• 대한통합의학회지
• /
• 제9권3호
• /
• pp.135-144
• /
• 2021

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of 2 weeks of backward walking exercise (BWE) on cervical angle and gait parameters in college students with forward head posture. Methods : Fifteen subjects participated in the experiment. All the participants had a craniovertebral angle (CVA) of 55 degrees or less. The purpose of the study was explained to all the subjects prior to participation, and volunteered to take part in the study. A camera capable of taking pictures of the lateral plane was installed at a distance of 1.5 meters from each subject. Images of forward head posture were obtained before and after performing the BWE, and the CVA and craniorotational angle (CRA) were compared pre- versus post exercise. Foot pressure and gait parameters (step length of left and right, stride length, stance of left and right, swing of left and right, step time of left and right, and stride time) were measured using a rehabilitation treadmill. The subjects performed the BWE for 2 weeks. The exercise program consisted of a 5-minute warm-up exercise, 20-minute main exercise, and 5-minute cool-down exercise. In the main exercise, the treadmill speed was set to 2.4 km/h in the first week and 3.4 km/h in the second week. A paired t test was used to compare the CVA and CRA and gait parameters before and after the exercise. Results : Comparison of the CVA and CRA before and after the BWE revealed a significant difference post exercise, with a marked improvement in forward head posture after the exercise (p<.05). Conclusion : Based on the results of this study, the BWE is considered to be an effective exercise for the forward head posture. Also, additional research is needed to shed light on the impact of the BWE on gait parameters.

• PNF and Movement
• /
• 제15권1호
• /
• pp.105-113
• /
• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this case study was to examine the effects of an intervention based on the concept of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) on the weight-supporting ability, fear of falling, and stair-walking ability of stroke patients. Methods: One pretest, three intervention sessions, and one posttest were conducted. In the tests, weight-supporting ability, manual muscle strength, the fear of falling, and the time to go up and down a 'ㄱ'-shaped stair-walking machine were measured and compared. The intervention was implemented for 30 minutes per day for three days in combination with general rehabilitation. The intervention was planned and implemented based on the concept of PNF, and the goal was for the subjects, after their consent, to walk backward down the stairs. Results: After the intervention, functional improvement was seen in weight-supporting ability and the fear of falling felt when walking down the stairs. Whereas the subjects could not perform the task of walking down the stairs on the 'ㄱ'-shaped stair-walking machine in the pretest, they could perform the task in the posttest, and their stair-climbing speed was greater than before the intervention. Conclusion: This study verified that a PNF-based intervention can improve stroke patients' weight-supporting ability and stair-walking ability. Therefore, this intervention can be clinically applied to stroke patients.

• 한국전문물리치료학회지
• /
• 제21권3호
• /
• pp.80-88
• /
• 2014

Previous studies have reported that decreased cognitive ability has been consistently associated with significant declines in performance of one or both tasks under a dual-task walking condition. This study examined the relationship between specific cognitive abilities and the dual-task costs (DTCs) of spatio-temporal gait parameters in stroke patients. The spatio-temporal gait parameters were measured among 30 stroke patients while walking with and without a cognitive task (Stroop Word-Color Task) at the study participant's preferred walking speed. Cognitive abilities were measured using Computerized Neuropsychological Testing. Pearson's correlation coefficients (r) were calculated to quantify the associations between the neuropsychological measures and the DTCs in the spatio-temporal gait parameters. Moderate to strong correlations were found between the Auditory Continuous Performance test (ACPT) and the DTCs of the Single Support Time of Non-paretic (r=.37), the Trail Making A (TMA) test and the DTCs of Velocity (r=.71), TMA test and the DTCs of the Step Length of Paretic (r=.37), TMA test and the DTCs of the Step Length Non-paretic (r=.36), the Trail Making B (TMB) test and the DTCs of Velocity (r=.70), the Stroop Word-Color test and the DTCs of Velocity (r=-.40), Visual-span Backward (V-span B) test and the DTCs of Velocity (r=-.41), V-span B test and the DTCs of the Double Support Time of Non-paretic (r=.38), Digit-span Forward test and the DTCs of the Step Time of Non-paretic (r=-.39), and Digit-span Backward test and the DTCs of the Single Support Time of Paretic (r=.36). Especially TMA test and TMB test were found to be more strongly correlated to the DTCs of gait velocity than the other correlations. Understanding these cognitive features will provide guidance for identifying dual- task walking ability.

