankle taping in drop landing. For this, targeting seven male basketball players (average age: $20.8{\pm}0.74yrs$, average height: $187.4{\pm}3.92cm$, average weight: $79.8{\pm}7.62kg$) with no instability of ankle joints, the drop landing motion was conducted according to three types of inelastic taping (C-type), elastic taping (K-type), and no treatment (N-taping). Based on the result, the next conclusion was reached. First, the effect of taping for the players with stable ankles was minimal and the high load on ankle joints offset the fixing effect of inelastic taping. Thus the inelastic taping for the players with stable ankles did not have an effect on the control of dorsal flexion during one-foot landing. Second, increasing angular velocity by increasing the movable range of knee joints disperses impact forces, yet inelastic taping restricted the range of knee joint motion and at the same time increased angular velocity, adding to a negative effect on knee joints. Third, inelastic taping induced inefficient motion of Lower limbs and unstable impact force control of ankle joints at the moment of landing and produced maximum vertical ground reaction force, which led to an increase of load. Therefore, inelastic ankle taping of players whose jump actions occur very often should be reconsidered. Also, it is thought that this study has a great meaning in proving the problem of inelastic taping related to knee pain with unknown causes.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.161-166
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• 2016

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the knee and ankle joint kinematics and kinetics by comparing downhill walking with valley-shape combined slope walking. Method: Eighteen healthy men participated in this study. A three-dimensional motion capture system equipped with eight infrared cameras and a synchronized force plate, which was embedded in the sloped walkway, was used. Obtained kinematic and kinetic parameters were compared using paired two-tailed Student's t-tests at a significance level of 0.05. Results: The knee flexion angle after the mid-stance phase, the mean peak knee flexion angle in the early swing phase, and the ankle mean peak dorsiflexion angle were greater during downhill walking compared with valley-shape combined slope walking (p < 0.001). Both the mean peak vertical ground reaction force (GRF) in the early stance phase and late stance phase during downhill walking were smaller than those values during valley-shape combined slope walking. (p = 0.007 and p < 0.001, respectively). The mean peak anterior GRF, appearing right after toe-off during downhill walking, was also smaller than that of valley-shape combined slope walking (p = 0.002). The mean peak knee extension moment and ankle plantar flexion moment in late stance phase during downhill walking were significantly smaller than those of valley-shape combined slope walking (p = 0.002 and p = 0.015, respectively). Conclusion: These results suggest that gait strategy was modified during valley-shape combined slope walking when compared with continuous downhill walking in order to gain the propulsion for lifting the body up the incline for foot clearance.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.189-196
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to verify the difference in biomechanical variation and pattern of the lower limb between planned and unexpected termination, which is related to the prevention of fatal fall in the elderly. Therefore, selected twenty subjects for each group which composed of females(age: $73.5{\pm}4.63$ year, height: $153.2{\pm}6.46$ cm, body mass: $58.98{\pm}5.82$ kg) and women(age: $23.4{\pm}2.5$ year, height: $164.65{\pm}3.9$ cm, body mass: $58.47{\pm}5.53$ kg) in their twenties. As a result, lower limb's extension moment and power were increased significantly in statistics(p<.05). Also, knee joint power showed instant changes from concentric contraction to eccentric contraction and hip joint power from eccentric contraction to concentric contraction. During unexpected termination there were dramatical increase in eccentric contraction and power(p<.05). In both planned and unexpected termination, ankle joint moment were higher in young group, but the moment of the hip joint were higher in the elderly group(p<.05). In contrast to younger group, there were no changes in knee extension moment in elderly group(p<.05). but showed relatively higher hip joint extension moment and power(p<.05).

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.93-102
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of step length on the joint moment. The subjects were 4 undergraduate and graduate students in their 20s with normal legs. The subjects were individually tested by the running timer at the walking speed of 0.67m/s, 134m/s, and 2.46m/s. The step length was regulated to -10% of normal, normal and +10% of normal step length using foot print. The walking performances of each subjects were filmed using a high speed video camera. The raw data were analyzed by LabVIEW Graphical Program and these data were analyzed by ANOVAs and Scheffe. The results of this study were as follows: The maximum dorsiflexion moment of the ankle joint increased as the step length increased only at the fast walking speed. Although there wasn't significant difference shown in the plantar flexion moment, regular pattern in the plantar flexion moment which increased as the step length increased was found. The first maximum extension moment of the knee joint increased only at the normal walking speed, but there appeared no significant difference in the maximum flexion and second extension moment. The maximum extension moment of the hip joint increased at the normal and fast walking speed. Although there wasn't significant difference, regular pattern in flexion moment which increased as the step length increased was found.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2007.05a
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• pp.1097-1102
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• 2007

This paper describes the development of 6-axis force/moment sensor for an intelligent robot's foot. In order to walk on uneven terrain safely, the foot should perceive the applied forces Fx, Fy, Fz and moments Mx, My, Mz to itself. The applied forces and moments should be measured from a 6-axis force/moment sensor attached to a humanoid robot's foot(ankle). They in the published paper already have some disadvantage in the size of the sensor, the rated output and so on. The rated output of each component sensor (6-axis force/moment sensor) is very important to design the 6-axis force/moment sensor for precision measurement. Therefore, each sensor should be designed to be gotten similar the rated output under each rated load. So, the sensing elements of the 6-axis force/moment sensor should get lots of design variables. Also, the size of 6- axis force/moment sensor is very important for mounting to robot's foot. In this paper, a 6-axis force/moment sensor for perceiving forces and moments in a humanoid robot's foot was developed using many PPBs (parallel plate-beams). The structure of the sensor was newly modeled, and the sensing elements (plate-beams) of the sensor were designed using FEM (Finite Element Method) analysis. Then, the 6-axis force/moment sensor was fabricated by attaching strain-gages on the sensing elements, and the characteristic test of the developed sensor was carried out. The rated outputs from FEM analysis agree well with that from the characteristic test.