• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• 제10권1호
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• pp.62-76
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• 2003

This study was a quasi-experimental study of non-equivalent control group pretest and posttest design. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of Tai Chi exercise program on physical functions, psychological functions, and fall among the fall-prone elderly. The data were collected from September 19, 2001 to January 31, 2002. The study, conducted at two facilities located in Kwang-ju, was targeted to the ambulatory aged 60 years or older who had at least one of the key fall risk factors. Experimental group participated in Tai Chi exercise for 40 minutes per one time and three times a week for 12weeks at an auditorium. Fifty nine fall-prone elderly were assigned to 12-week Tai Chi exercise program (n=29) and control group (n=30). They underwent tests of lower muscle strength, time for chair stand, balance, flexibility, depression, falls efficacy, fear of falling, and numbers of fall at the baseline and at the 12th week. Numbers of fall and fall injuries were monitored for 16 weeks(12-weeks intervention plus 4-week follow-up periods) using fall calendar. Each participant was given a calendar to record the numbers of fall per day for a month. The calendars were collected at the last week of each month. 1. Tai Chi exercisers showed significant improvement in the strength of knee flexors, and ankle dorsiflexors and plantarflexors compared to the control group. The experimental group had improvement in the strength of knee extensors while the control group did not, with no statistical significance. 2. Tai Chi exercisers reported positive change in the average time of chair stand as compared to the control group. 3. Tai Chi exercisers had significant improvement in flexibility as compared to the control group. 4. There was no significant difference in the depression between the two groups, even though the Tai Chi exercisers maintained depression score in the same level while the others were increased. 5. Tai Chi exercisers showed significant improvements in the falls efficacy as compared to the control group. The falls efficacy was significantly improved among the experimental group while the opposite was identified among the control group. 6. The experimental group reported the significant reduction of the fear of fall, whereas control group reported the opposite. 7. Of the 59 subjects for 16weeks(12weeks intervention period and 4weeks follow up), 9 (31.0%) of the 29 in exercise group and 15 (50%) of the 30 in the control group fell (relative risk=0.62. 95% CI 0.32-1.19), even with no statistical difference. The results suggest that the Tai Chi exercise program can improve the strength of knee flexors, ankle dorsiflexors and plantarflexors, chair stand. flexibility, falls efficacy, and fear of falling for the fall-prone elderly.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• 제5권4호
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• pp.577-585
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• 2010

Purpose : This study was to evaluate gait velocity and stance time on 5 conditions in elderly women and elderly women with LBP. The subjects were 70's generation. Methods : The subjects are 20 divided into 2 groups. They measured gait velocity, stance-time. The 5 conditions were normal gait, 10cm obstacle gait, 25cm obstacle gait, dual 10cm obstacle gait, dual 25cm obstacle gait. The experimental period was between 2008/12 and 2009/2. Statistical analysis was used Repeated measurement for difference between conditions, independent t-test for difference in two groups. Subjects were countdown from 50 during dual task gait. Results : The results were as follow: there were significantly difference 10cm obstacle velocity, dual 10cm obstacle velocity in two group. The others were not significantly differences. Velocity and stance-time were significantly difference in control group. In dual 25cm obstacle gait, velocity was difference of normal gait. Stance-time was difference in 25cm obstacle gait, and dual 25cm obstacle gait. In Experimental group, velocity and stance-time were not significantly difference. But measured value of velocity was gradually decreased and stance time was increased. Conclusion : These results indicate that elderly people with LBP women are reduced gait ability in dual task, and obstacle condition. So they need to prevent falling in dual task, and obstacle gait and to train obstacle/dual tak gait.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.222-232
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• 2020

This study analyzes changes in the knees, hips, and hip joint length according to the different angles of bending knees by 45°, 90°, and 135° respectively for knees, hips, and the hip joint that have high fracture rates when falling down. The research subjects were 10 elderly women in their 60s (or older) that obtain data collected through direct measurement. For analysis, the study drew a diagram of elongation and shrinkage based on changes and change rate from a straight posture (0°) and conducted a statistical analysis on differences of body surface length by zone according to movements. The more the knees were bent, the vertical surface length in front of the knees, the horizontal surface length above the knee line, the horizontal body surface length below the knee lines on the back, and the vertical surface lengths between front side lines and the side lines increased; however, the vertical surface length on the back decreased. For the hip joint, the difference in the vertical surface length was more distinctive when compared to the horizontal. Finally, the horizontal surface length increased below the hips and the vertical surface length increased in most areas except the sidelines and the front. The result of the change in body surface length according to the movements of this study can be utilized in the development of the motion-variable protector.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• 제20권7호
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• pp.102-110
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• 2019

This study is for the elderly with mental and physical dysfunction, developing resistance exercise program using tube elasticity, and analysing the effects of this movement on the improvement of gait ability, balance ability and muscle strength of the elderly. After a 12-week program for 58 participants of the daycare center, dependent t-test was performed. As a result, the total participants showed average improvement in gait, balancing and hand grip strength. This means a lot in terms of improving one's ability of ADL(Activities of daily living) and reducing the risk of falling. Therefore, if the program expands and activates the target as an entire elderly, it is expected to be a preventative way to prevent healthy elderly people from moving to the frailty who need treatment and to delay the deterioration of the frailty with disabilities.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.33-42
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• 2020

PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of a whole body vibration-exercise program on the muscle strength, balance, and falling efficacy of super-aged women. METHODS: Thirty participants, who are over 75 years of age, were recruited. They were assigned randomly to an experimental group (n=15), which received whole body vibration exercise, and a control group (n=15), which received an exercise program that did not include vibration. The interventions lasted for four weeks, three times a day, and 25 minutes per session. To compare the effects of the intervention, a 30-second chair stand test (CST), Korean version of Berg balance scale (K-BBS), functional reach test (FRT), timed up and go test (TUG), and Korean version of the falls efficacy scale (K-FES) was used. RESULTS: The experimental group showed a significant increase (p.<05) before and after the intervention in the chair stand test (CST), Korean version of the Berg balance scale (K-BBS), functional reach test (FRT), timed up-and-go (TUG), and Korean version of the fall efficacy scale (K-FES). Compared to the control group, the experiment group showed a more significant increase (p.<05) in the CST, K-BBS, and FRT. CONCLUSION: A whole body vibration exercise program could be suggested as an effective intervention method for muscle and balance strengthening for super-aged women.

