• Health Policy and Management
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.145-150
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• 2018

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate the current state of the assistive devices and appliances provision system for cerebral palsy patients registered with brain disability. Methods: From 2003 to 2013, we analyzed the records of cerebral palsy patients who had assistive devices and appliances provisioned at least once in their lives based on National Health Information Database. Patients with cerebral palsy were divided into three groups: infants and toddlers, school age and adolescence, and adults. Results: Data on short leg plastic orthoses, ankle joint orthoses, and wheelchair were mainly analyzed. The types of ankle joint orthoses divided into three categories: limited, $90^{\circ}$ limited, and Klenzac. Limited ankle joint orthoses was most frequently supported of the three in all age groups. Powered wheelchair and scooter were most supported to adult patients. When the re-supply duration was evaluated, the duration was suitable to the duration on guideline of regulation of re-supplement according to the related laws in adult patients but not in infants/toddlers and school age/adolescence as the actual re-supplement duration was much shorter than the reference value. Conclusion: This study confirmed the pattern of assistive devices and appliances supply differed depending on the age of cerebral palsy patients.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.64-70
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a relationship existed between foot type and the location of plantar callus in healthy subjects. Twenty-five healthy subjects with plantar callus were recruited for this study. Foot deformities were classified according to the operational definitions as 1) a compensated forefoot varus, 2) an uncompensated forefoot varus or forefoot valgus, or 3) a compensated rearfoot varus. The location of plantar callus was divided into two regions. Fourteen of the 19 feet with compensated forefoot varus and six of the 9 feet showed plantar callus at the second, third or fourth metatarsal head. Five of the 6 feet with uncompensated forefoot varus and twenty of the 16 feet with forefoot valgus showed plantar callus at the first or fifth metatarsal head. A significant relationship was found between foot type and location of callus (p<.01). The results support the hypothesis that certain foot types are associated with characteristic patterns of pressure distribution and callus formation. We believe diabetic patients with insensitive feet and with the types of foot deformity should be fit with foot orthoses and footwears that accommodate their respective deformity in a position as near to the subtalar joint as possible with the goal of preventing plantar ulceration.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.1903-1906
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• 2019

Background: Foot drop is a common symptom after stroke and causes walking disorders. Therefore, its proper treatment is important for improving the walking ability of patients with foot drop. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of electrostimulation during walking on the walking ability of patients with foot drop after stroke. Design: Quasi-experial study. Methods: The study enrolled 18 patients with foot drop after stroke. All subjects were assigned to the experimental or control group. The experimental group underwent electric stimulation during walking, while the control group used ankle foot orthoses. Both groups received treatment 20 minutes a day 5 times a week for 4 weeks. Outcome measures were assessed for walking and balance ability using the 10-m walking test (10MWT), 6-min walking test (6MWT), and Timed Up and Go test (TUG) Results: After the intervention, both groups showed significant improvements in 6MWT and TUG results. However, the experimental group showed significantly better improvement on all tests than the control group. Conclusion: The foot drop stimulator effectively improved the walking and balance ability of patients with foot drop after stroke.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2020

PURPOSE: Many patients with stroke have difficulties in walking with foot-drop. Various types of ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) have been developed, but their weight needs to be reduced with the assistance of the ankle dorsiflexor. Therefore, an elastic AFO (E-AFO) was devised that not only improves the stability and flexibility of the ankle but also assists with ankle dorsiflexion while walking. This study examined the effects of an E-AFO, on the walking patterns of foot-drop patients with stroke. METHODS: Fourteen patients walked with and without an E-AFO, and the gait parameters were assessed using the GAITRite system. The spatiotemporal data on the gait patterns of stroke patients with foot-drop were compared using paired t-tests; the level of statistical significance was set to α<.05. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed in the velocity (p=.066) and affecte+d step length (p=.980), but the affected and less-affected stance (p=.022, p=.002) and swing time (p=.012, p=.005) were significantly different. The E-AFO produced a significant difference in the less-affected step length (p=.032). CONCLUSION: The E-AFO has a significant effect on the walking patterns of individuals with foot-drop and stroke. The E-AFO could be a useful assistive device for gait training in stroke patients.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.421-429
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• 2022

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare and analyze the effects of arch support taping on static balance, static/dynamic foot contact area, and ground reaction force during walking according to the types of elastic tapes with mechanical elasticity differences. Design: Cross-sectional study Methods: Twenty-six participants selected for flexible flat feet through the navicular drop test were randomly assigned to non-taping, Dynamic-taping, and Mechano-taping conditions. Static balance and foot contact area were compared in the standing posture according to arch support taping conditions, and foot contact area and ground reaction force were compared during walking. Results: There was no significant difference in static balance according to the taping condition in the standing position, but the foot contact area in the Mechano-taping condition showed a significant decrease compared to the non-taping condition (p<0.05). The foot contact area during walking significantly decreased in the Dynamic-taping and Mechano-taping conditions (p<0.05), but there was no significant difference between the ground reaction force. Conclusions: Based on the results of this study, it was confirmed that among the types of elastic taping, arch support taping using dynamic taping and Mechano-taping has the effect of supporting the arch with high elastic recovery. Any type of elastic tape can be used for arch alignment in flexible flat foot.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.72-79
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• 2016

