• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.177-183
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• 2012

Purpose: This study was done to examine the incidence of pressure ulcers and associated factors, by inspecting the skin of newborn babies in a newborn unit or newborn intensive care unit (NICU). Methods: The participants were 101 newborn babies in either a newborn unit or NICU in D general hospital. The incidence of pressure ulcer was measured using the skin inspection tool for pressure ulcer, suggested by Agency for Health Care Policy and Research. Results: Incidence rate of pressure ulcer was 19.8%, and 80% of the newborns with pressure ulcers were premature babies. The commonest region of onset was the ear (36.8%), followed by the foot (31.6%), occipital region (15.8%) and knee (15.8%). Those are the regions related to external medical devices like nasal Continuous Positive Airway Pressure and Pulse Oximetry. Factors related to pressure ulcers were gestational period of 37 weeks or less, hospitalization for 7 days or more, birth weight under 2,500 g and a low level of serum albumin. Conclusion: The results of the study show that the skin and underlying tissues of premature infants is at risk for pressure-related skin breakdown. As most pressure ulcers are caused by medical devices, nursing interventions are required to prevent further aggravation of the lesions.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.17-29
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• 2002

This study was carried out to investigate the effect of Self-foot reflexology (SFR) on the hypertension of workers. The purpose of the research was to evaluate: levels of knowledge, physical and emotional condition, work stress and fatigue on the hypertension of employees in the workplace. Quasi-experimental study was designed in the setting of a nonequivalent control and experimental Group applied by the pre and post test. The total subjects undertaken in the study were total of 34 employees working in three companies in Seoul. The SFR program was consisted of 6 phases. There were 2 minutes for preparation, 4 minutes for slow down, 26 minutes for base reflex, symptoms of a disease reflex and excretion reflex stimulation. Finally, there was 20 minutes relaxation in a comfortable posture and drinking hot water after blood pressure was checked in the order. This program was running 55 minutes a day everyday three times a week during the entire 8 week course. The finding showed blood pressure was reduced significantly. Moreover, the level of total cholesterol. high and low density lipoprotein cholesterol, depression, work stress, and fatigue were decreased in the study. But, they were not statistically significant except as it related to Group comparisons in time. The level of state anxiety was statistically significant between 2 Groups, but not in the time comparison of both Groups. As a summary of the study results, the SFR program was regarded as contributing to the physical and emotional promotion of employees. It had partially increased body circulations of functional organ related to the SFR sites. And, it improved relaxation of physical and mental condition through energy movement 'Chi'. Therefore, the SFR technique should be considered as an effective skill of a nursing program. Furthermore, it can be newly adopted as a nursing curriculum as a part of alternative treatment. However, it still needed to testify its effects through the review study.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.240-244
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• 2008

Objective : Sotos Syndrome is characterized by macrocephaly, overgrowth, and developmental delay, and more than 300 patients have been reported worldwide to date. The authors reviewed the clinical characteristics of 8 patients with Sotos Syndrome in Korea for a new understanding and treatment strategies. Methods : The medical records of a total of eight Korean children with Sotos Syndrome were reviewed. All patients underwent developmental checkup, lumbar punctures for measurement of intracranial pressure (ICP), brain and spine magnetic resonance imaging and computerized tomography. Results : All 8 patients showed macrocephaly and the characteristic craniofacial features of Sotos Syndrome. Other clinical characteristics shown were overgrowth (7/8), developmental delay (7/8), congenital heart defect (3/8), flat foot (8/8), scoliosis (4/8), spina bifida (8/8), hydrocephalus (4/8), cavum vergae (3/8), and increased subdural fluid collection (5/8). Mean ICP measured via lumbar puncture was $27.35{\pm}6.25\;cm$ $H_2O$ (range 20 to 36 cm $H_2O$). Two patients received ventriculo-peritoneal shunt, and 1 patient underwent subduro-peritoneal shunt with improvement. Spinal orthosis was applied to 4/5 patients with scoliosis and 4/8 children with flat foot were provided with foot orthosis. Conclusion : In this first Korean study of 8 Sotos Syndrome patients we demonstrated the presence of spina bifida and increased ICP, which had not been previously described. The authors therefore suggest that all patients with Sotos Syndrome should undergo examination for the presence of spina bifida, and that shunt procedures would improve development and alleviate clinical symptoms.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.63-72
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• 2017

Background: The purpose of this case study was to investigate into the effect of complex exercise program on the postural change, gait and balance ability in elementary school students with forward head posture. Methods: Four patients with forward head posture were recruited. They were evaluated pre-treatment, and after 6weeks, using neck disability index (NDI), numeric pain rating scale (NPRS), balance ability, foot pressure (fore foot/rear foot peak pressure ratio, F/R ratio), gait ability (cadence, toe out angle, stance phase). Results: First, the angle of forward head posture (craniovertebral angle; CVA and cranialrotation angle; CRA) was decreased in all subjects. The NPRS and NDI were decreased in all subjects. Also, The cadence, toe out angle and F/R ratio were increased in all subjects. The stance phase of gait cycle was positively change in all subjects. Lastly, the static balance ability improved in all subjects. Conclusion: According to the results above, the complex exercise program for students with forward head posture can help improve the postural change, gait and balance ability. Also, the complex exercise program was able to select interventions depending on the patient's condition and the desired goal.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.23-31
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to investigate proper sampling duration while executing quiet stance of feet together position and a preferred foot position with eyes open using COP variables through GRF system. The subjects participated in this study were twenty healthy elderly women individuals($68.9{\pm}6.8$ years). It represented that the sampling duration needed over 20 s in the FTP and over 60 s in the PFP during assessment of quiet stance. The sampling duration shorter than 20 s in the FTP and 60 s in the PFP may not provide the sample showing stability. Inversely if the sampling duration becomes longer, it can distort the sample showing stability. In the future, I expect more studies of the proper sampling duration through various groups and the study of characteristics of participants caused by more sampling duration.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.50-55
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• 2010