• IEIE Transactions on Smart Processing and Computing
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• 제5권5호
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• pp.327-330
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• 2016

Currently, the world's elderly population continues to grow at a dramatic rate. As the number of senior citizens increases, detection of someone falling has attracted increasing attention for visual surveillance systems. This paper presents a novel fall-detection algorithm using motion estimation and an integrated spatiotemporal energy map of the object region. The proposed method first extracts a human region using a background subtraction method. Next, we applied an optical flow algorithm to estimate motion vectors, and an energy map is generated by accumulating the detected human region for a certain period of time. We can then detect a fall using k-nearest neighbor (kNN) classification with the previously estimated motion information and energy map. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm can effectively detect someone falling in any direction, including at an angle parallel to the camera's optical axis.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• 제11권3호
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• pp.25-32
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• 2004

The use of a gym ball is becoming more popular for dynamic balance exercises. However, little is known about the effects of the dynamic ball exercises in the elderly. The purpose of this study was to compare balance and functional mobility after dynamic balance exercises using a gym ball to reduce the risk factorfor falls. All of the 15 subjects were women between the ages of 68 and 91 (mean age=79.9 yrs, SD=5.87) at anursing home in Wonju. Seven of fifteen subjects were placed in the experimental group and the others in the control group. Three clinical tests were used to determine the degree of balance and functional mobility before beginning the exercise program, after 4 weeks of gym ball exercise, and after 8 weeks of gym ball exercise. These three tests included Timed Up & Go (TUG), Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). Dynamic ball exercises training for 8 weeks (5 days per week) included side stretching, prone walking, bridging, marching and opposite arm and leg lifting. There were significant differences found before the gym ball exercise program began and after 4 weeks and then 8 weeks in the experimental group (p<.05). Significant differences between the groups were shown for TUG and BBS (p<.05). No significant difference was noted between the groups for FIM. Therefore, gym ball exercises can improve dynamic balance and may be recommended to include in a therapeutic program to help the elderly reduce their risk of a fall.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.19-24
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• 2011

Background: The elderly are likely to fall due to physical and mental atrophies, and experiencing falls may result in fear of falls and lack of self-confidence, which also leads to hesitation to physical activities and changes in walk and balance, the major variables in independent daily life. Methods: In three senior citizen centers located in D city, 22 elderly women aged 65 or older were chosen, and they filled in the questionnaire which included their agreement to voluntarily participate in the survey and medical histories. As to whether they had falls experience, the medical history items in the questionnaire asked them if they had falling down or falls once a year, twice for the three years. The objects were divided to NFE (non-falls experience) and FE (falls experience). Results: 1. As to walking abilities, significant difference was found between NFE and FE regarding walk width, stepping with two feet, and stride length while there was no significant different in terms of cadence. 2. As to balancing abilities, was significant difference between NFE and FE in terms of the physical body center area. As to the sit-to-stand, tandom gait test, no significant difference was found, and neither in the timed up and go test. Conclusions: The elderly with falls experience has inferior walking and balancing abilities to those without falls experience, and thus they are more exposed to the risks of falls.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• 제49권3호
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• pp.349-360
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• 2019

Purpose: This study was conducted to derive a substantive theory on lived experiences of elderly cancer patients. Methods: The data were collected from February to March 2018 through in-depth personal interviews with 14 elderly cancer patients. The collected data were analyzed based on Corbin and Strauss's grounded theory. Results: The core category was "the journey to find balance in daily lives as a cancer patient by recovering disturbed ego integrity." The core phenomenon was "shattered by suffering from cancer," and the causal conditions were "physical change" and "limitations in daily life." The contextual conditions were "decreased self-esteem," "feelings of guilt toward the family," and the sense of "economic burden." The participants' action and interaction strategies were "maintaining or avoiding social relations," "seeking meaning of the illness," "falling into despair," and "strengthening the willingness to battle the cancer." The intervening conditions were "support from health care providers and family," "dissatisfaction with health care providers," "spiritual help from religion," and "the improvement or worsening of health conditions." The consequences were "having a new insight for life," "living positively along with cancer illness," and "the loss of willingness to live." A summary of the series of processes includes the "crisis stage," "reorganizing stage," and the "ego integration stage." Conclusion: This study explored the holistic process of ego integrity impairment and the recovery experience of elderly cancer patients. This study is expected to be used as a basis for the development of nursing interventions that can support patients when coping with all stages of their cancer illness trajectory.

• Journal of the Institute of Convergence Signal Processing
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.86-91
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• 2020

As the number of elderly people living alone increases, the frequency of fall accidents is also increasing. Falls are a threat to the health of older adults and can reduce their ability to remain independent. To solve this problem, we need real-time technology to recognize and respond to the critical condition of the elderly living alone. Therefore, this paper proposes a modified fall detection algorithm based on YOLO-KCF that can check one of the emergency situations in real time for the elderly living alone. YOLO can detect not only the detection of objects, but also the behavior of objects, namely stand and fall. Therefore, this paper can detect fall using the ratio of change of boundary box between stand and falling situation, and this algorithm can improve the shortcomings of KCF.