• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.67-74
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of walking aid on hemiplegic gait of chronic stroke patients. Twelve stroke patients participated in this study. Physiological cost index (PCI), gait speed, and climbing stairs with and without walking aid were measured and analyzed. The results showed that walking with walking aid significantly improved gait speed and reduced physiological cost index and time needed to climb stair (height 7 cm) in comparison with a walking without walking aid. In conclusion, walking aid may improve the speed and efficiency of hemiplegic gait in chronic stroke patients.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.246-249
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics between EMG timing of muscle contraction and motor impairment in chronic hemiplegic stroke patients. Delay time and co-contraction of 4 patients who had stroke less than 3 years were measured during isometric wrist flexion and extension along the 3 seconds beep signal. Onset and offset of muscle contraction were significantly delayed on the more affected sides than control sides. Offset was significantly delayed than the onset on the affected sides in wrist flexion. Also, recruitment of antagonist was larger than agonist on the affected sides. Co-contraction ratio on the affected side was significantly smaller than control sides in wrist flexion. In affected sides, Fugl-Meyer motor assessment(FMA) shows the correlation of onset delay in wrist flexion and extension. However, co-contraction ratio correlated with FMA in wrist flexion. EMG assessment is likely to be useful outcome measure and provide insights into mechanism for motor recovery in stroke patients.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2013

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact on the ability to walk, balance after side walking training of hemiplegic patients caused by stroke. Method : The subjects were training before stroke onset whether more than one year elapsed 15 patients with chronic stroke patients, and Berg balance scale(BBS) and Timed up and go test(TUG), Functional reaching test(FRT), 20m walking time 200m walking time were measured and recorded. Training period, a total of three weeks, and training frequency circuit training times 10 minutes per training, 5-minute break, the 10-minute training total 25-minute training was conducted. Gait line of 3m to be based on the patient's side walking, and the risk of falling compared to the presence of the experimenter trained under was carried out. Result : 1. TUG, 2. 20m walking time, 3. 200m walking time 4. FRT, 5. All showed significant improvement in BBS. Judging from the results, the side walking training conducted three weeks due to chronic stroke hemiplegic patient's ability to balance and showed a positive effect on the improvement of walking ability. Conclusion : Accordingly, it was more effective to train hemiplegic patients with chronic stroke on side walking.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.351-367
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to identity effects of virtual reality(VR) program related to standing postural control on balance, gait and brain activation patterns in chronic hemiplegic stroke patients. Subjects were assigned randomly to either VR group (n=12) or the control group (n=12) when the study began. Both groups received conventional physical therapy for 2 to 3 times per week. In addition to conventional physical therapies, VR group trained 3 types of virtual reality programs using IREX for standing postural control during 4 weeks (4 times/week, 30 minutes/time). Subjects were assessed for static and dynamic balance parameters using BPM, functional balance using Berg Balance Scale related to movement of paretic lower limb before and after 4 weeks of virtual reality training. The results of this study were as follows. 1. Following VR training, VR group demonstrated the marked improvement on dynamic mean balance, anteroposterior limits of stability (AP angle) and mediolateral limits of stability (ML angle). 2. Following VR training, both groups scored higher on Berg Balance Scale. However, a comparison of mean change revealed differences between groups. In conclusion, these data suggest that the postural control training using VR programs improve dynamic and functional balance performance in chronic hemiplegic stroke patients.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.114-121
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• 2008

Within 2 to 5 months after stroke, patients recover variable degrees of function, depending on the initial deficit. An impaired hand function is one of the most serious disability in chronic stroke patients. Therefore, to evaluate the extent of motor dysfunction in the hemiplegic hand is important in stroke rehabilitation. In this paper, motor recoveries in 8 chronic stroke patients with Fugl-Meyer (FM) and white matter changes before and after the training program with a designed bilateral symmetrical arm trainer (BSAT) system were examined. The training was performed at 1 hr/day, 5 days/week during 6weeks. In all patients, FM was significantly improved after the 6-week training. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) results showed that tractional anisotropy ratio (FAR) and fiber tracking ratio (FTR) in the posterior internal capsule were significantly increased after the training. It seemed that the cortical reorganization was induced by the 6 week training with the BSAT. In all parameters proposed this study, a significant correlation was found between these parameters (FAR and FTR) and motor recoveries. This study demonstrated that DTI technique could be useful in predicting motor recovery in chronic hemiparetic patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.21-31
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• 2017

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify whether backward walking exercise was more effective than conventional physical therapy for balance and gait in hemiplegic stroke patients. METHODS: Eighteen patients with chronic stroke were randomly assigned to the experimental (n=9) or control (n=9) group. The experimental and control group performed backward walking exercise and conventional physical therapy, respectively, for 8 weeks. Stability Index (SI) and Weight Distribution Index (WDI) during standing were assessed using the Tetrax Balance System. The Timed Up and Go (TUG) test and Korean version of the Berg Balance Scale (K-BBS) were used to evaluate balance and fall risk. Walking speed, stride length, and step length on the affected side were measured using the 10-Meter Walk and ink foot printing tests. Wilcoxon signed-rank and Mann-Whitney U tests were used for within- and between- group comparisons, respectively. RESULTS: The experimental group showed significantly higher changes in SI (p<.01), WDI (p<.01), TUG (p<.001), and BBS score (p<.001) following intervention compared with the control group. The experimental group also showed significantly greater improvements in walking speed (p<.01), stride length (p<.001), and step length on the affected side (p<.001) after intervention compared with the control group. CONCLUSION: Backward walking exercise is an effective intervention to improve balance and gait in hemiplegic stroke patients.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.31-36
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• 2009