Gait initiation is a transitional process from the balanced upright standing to the beginning of steady-state walking. Dysbalanced gait initiation often causes stroke patients to fall. The net center of pressure, measured by two triaxial force plates from twenty healthy subjects and two stroke patients, was investigated to assess asymmetry of gait initiation in hemiparetic subjects. The time interval and distance of the net center of pressure(CoP) moved from the initiation point to the toe off(S1) and from the toe off to the initial contact(S2) were calculated during gait initiation of normal and stroke patients. When the patient with right hemiplegia(A) initiated his gait with right foot, the time interval and the distance of the net CoP in S1 and S2 were smaller than that of normal subjects' values. However, he initiated the gait with left foot(unaffected side) the time interval and the distance of net CoP in S1 were larger than normative values. Differently, the patient with left hemiplegia(B) has shown that larger time interval and distance in S1 and smaller time interval and distance in S2 in both sides. His asymmetry(with which side the gait initiated) was not significant. It is too early to conclude that these results could be general characteristics of the stroke patients because the variations were large and moreover, the level of motor recovery of the patients was different. However, it is expected that these trials could help to set up the strategy of the therapy for the rehabilitation or prevention of fall in stroke patients.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.351-356
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• 2006

The purpose of this study is to investigate the gait characteristics in Parkinson's disease patients. Specifically, the total stance time and the ratio of each stance phase (heel strike, mid-stance, propulsion) are analyzed from the foot-pressure measurement system which requires low cost and small space compared to the conventional gait analysis system. The gait characteristics were analyzed in 23 Parkinson's disease patients (before and after L-dopa medication), 34 elderly (sixties) normal subjects and 21 young (twenties) normal subjects. Bradykinesia global score (self-developed score of slowness of body movement) of patients before medication was determined to see the relationship between the score and the gait characteristics. The total stance time was greater in the erde. of patients, elderly, youngs (p<0.05). The phase ratio of heel strike and propulsion was smaller and that of mid-stance was greater in the order of patients, elderly, youngs (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the above gait characteristics of patients before and after medication. There was a tendency, though statistically non-significant, that the total stance time is longer and the propulsion phase ratio is shorter in patients with greater Bradikinesia global scale, and this tendency was relieved after medication.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.11
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• pp.1704-1710
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to describe the biomechanical characteristics of stroke patients. These characteristics were obtained during walking on a Zebris system, cinematography system and EMG system. Seven female stroke patients participated in this study. The magnitude of the profiles (joint peak angle, joint peak moments, foot pressure COP, EMG data) correlated with rehabilitation training duration using t-test. The significance level selected for this study was p<0.05, t-test. Joint analysis identified significant differences in hip joint peak angle and hip joint peak moment. Foot pressure verified significant differences in gait line length of COP. The EMG signal proved significant differences in rectus femoris and vastus lateralis.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.105-112
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• 2022

Objective: Nonspecific low back pain (NS-LBP) causes pain and disability, affecting the neuromuscular system and altering gait patterns. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of improvement of low back pain symptoms through physical therapy on foot pressure and spatiotemporal gait parameters. Design: A pilot study. Methods: Participants received manual therapy and supervised therapeutic exercise, which consisted of 12 sessions for 6 weeks. Participants were assessed for pain intensity (a numeric pain rating scale), disability index (oswestry disability index), and spatiotemporal gait parameters before and after intervention. Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to analyze the before-and-after differences in a single group. Results: All seven NS-LBP patients completed the study without dropout. After six weeks of physical therapy, the numeric pain rating scale and oswestry disability index showed significant improvement (Z= -2.388, P=0.017). There was no significant improvement in both static and dynamic conditions in foot pressure (P>0.05). However, in the spatiotemporal gait parameters, there were significant differences in all variables except the right stance phase and left mid stance (P<0.05). Conclusions: In our pilot study, 12 sessions of physical therapy in NS-LBP patients improved gait quilty in spatiotemporal gait parameters. Similarly, it has resulted in clinically positive improvements in pain and disability.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.149-157
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• 2009

The purpose of this project was to determine biomechanical differences between Type A(Korean brand) and Type B(world top brand) badminton shoes and to make recommendations to improve the fit and function of Type A badminton shoes. Measurements of shoe shape and dimensions, foot movement within the shoe, cushioning of ground reaction forces, in-shoe pressure and outsole traction were performed. In addition, subjective feedback of the fit and function of the shoes was quantified for 17 recreational badminton players. Type A shoe had a much higher heel and shallower heel cup, so the heel was not secured well in the shoe and the ankle joint was higher off the ground. Foot slippage was up to 40% greater in Type A shoe than Type B shoe. Impact forces and peak pressures under the foot were generally higher with Type A shoe compared to Type B shoe. The flexion axis of Type A shoe occurred in the midfoot, not at the ball of the foot like Type B shoe, where you would want the shoe flexion to occur. In summary, there are several characteristics where A Type shoe and B Type differ. Therefore, a few recommendations are provided to help improve the fit and function of A Type shoe.