• 대한물리치료과학회지
• /
• 제25권2호
• /
• pp.55-61
• /
• 2018

Purpose: This study is to compare muscle activation of leg muscles with forward and backward gait and treadmill speed. Method: The experimenter is a healthy ten male and female. They practice walking on the treadmill for 2 minutes and then walk 2km/h and 4km/h in front and back for 3 minutes. Muscle activities were recorded from the lower limb muscles (rectus femoris [RF], biceps femoris [BF], gastrucnemius [GCM]). Results: According to the study, lower extremity muscles have higher backward gait than forward gait. Conclusion: Muscle activity at the speed indicated that the muscular activity of the lower limbs was 4.0km/h, which is higher than 2.0km/h.

• 대한물리의학회지
• /
• 제16권3호
• /
• pp.37-44
• /
• 2021

PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of functional electrical stimulation (FES) on temporal-spatial gait and the activities of daily living in hemiplegic stroke patients. METHODS: The subjects were 29 hemiplegic stroke patients (57.7 ± 10.3). The patients walked at a self-controlled speed in four states: (1) walking without FES (non-FES), (2) walking with FES on the gluteus medius in the stance phase (GM), (3) walking with FES on the common peroneal nerve and tibialis anterior in the swing phase (PT), (4) walking with both GM and PT. A GAITRite system, Timed-Functional Movements battery, and Timed UP and Go test were used to measure the variables. RESULTS: Significant improvements were observed in all variables of the GM+PT, GM, and PT states compared to the non-FES state (p < .05). There were significant improvements in the GM+PT state compared to GM and PT states (p < .05). Moreover, significant improvements were noted in the single support time on the affected side, backward walking 10ft, and side stepping 10ft on the affected side of the GM state compared to the PT state (p < .05). There were significant improvements in the stride length on the affected side and side stepping 10ft on the unaffected side of the PT state compared to the GM state (p < .05). CONCLUSION: FES is effective in improving the temporal-spatial gait and activities of daily living in hemiplegic stroke patients.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• 제12권1호
• /
• pp.33-40
• /
• 2000

This study was carried out to compare the relation between vestibular function and balance skills in normal with heating-impaired children. The subjects were 20 normal children (8-10 years) and 20 hearing-impaired children (8-10 years). The SCPNT was used to assess vestibular function, then, functional reach test and backward walking test were usee to compare dynamic balance skills of normal and hearing-impaired children according to existence of visual input. The results were as follows : 1. In SCPNT, normal and hearing-impaired children showed statistical significance in all left-sided and right-sided rotations(p<.01), and the vestibular function responses of healing-impaired children were normal $20\%$, abnormal $45\%$, absent $35\%$. 2, To compare dynamic balance skills between normal and healing-impaired according to eye open and eye close, functional reach test did not show statistical significance in eye open situation(p>.05), but showed statistical significance in eye close situation(p<.05). 3. Backward walking test showed statistical significance in eye open and eye close situation(p<.01).

• 한국전문물리치료학회지
• /
• 제10권3호
• /
• pp.81-90
• /
• 2003

This study was conducted to assess the effects of the gait training method in incomplete spinal cord injured persons using an auto-walking machine. Persons with incomplete spinal cord injury level C or D on the American Spinal Injury Association impairment scale participated for eight weeks in an auto-walking training program. The gait training program was carried out for 15 minutes, three times per day for 8 weeks with an auto-walking machine. The foot rests of the auto-walking machine can be moved forward, downward, backward and upward to make the gait pattern with fixed on crank. The patient's body weight is supported by a harness during waking training. We evaluated the gait speed, physiologic cost index, motor score of lower extremities and the WISCI (walking index for spinal cord injury) level before the training and after the forth and eighth week of walking training. 1. The mean gait speed was significantly increased from .22 m/s at pre-training to .28 m/s after 4 weeks of training and .31 m/s after 8 weeks of training (p=.004). 2. The mean physiologic cost index was decreased from 4.6 beats/min at pre-training to 3.0 beats/min after 4 weeks and 2.0 beats/min after 8 weeks of training, but it was not statistically significant (p=.140). 3. The mean motor score of lower extrernities was significantly increased from 29.8 to 35.8 after 8 weeks of training (p=.043). 4. The mean WISCI level was significantly increased from level 10 to level 19 after 8 weeks of training (p=.007). The results of this study suggest that the gait training program using the auto-walking machine increased the gait speed, muscle strength and galt pattern (WISCI level) in persons with incomplete spinal cord injury. A large, controlled study of this technique is warranted.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
• /
• 제6권3호
• /
• pp.134-139
• /
• 2017