Hemiplegia-induced immobilizatoin and reduction of mechanical loading in chronic stroke limbs are common cause of disuse osteoporosis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of asymmetrical weight bearing on the loss of bone mineral in the individual with chronic stroke. Sixteen hemiplegic patients with strokes were evaluated. The measurements of bone mineral density (BMD) were evaluated with the quantitative ultrasound system on the calcaneus region of the paretic and non-paretic side. Plantar pressure was measured using the Mat-Scan system. The paretic side showed significantly smaller values in the T-score of BMD, and peak value of plantar pressure, which included forefoot, midfoot, and hindfoot, than the non-paretic side (p<.05). Results from the pearson correlation analysis showed statistically significant correlation between the BMD difference and the peak-pressure difference of midfoot pressure (p<.05). This finding indicated that BMD loss depended on decrease of body weight born on the paretic leg.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.409-413
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• 2012

Purpose: Rehabilitative devices are used to enhance sensorimotor training protocols, for improvement of motor function in the hemiplegic limb of patients who have suffered a stroke. Sensorimotor integration feedback systems, included with these devices, are very good therapeutic frameworks. We applied this approach using electrical stimulation in stroke patients and examined whether a functional electric stimulation-assisted biofeedback therapy system could improve function of the upper extremity in chronic hemiplegia. Methods: A prototype biofeedback system was used by six subjects to perform a set of tasks with their affected upper extremity during a 30-minute session for 20 consecutive working days. When needed for a grasping or releasing movement of objects, the functional electrical stimulation (FES) stimulated the wrist and finger flexor or extensor and assisted the patients in grasping or releasing the objects. Kinematic data provided by the biofeedback system were acquired. In addition, clinical performance scales and activity of daily living skills were evaluated before and after application of a prototype biofeedback system. Results: Our findings revealed statistically significant gradual improvement in patients with stroke, in terms of kinematic and clinical performance during the treatment sessions, in terms of manual function test and the Purdue pegboard. However, no significant difference of the motor activity log was found. Conclusion: Hemiplegic upper extremity function of a small group of patients with chronic hemiparesis was improved through two weeks of training using the FES-assisted biofeedback system. Further research into the use of biofeedback systems for long-term clinical improvement will be needed.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.67-75
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of virtual reality (VR) therapy with compensation inhibition and feedback (CIF) on upper extremity function in chronic stroke patients. Seven chronic stroke patients participated in this study, which was a randomized controlled trial with a crossover design. Self upper extremity exercise, conservative VR therapy, and VR therapy with CIF were performed for one hour per session, 5 times per week, over a 3 week period. The main outcome measures involved range of motion (ROM) including shoulder, elbow, and wrist joints, a Manual Function Test (MFT), and a Motor Activity Log (MAL). Data were calculated as posttest and pretest changes in every session and were analyzed using Friedman and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests at p<.05. The results were as follows: 1) Statistically significant increase in ROM measurements of shoulder and elbow joints were seen with VR therapy with CIF compared to VR therapy and self upper extremity exercise (p<.05), whereas no significant increasing was noted for the wrist joint (p>.05). 2) Statistically significant increase in the MFT was seen with VR therapy with CIF compared with VR therapy and self upper extremity exercise (p<.05). 3) VR therapy with CIF also resulted in statistically significant increase in both activity of use (AOU) (p<.05) and quality of movement (QOM) (p<.05) on the MAL test when compared with VR therapy and self upper extremity exercise, respectively. In conclusion, VR therapy with CIF was more effective than conservative VR therapy and self upper extremity exercise in improving the upper extremity function in hemiplegic patients with chronic stroke.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.1-8
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• 2009

Purpose: This study examined the effect of EMG-stim related to the functional recovery of the upper extremity in chronic stroke patients with an intensive massed practice protocol. Methods: The subjects were assigned randomly to either the EMG-stim group (n=10) or sham treatment group (n=10). Both groups received conventional physical therapy, occupational therapy and FES, five times per week over a four week period. In the EMG-stim group, EMG-stim was applied to the hemiplegic wrist and finger extensors for 2 sessions for 30 minutes per day, 5 times per week over a 4 week period. As the pre- and the post-test, the following four motor tests were assessed as the function of the upper extremity clinical functional test: extensor digitorum strength test, Box and Block test, Fugl-Mayer Assessment, and Jebson-Taylor Hand Function Test. Results: In the Box and Block test and Fugl-Mayer Assessment, there were statistically significant differences between both groups as well as between pre- and post-test. The extensor digitorum and wrist extensor strength were similar in both groups. In the Jebson-Taylor Hand Function Test, there was a significant difference in simulated page turning but not in the other subtests. Conclusion: Intensive massed practice with EMG-stim intervention applied to the hemiplegic upper extremity is an effective therapeutic method for chronic stroke patients. However, a variety of intervention methods designed for stroke patients in clinical settings are needed.