• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.23-31
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to investigate proper sampling duration while executing quiet stance of feet together position and a preferred foot position with eyes open using COP variables through GRF system. The subjects participated in this study were twenty healthy elderly women individuals($68.9{\pm}6.8$ years). It represented that the sampling duration needed over 20 s in the FTP and over 60 s in the PFP during assessment of quiet stance. The sampling duration shorter than 20 s in the FTP and 60 s in the PFP may not provide the sample showing stability. Inversely if the sampling duration becomes longer, it can distort the sample showing stability. In the future, I expect more studies of the proper sampling duration through various groups and the study of characteristics of participants caused by more sampling duration.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.193-197
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• 2016

Objective: In the present study, the effects of visual restriction and unstable base dual-task training (VUDT), stable base dual-task training (SDT), and on stroke patients' balance and concentration abilities were examined. Design: Two-group pretest-posttest design. Methods: Dual-task training was conducted for thirty persons with chronic stroke who were hospitalized or receiving physical therapy and were randomly assigned to either the VUDT group (n=15) or the SDT group (n=15). The subjects were divided into two groups of 15 participants each, the VUDT group and the SDT group. Dual-task training was administered for 30 minutes per session, three times a week for 8 weeks. The participants' balance was measured via the center of pressure migration distances, functional reach test (FRT), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and attention was measured using the trail-making test and the Stroop test. Results: In comparisons within each group, the two groups showed significant differences before and after the training (p<0.05). In the comparisons between the groups, the VUDT group showed significant improvements in center of pressure (COP), FRT, and BBS, and TMT compared to the SDT group (p<0.05). Conclusions: It would be more effective to conduct dual-task training as a rehabilitation training program under vision restriction and unstable supporting surface conditions than to conduct the test under unstable supporting plane conditions to improve balance and attention in chronic stroke patients.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.249-255
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• 2016

Objective: This purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between dimensionless leg stiffness and kinetic variables during gait performance, and its modulation with body weight. Method: The study sample consisted of 10 young women divided into 2 groups (Control, n=5 and Obese, n=5). Four camcorders (HDR-HC7/HDV 1080i, Sony Corp, Japan) and one force plate (AMTI., USA) were used to analyze the vertical ground reaction force (GRF) variables, center of pressure (COP), low limb joint angle, position of pelvis center and leg lengths during the stance phase of the gait cycle. Results: Our results revealed that the center of mass (COM) displacement velocity along the y-axis was significantly higher in the obese group than that in control subjects. Displacement in the position of the center of the pelvis center (Z-axis) was also significantly higher in the obese group than that in control subjects. In addition, the peak vertical force (PVF) and dimensionless leg stiffness were also significantly higher in the obese group. However, when normalized to the body weight, the PVF did not show a significant between-group difference. When normalized to the leg length, the PVF and stiffness were both lower in the obese group than in control subjects. Conclusion: In the context of performance, we concluded that increased dimensionless leg stiffness during the gait cycle is associated with increased velocity of COM, PVF, and the change in leg lengths (%).

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.81-93
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• 2022

Proprioception training has been considered a secondary method to facilitate postural control ability. This study investigated the effects of two different proprioception training methods - the proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) and visual feedback-based joint position and force reproduction (VF) - on postural control advancements. Sixteen healthy people volunteered for this study, and they randomly grouped two. Each group participated in the PNF and VF training for three weeks. We evaluated each subject's proprioception levels and balance ability before and after the training. We used a clinometer and electromyogram (EMG) for VF training. The joint position reproduction test was also used to evaluate the position and force aspects of the proprioception level. We analyzed the trajectory of the center of pressure (COP) while subjects were standing on the firm floor and balance board with one leg using a pressure mat. The improvement of the position aspect of the proprioception level of the VF group (4.93±4.74°) was larger than that of the PNF group (-0.43±2.08°) significantly (p=0.012). The improvement of the anterior-posterior COP velocity of the PNF group (0.01±0.01 cm/s) was larger than that of VF group(0.002±0.01 cm/s) significantly (p=0.046). Changes of position error in the PNF group (rho=0.762, p=0.028) and tibialis anterior force reproduction error in the VF group showed a significantly strong relationship with balance ability variables. These results showed that different PNF and VF have different effects on improving two aspects of proprioception and their relationship with the balance ability. Therefore, these results might be useful for selecting proprioception or balance rehabilitation considering the clinical and patients' situation.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.28 no.11
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• pp.1323-1329
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• 2011

The purpose of study was to analyze how the visual information affects balance control of individuals during single leg stance. A total of 27 young normal people (20 males and 7 females, age: $13.7{\pm}2.6$, height: $162.3{\pm}13.2$ cm, weight: $53.9{\pm}13.9$ kg) was voluntarily involved in the experiment. The subjects were requested to maintain balance for 20 seconds with eyes both open and closed on a force plate and then foot ground reaction data were collected for that duration. Results showed that mean velocity of COP in closed eyes condition was larger 1.84 times than that of the open-eyes condition and range of vertical angle was increased approximately one degree in the closed eyes condition. To accomplish a balance, the frequency power in mediolateral and anteroposterior components of the foot-ground reaction force was increased by 1.3~1.4 times. Consequently, visual absence during single leg stance can result in critical loss of balance and lead to instability of body control.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.423-432
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• 2012