Background: Increased foot pronation causes biomedchanical changes at the lower limbs, which may result in musculoskeletal injuries at the proximal joints. Pronation rear-foot leads to plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, and posterior tibial tendonitis pathologically. According to the recent meta-analysis, They showed that therapeutic adhesive taping is more effective than foot orthoses and motion control footwear, low-Dye (LD) taping has become the most popular method used by physiotherapists. Objects: The purpose of this study was to determine the immediate effects of LD taping results in different ankle motion and ground reaction force (GRF) as before and after applied LD taping on pronated rear-foot during gait. Methods: Twenty-four participants were recruited for this study. The gait data were recorded using an 8-camera motion capture system and two force platforms. At first, the experiments were carried out that participants walked barefoot without LD taping. And then they walked both feet was applied LD taping. Results: The ankle inversion minimum was significantly greater after LD taping than before LD taping (p=.04); however, in the GRF, there were no significant differences in the inversion maximum or total motion of the stance phase (p=.33, p=.07), or in the vertical (p=.33), posterior (p=.22), and lateral (p=.14) peak forces. Conclusion: The application of taping to pronation rear-foot assists in increased ankle inversion.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.208-214
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• 2022

Background: Pronated foot posture (PFP) contributes to excessive dynamic knee valgus (DKV). Although foot orthoses such as medial arch support (MAS) are widely and easily used in clinical practice and sports, few studies have investigated the effect of MAS on the improvement of DKV during stair descent in individuals with a PFP. Moreover, no studies reported the degree of improvement in DKV according to the severity of PFP when MAS was applied. Objects: This study aimed to examine the immediate effect of MAS on DKV during stair descent and determine the correlation between navicular drop distance and changes in DKV when MAS is applied. Methods: Twenty individuals with a PFP (15 males and five females) participated in this study. The navicular drop test was used to measure PFP severity. The frontal plane projection angle (FPPA) was calculated under two conditions, with and without MAS application, using 2-dimensional video analysis. Results: During stair descent, the FPPA with MAS (173.1° ± 4.7°) was significantly greater than that without MAS (164.8° ± 5.8°) (p < 0.05). There was also a significant correlation between the navicular drop distance and improvement in the FPPA when MAS was applied (r = 0.453, p = 0.045). Conclusion: MAS application can affect the decrease in DKV during stair descent. In addition, MAS application should be considered to improve the knee alignment for individuals with greater navicular drop distance.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.79-86
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• 2012

Calcaneal fractures account for 2% of all fractures and approximately 60 to 70% of tarsal fractures. These fractures typically are the result of high-energy injury, such as a motor vehicle accident or a fall from a height. The potential for disabling malunion following intrarticular displaced calcaneal fracture is high, regardless of treatment. Fracture displacement typically results in loss of hindfoot height, varus and widening of the hindfoot, with possible subfibular impingement and irritation of the peroneal tendon and/or sural nerve. Frequently, subtalar joint develops posttraumatic arthritis. In symptomatic patients with calcaneal malunion, systemic evaluation is required to determine the source of pain. Nonsurgical treatment, such as activity and shoe modification, bracing, orthoses, and injection, is effective in many patients. Surgical treatment may involve simple ostectomy, subtalar arthrodesis with or without distraction, or corrective calcaneal osteotomy. A high rate of successful arthrodesis and of patient satisfaction has been reported with surgical manamgent.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.24 no.1 s.190
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• pp.118-125
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• 2007

In this study, we analyzed the plantar shear stress and normal pressure in lateral heel diabetic foot patients during walking by using in-shoe local shear stress and plantar pressure measurement systems. The shear force transducer based on the magnetic-resistive principle, was a rigid 3-layer circular disc. Shear transducers were mounted on the locations of four metatarsal heads and heel in the insole. Twelve normal subjects and three diabetic foot patients with diabetic neuropathy in the lateral heel participated in this study. The center of pressure in lateral heel diabetic foot patients moved more medially and directed toward the first, medial to the second metatarsal heads, and the hallux during late stance, making pressure at the medial heel and the second metatarsal head significantly larger than in the normal. Shear stress at the heel changed significantly in early stance and the magnitude of shear stresses in each metatarsal head also changed. Further studies would be very helpful to design foot orthoses in patients with diabetic neuropathy or other diseases.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.113-119
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• 2020

Purpose: A flatfoot that fails to form a longitudinal foot arch is a common lower limb deformity in children. This study evaluated the structural and functional effects of the insole for pediatric flexible flat foot (PFFF). Materials and Methods: Twenty-nine PFFF patients (20 boys and 9 girls, 58 feet) with bilateral symptomatic flatfoot deformities between February 2017 and May 2019 were included in this study. Sixteen patients (32 cases, study group) were treated with a pressured based 3-dimensional printing insole, and 13 patients (26 cases, control group) were followed up regularly without any treatment. Flatfoot was diagnosed by a lateral talo-first metatarsal angle of more than 4° in convex downward and talocalcaneal angles of more than 30° and a calcaneal pitch of less than 20°. The foot pressures, including the midfoot pressure, total foot pressure, and the ratio of the midfoot pressure to the total foot pressure, were evaluated by pedobarography. The clinical scores were assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS), American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS), and Pediatrics Outcomes Data Collection Instrument (PODCI) scores. Results: The mean age of the study group was 9.16 years, and the mean age of the control group was 7.73 years. The mean follow-up period was 16 months. The change in the lateral talocalcaneal angle was -4.664°±1.239° in the study group and -0.484°±1.513° in the control group. A significant difference in the amount of change of the lateral talocalcaneal angle was observed between the two groups (p=0.034). The midfoot pressures were similar in the two groups. Conclusion: Pressure based customized 3-dimensional printing insole in PFFF may have some effect on the hindfoot bony alignment, but it does not affect the changes in midfoot pressure.