Objective: Dual-task interference is defined as decrements in performance observed when people attempt to perform two tasks concurrently, such as a verbal task and walking. The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes of gait ability according to the dual task interference in chronic stroke survivors. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Ten chronic stroke survivors (9 male, 1 female; mean age, 55.30 years; mini mental state examination, 19.60; onset duration, 56.90 months) recruited from the local community participated in this study. Gait ability (velocity, paretic side step, and stride time and length) under the single- and dual-task conditions at a self-selected comfortable walking speed was measured using the motion analysis system. In the dual task conditions, subjects performed three types of cognitive tasks (controlled oral word association test, auditory clock test, and counting backwards) while walking on the track. Results: For velocity, step and stride length, there was a significant decrease in the dual-task walking condition compared to the single walking condition (p<0.05). In particular, higher reduction of walking ability was observed when applying the counting backward task. Conclusions: Our results revealed that the addition of cognitive tasks while walking may lead to decrements of gait ability in stroke survivors. In particular, the difficulty level was the highest for the calculating task. We believe that these results provide basic information for improvements in gait ability and may be useful in gait training to prevent falls after a stroke incident.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
• /
• 제32권5호
• /
• pp.339-347
• /
• 2007

A hexapod walking robot had been developed for gathering information in the field. The developed robot was $260{\times}260{\times}130$ ($W{\times}L{\times}H$, mm) in size and 14.7 N in weight. The legs had nineteen degrees of freedom. A leg has three rotational joints actuated by small servomotors. Two servomotors placed at ankle and knee played the roles of vertical joint for up and down motions of the leg and the other one placed at coxa played the role of horizontal joint for forward and backward motions. In addition, a servomotor placed at thorax between the front legs and the middle legs played the role of vertical joint for pumping the two front legs to climb stair or inclination. Walking motion of the robot was executed by tripod gait. The robot was controlled by manual remote-controller communicated by an infrared ray. Two controllers were equipped to control the walking of the robot. The sub-controller using PIC microcomputer (Microchips, PIC16F84A) received the 16 bit command signal from the manual remote controller, decoded it to 8bit and transmitted it to the main microcomputer (RENESAS, SH2/7045), which controlled the 19 servomotors using the PWM command signals. Walking speeds were controlled by adjusting the period of command cycle and the stride. Forward walking speed were within 100 cm/min to 300 cm/min. However, experimental walking speed had the error of 4-40 cm/min to compare with the theoretical one, because of slippage of the leg and the circular arc motion of servomotor of coxa.

• 한국HCI학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국HCI학회 2008년도 학술대회 1부
• /
• pp.534-539
• /
• 2008

본 논문은 시력이 떨어지고 보행이 불편한 고령자의 이동을 지원하는 지능형 6족 이동 로봇에 대한 연구이다. 센서 및 소형카메라를 장착한 6족 지능형 이동 로봇은 다양한 보행 및 회전, 이동 속도 조절 등의 이동 능력과 다양한 센서를 이용한 장애물 회피, 위협 상황 인식, 경사보행, 물체영역의 인식 및 추적 등의 기능을 가지며, 로봇에 연결된 선을 이용해 고령자의 보행을 유도한다. 로봇의 안정된 보행을 위한 모터의 제어방법, 센서 및 영상인식을 통한 로봇의 환경인식, 그에 따른 로봇의 지능적이고 능동적인 대응, 감지된 환경정보를 신속하게 무선통신을 통해 필요한 고령자 또는 보호자에게 전송하는 방법 등을 구현하였다. 한 다리에 3자유도를 가진 18관절 6족 로봇으로 구현되어 비평탄 지형에서도 안정된 보행구현은 물론 다양하고 부드러운 동작을 취할 수 있으며 강력한 구동 능력을 위해 디지털 슈퍼토크 서보모터를 사용하였고, 위험 상황 인식을 위해 3축 가속도 센서, PIR(초전)센서, 불꽃센서, 연기센서, 적외선, 초음파 거리감지 센서, 조도센서, 터치센서, 온도/습도 센서, 음성인식센서와 카메라를 통한 영상인식 등을 센서 융합에 의해 구현함으로써 상황인식의 정확도를 높이고 고령자들의 길안내 시 위험을 조기에 예측하여 전달하는 에이전트 역할을 수행하도록 설계되었다.