• Korean Journal of Audiology
• /
• v.25 no.3
• /
• pp.152-158
• /
• 2021

Background and Objectives: Balance control is maintained in stationary and dynamic conditions, with coordinated muscle responses generated by somatosensory, vestibular, and visual inputs. This study aimed to investigate how the vestibular system is affected in the presence of an optical illusion to better understand the interconnected pathways of the visual and vestibular systems. Subjects and Methods: The study involved 54 young adults (27 males and 27 females) aged 18-25 years. The recruited participants were subjected to the cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (cVEMP) test and video head impulse test (vHIT). The cVEMP and vHIT tests were performed once each in the absence and presence of an optical illusion. In addition, after each test, whether the individuals felt balanced was determined using a questionnaire. Results: cVEMP results in the presence of the optical illusion showed shortened latencies and increased amplitudes for the left side in comparison to the results in the absence of the optical illusion (p≤0.05). When vHIT results were compared, it was seen that the right lateral and bilateral anterior canal gains were increased, almost to 1.0 (p<0.05). Conclusions: It is thought that when the visual-vestibular inputs are incompatible with each other, the sensory reweighting mechanism is activated, and this mechanism strengthens the more reliable (vestibular) inputs, while suppressing the less reliable (visual) inputs. As long as the incompatible condition persists, the sensory reweighting mechanism will continue to operate, thanks to the feedback loop from the efferent vestibular system.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.65 no.3
• /
• pp.142-149
• /
• 2022

Background: Individuals with Down syndrome present with several impairments such as hypotonia, ligament laxity, decreased muscle strength, insufficient muscular cocontraction, inadequate postural control, and disturbed proprioception. These factors are responsible for the developmental challenges faced by children with Down syndrome. These individuals also present with balance dysfunctions. Purpose: This systematic review aims to describe the motor dysfunction and balance impairments in children and adolescents with Down syndrome. Methods: We searched the Scopus, ScienceDirect, MEDLINE, Wiley, and EBSCO databases for observational studies evaluating the motor abilities and balance performance in individuals with Down syndrome. The review was registered on PROSPERO. Results: A total of 1,096 articles were retrieved; after careful screening and scrutinizing against the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 10 articles were included in the review. Overall, the children and adolescents with Down syndrome showed delays and dysfunction in performing various activities such as sitting, pulling to stand, standing, and walking. They also presented with compensatory mechanisms to maintain their equilibrium in static and dynamic activities. Conclusion: The motor development of children with Down syndrome is significantly delayed due to structural differences in the brain. These individuals have inefficient compensatory strategies like increasing step width, increasing frequency of mediolateral center of pressure displacement, decreasing anteroposterior displacement, increasing trunk stiffness, and increasing posterior trunk displacement to maintain equilibrium. Down syndrome presents with interindividual variations; therefore, a thorough evaluation is required before a structured intervention is developed to improve motor and balance dysfunction.

• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.1-10
• /
• 2005

Pressure ulcers are serious complications of tissue damage that can develop in patients with diminished pain sensation and diminished mobility. Pressure ulcers can result in irreversible tissue damage caused by ischemia resulting from external loading. There are many intrinsic and extrinsic contributors to the problem, including interface tissue pressure, shear, temperature, moisture, hygiene, nutrition, tissue tolerance, sensory and motor dysfunction, disease and infection, posture, and body support systems. The purposes of this study were to investigate the relationship between buttock interface pressure and seating position, wheelchair propulsion speed. Seated-interface pressure was measured using the Force Sensing Array pressure mapping system. Twenty subjects propelled wheelchair handrim on a motor-driven treadmill at different velocities (40, 60, 80 m/min) and seating position used recline ($100^{\circ}$, $110^{\circ}$, $120^{\circ}$) with a wheelchair simulator. Interface pressure consists of average (mean of the pressure sensor values) and maximum pressure (highest individual sensor value). The results of this study were as follows; No significant correlation in maximum/average pressure was found between a static position and a 40 m/min wheelchair propulsion (p>.05). However, a significant increase in maximum/average pressure were identified between conditions of a static position and 60 m/min, and 80 m/min wheelchair propulsion (p<.05). No significant correlation in maximum pressure were found between a $90^{\circ}$ recline (neutral position) and a $100^{\circ}$, $110^{\circ}$, or $120^{\circ}$ recline of the wheelchair back (p>.05). No significant difference in average pressure was found between conditions of a $90^{\circ}$ recline and both a $100^{\circ}$ and $110^{\circ}$ recline of wheelchair back. However, a significant reduction in average pressure was identified between conditions of a $90^{\circ}$ and $120^{\circ}$ recline of wheelchair back (p<.05). This study has shown some interesting results that reclining the seat by $120^{\circ}$ reduced average interface pressure, including the reduction or prevention in edema. And interface pressure was greater during dynamic wheelchair propulsion compared with static seating. Therefore, the optimal seating position and seating system ought to provide postural control and pressure relief. We need an education on optimal seating position and a suitable propulsion speeds for wheelchair users.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.71-79
• /
• 1999