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate balance changes in young patients with neck pain by comparing postural sway velocity and velocity moment between young patients with neck pain and healthy subjects. METHODS: The cross-sectional study enrolled fifteen young patients with over 3-month duration of the neck pain and twelve healthy subjects between the ages of 20 and 30 years old. All subjects were measured their postural sway velocity and velocity moment during quiet standing with eyes open and eyes closed conditions. We compared the differences of postural sway velocity and velocity moment between neck pain patients and healthy subjects, and between eye open and eye close. RESULTS: Significant differences were evident in the anteroposterior and mediolateral sway velocity, and velocity moment of center-of-pressure (COP) between patients with neck pain and healthy subjects (p<.05), and in patients with neck pain in the eyes open and eyes closed conditions (p<.05). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that the balance of young patients with neck pain was worse than healthy subjects during quiet standing, and was especially lessened in the absence of vision. The finding may inform management program to decrease the balance deficits in young patients with neck pain.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.142-144
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• 2017

Purpose: Few studies have addressed the effect of diurnal circadian rhythms on postural stability, and thus the aim of the present study was to examine circadian effects on static and dynamic postural stability in young adults. Methods: Twenty-four subjects (9 men, 11 women: age=$22.20{\pm}1.77$, height=$167.20{\pm}10.47$, weight=$59.85{\pm}10.66$) from a university community volunteered for this study. Static and dynamic balance testing, which recorded using a Good Balance system (Good Balance, Metitur Ltd, Finland) was conducted at 9:00, 13:00, and 17:00 hours on two consecutive days, and the sequencing of static and dynamic balance tests were randomized. Results were analyzed using the non-parametric one-way repeated Friedman test in SPSS version 18.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA), and variable found to be significant were subjected to Wilcoxon post hoc testing. Results: Static and dynamic balance showed significant difference at the three times assessments (test at 9:00, 13:00, and 17:00) during circadian. In the post hoc test of static (anteroposterior distance, mediolateral distance and COP (center of pressure) velocity) and dynamic balance (performance time), 13:00 was the longer and faster than 9:00. Conclusion: These results indicated that control of postural balance is influenced by diurnal circadian rhythms, and confirm that control of postural balance is more effective and better performance in the 09:00 hours than 13:00 hours or 17:00 hours.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.971-976
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• 2014

Haptic device can be a useful rehabilitation tool in balance training. The proposed system is composed of a body-wear smartphone, Phantom Omni(R) device, and its control PC system. Ten young healthy subjects performed balance tasks with different postures during 30 seconds with their eyes closed. An Android program on the smartphone transferred mediolateral (ML) and anteroposterior (AP) tilt angles to the PC system, which can generate haptic command through haptic device. Statistical data analysis was performed using MATLAB(R). COP (Center of Pressure) related indexes were measured to see reduction in body sway. ANOVA showed that haptic device significantly reduced body sway. Intuitive balance guidance could be generated using an economical and small-sized commercial haptic device, making the system efficient.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.579-584
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• 2022

Objective: To identify the effect of unstable surface kettlebell exercises on muscle activity and balance in middle and high school baseball players. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: The participants were 29 middle and high school baseball players (Unstable surface kettlebell exercises group, USKE: 15; Stable surface kettlebell exercise group, SSKE: 14). The players in the USKE group performed kettlebell exercises for 60 mins on a stable surface thrice a week for 6 weeks, and the return rack was solidified on a stable surface in the same way as the experimental group. Before and after the experiment, the participant's muscle activity of the tibialis anterior and soleus was measured. In addition, the participant's balance was evaluated by measuring the distance moved from the foot's center of pressure (COP). The paired t-test was used to compare groups before and after the experiment. The independent t-test was conducted to assess differences in the degree of change between the two groups before and after the experiment. Results: Compared to the SSKE group, the USKE group showed significant differences in the muscle activity of the tibialis anterior and soleus and the balance with the eyes open and closed. Conclusions: The players in the USKE group showed a significant difference in muscle activity and balance than in those in the SSKE group. Thus, effectively including an unstable surface in the kettlebell exercise program will help improve physical function in athletes and people with musculoskeletal disorders.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.279-284
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• 2022

Objective: This study was conducted to confirm the effect of physiotherapy on the balance and walking in dog with sciatic nerve injury and degenerative arthritis of stifle joints. Design: Single case study Methods: The dog walked abnormally for six months and was administrated in S animal hospital. The dog's right hindlimb was operated for cranial cruciate ligament repair and the dog had been taking a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory analgesic before being refered. There was severe degenerated osteoarthritis in the right hindlimb. During stance and walking, the right hindlimb was often shown partial weight bearing. The dog's left hindlimb was shown plantigrade stance and walking. The radiograph was shown an intact calcaneal tendon in the left hindlimb. In the neurologic examination, sciatic nerve injury in the left hindlimb was confirmed. The dog was treated using muscle strengthening, proprioceptive exercise, underwater treadmill and Laser therapy two, or three times a week for 3 months. At the 10th and 17th treatment, it was evaluated through stance and gait analyzer system to measure dog's balance and walking. Results: 3 months following physiotherapy, the dog's balance was improved in center of pressure(COP). And peak vertical force(PVF), vertical impulse(VI) was increased in right hindlimb and double stance was decreased. Conclusions: Physiotherapy may have improved the prognosis in this dog with severe osteoarthritis and sciatic nerve injury. This study suggested that animal physiotherapy is a valuable way to improve balance and walking.