• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.26-35
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• 2010

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of improvement in the balance control ability of the elderly affected by Hansen's disease. We tried to compare the effects for the elderly affected by Hansen's disease with and without foot deformity. The subjects consisted of 19 patients 65 years old and older. They participated in a balance training program twice per week for 8 weeks. The following results were obtained from the training program: 1. There were significant improvements in static balance ability in one leg standing (OLS), dynamic balance ability in tandem walk (TW) and four square step (FSS) (p<.05). 2. There was a significant difference between patients with and without single-foot deformity in TW before the program (p<.05). After training, however, the difference became less significant. Also, there was not much difference between recipients with and without single-foot deformity in terms of OLS and FSS. The results of this study suggest that we need to provide training programs and rehabilitation services for the elderly affected by Hansen's disease suffering from nerve injury and disability. Furthermore, further research efforts should be made concerning rehabilitation to overcome various forms of disability.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.93-101
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• 2011

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of maximum muscle activation of lower extremity of facility dwelled elderly Hansen's disease after isometric trunk exercise for 12weeks. Methods:18 elderly Hansen's disease who isometric trunk exercise for 12weeks were recruited for this study. They were instructed to perform maximum muscle activation of lower extremity after exercise. and the subjects were divided into normal sensory group, sensory loss in left foot group, sensory loss in right foot group and sensory loss in both feet group, according to the sensory condition ability on their soles. Results : After exercise, Hamstring muscle increased significantly (p<.05), and activation of the rectus femoris muscle decreased with a significance (p<05). In terms of Post-hoc test for examining the difference in MVIC according to sensory condition, there was significant difference in the normal sensory group, sensory loss in right and left foot group of left hamstring muscle before the exercise(p=.01) and the normal sensory group, sensory loss in both feet group of right hamstring muscle before the exercise(p=.04). Conclusion : These results indicate that the maximum muscle activation was changed after isometric trunk exercise. it could be improved maximum muscle activation of lower extremity muscle after the exercise although there was sensory loss.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.77-85
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• 2012

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of trunk exercises on the balancing ability of elderly Hansen's disease patients with lower extremity dysfunction. Method : A total of 24 elderly Hansen's disease patients were divided into two groups: 10 without lower extremity dysfunction and 14 with lower extremity dysfunction. The groups exercised for 60 minutes, two days a week, for a total 12 weeks; balancing ability was measured with the one leg standing test, tandem walking test, and timed up-and-go test. The patients were tested and their results were compared both before and after the completion of their exercise programs. Lower extremity dysfunction was assessed according to the following criteria: unilateral foot-drop, toe-loss, and below-knee amputation. Results : After the exercises, participants in both groups showed a positive, statistically significant difference in balance, compared with before the exercises (the one leg standing test, tandem walking test, and timed up-and-go test; p<.05). For comparison purposes, the group with dysfunction and the group without dysfunction were tested before and after the completion of their exercises. Before the exercises, there was a statistically significant difference in the one leg standing test, tandem walking test, and timed up-and-go test (p<.05). However, after the exercises, there was no significant difference in the one leg standing test, tandem walking test, and timed up-and-go test (p>.05). Conclusion : Ultimately, balancing ability was improved in both of the groups after trunk exercises were performed. Although balancing ability was improved, elements of lower extremity dysfunction remained, such as unilateral foot-drop, toe-loss, and below-knee amputation.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.115-121
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• 2011

This study was to investigate the change of muscle fatigue through maximum contraction during flexion and extension of knee joint before and after the isometric trunk exercise was implemented on elderly Hansen's disease. 18 subjects exercised for 60 minutes twice a week for 12 weeks. The subjects were divided into normal sensory group, group with sensory loss in left sole, group with sensory loss in right sole, and group with sensory loss in both soles, according to the sensory condition on their soles. We obtained following results. Muscle fatigue in normal sensory group, there were significant differences in left right hamstring, left rectus femoris(p<.05), in group with sensory loss in left sole, there were significant differences in left right hamstring(p<.05), in group with sensory loss in right sole, there were significant differences in left right hamstring, right rectus femoris and group with sensory loss in both sole, there were significant differences in right hamstring(p<.05). The differences of muscle fatigue according to the sensory condition on their soles, there were significant differences in left hamstring between normal sensory group and group with sensory loss in both sole(p<.05).