본 연구의 목적은 균형 훈련이 중추신경계 손상자들의 자세 조절 및 중추감각신경전도로에 미치는 영향을 규명하는데 있다. 연구대상자는 중추신경계 손상자로써 실험군 10명, 통제군 10명 등 총 20명을 선정하였으며, 실험군은 본 연구의 훈련 프로그램에 따라 12주간 force platform을 이용하여 균형훈련을 실시토록하였다. 자세조절 변인의 측정은 운동처치 전, 처치 후 8주 및 12주 후에 대상자들의 동적 및 정적 자세에서의 흔들림을 Dynamic Balance System을 이용하여 측정하였고, 체성감각 유발전위의 말초신경 근위부 유발전위$(N_9)$ 잠복기, 척수 유발전위$(N_{13})$ 잠복기, 뇌 유발전위 $(N_{20})$ 잠복기는 Neurotec을 이용하여 측정 분석한 결과 다음과 같은 결론을 얻었다. 1. 정적 자세 조절 요인의 경우, 좌우 흔들림과 전후 흔들림은 실험군에서 8주 후부터 유의하게 (p<.05) 감소하였고, 실험군이 통제군에 비해 운동처치 8주 및 12주 후에 각각 유의하게(P<.05, P<.01) 흔들림이 감소하였다. 2. 전후 이동면과 전후 기울기면에서 동적 자세 조절의 변화는 전후 이동면에서 좌우 흔들림과 전후 흔들림은 실험군에서 8주 후부터 유의하게 (P<.05) 감소하였으며, 실험군이 통제군에 비해 운동처치 8주 및 12주 후에 각각 유의하게 (P<.05, p<.01) 흔들림이 감소하였다. 3. 체성감각 유발전위의 잠복기 변화는 실험군과 통제군에 있어서 말초신경 근위부 유발전위$(N_9)$ 잠복기와 척수 유발전위$(N_{13})$ 잠복기가 다소 증가하였으나 유의한 차이는 나타나지 않았으며, 실험군에 있어서 뇌 유발전위 $(N_{20})$ 잠복기는 8주 후부터 유의하게 (P<.05) 증가하였다. 이상의 결과를 종합해 볼 때, 12주의 균형 훈련은 자세 조절에 있어서 전후와 좌우의 흔들림을 감소시킴으로써 정적인 상태나 동적인 상태에서의 자세 안정성을 증가시킬 수 있음을 시사하고 있다. 이는 자세 조절에 필요한 항중력근의 긴장성 수축을 유발시킬 뿐만 아니라 근육 긴장분포를 조절할 수 있다는 것으로 신경근 조절 기능의 향상을 의미하는 것으로 사료된다. 또한 뇌 유발전위 $(N_{20})$ 잠복기의 증가는 중추신경계의 감각기능의 신경학적 회복을 의미하는 것으로 중추신경계의 감각 운동통합에도 영향을 미쳐 운동기능의 향상을 기대할 수 이을 것으로 사료된다.