• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.33-44
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• 2007

Purpose: To investigate and analyze effects of environmental enrichment(EE) and nerve stimulation that follows in application times with change of functional recovery(1, 3, 7 and 14 days). Methods: Focal ischemic brain injury was produced in 100 Sprauge-Dawley rats through middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO). Neurobehavioral assessment were selected, such as tilting plane testing, horizontal wire testing, vestibulomotor function testing and complex neuromotor function test, then they were randomly divided into five groups; Group I : Sham group, Group II: MCAO group, Group III: MCAO and ES group, Group IV: MCAO and EE group, Group V: MCAO and EE and ES group. Results: In neurobehavioral assessment, group V were significantly difference from other groups on between-subject effects. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that in focal ishemic brain injury, combined environmental enrichment and peripheral nerve electrical stimulation is more improved that the improvement of exercise function recovery than non treatment group.

• Proceedings of the KOSOMBE Conference
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• v.1992 no.05
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• pp.203-208
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• 1992

In order to restore the gait function by functional electrical stimulation(FES) in hemiplegic patients, an electrical stimulator and foot sensor were developed on the basis of optimal parameters which resulted from animal experiments. Physical properties of the soleus muscle were quite different from those of themedial gastrocnemius muscle, that is, the former had a characteristic or slow muscle and the letter had a characteristic of fast muscle in rats. Optimal parameters for electrical stimulation were 0.2ms of pulse width and 20Hz of frequency in the soleus muscle and 0.3ms, 40Hz in the medial gastrocnemius muscle. Amplitude modulated electrical stimulator with -15V of maximal output was made and automatic on-off time if the stimulator was 5 seconds. The foot sensor composed of 3 sensors in 3 pressure points of the foot was made in order to control the gai t function by closed loop feedback system. The gait function was improved by using the stimulator and foot sensor in peroneal palsy. These results suggest that the electrical stimulator with closed loop feedback system may restore the gait function in hemiplegic patients.

• International Journal of Contents
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.98-102
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• 2011

In this study, we investigated the effects of neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on the treatment of 20 acute stroke patients with dysphagia. For both the treated and control groups, the basic facial stimulation training was conducted for 30 minutes, five times a week, for four weeks. NMES was performed on the treated group only, for 30 minutes each time. Both groups were evaluated according to the functional dysphagia scale (FDS) using a videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS). After the treatment was performed for four weeks, the FDS results of the treated group showed a significance difference in oral transit time in the oral phase and in the triggering of pharyngeal swallow fluid, laryngeal elevation and epiglottic closure, nasal penetration, residue in valleculae, coating of pharyngeal wall after swallow fluid, and pharyngeal transit time in the pharyngeal phase. In addition, the treated group showed a significant difference in laryngeal elevation and epiglottic closure, nasal penetration, and pharyngeal transit time in the pharyngeal phase after the treatment compared to the control group. The results of this study showed that neuromuscular electrical stimulation may be an effective method of treating dysphagia in acute phase stroke patients.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Sensory Integration
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.1-10
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• 2016

Objective: This study aims investigating the effects of functional electrical stimulation (FES) on hand function of children with spastic cerebral palsy. Methods: The participants of this study are 20 children with spastic cerebral palsy aged between 11 to 16 years old. All the subjects underwent 24 sessions of FES during 8 weeks. Each FES was 20 minutes per session, and 3 sessions of FES were provided in a week. Measurements used to assess hand function are Jebsen Hand Function Test, Modified Ashworth Scale and 3D Motion Analysis. After establishment of the baseline for each client by all the measurements, reevaluations were performed every 2 weeks using Jebsen Hand Function Test and the Modified Ashworth Scale. The 3D Motion Analysis was performed only before- and after the 8 weeks of FES treatment. Results: After the FES, there was significant decrease in completed time for the all 6 subtasks of Jebsen Hand Function Test were (p<.05) and also significant decrease in spasticity score of Modified Ashworth Scale as well (p<.05). 3D Motion Analysis showed that the hand tapping and the finger tapping has been significantly improved (p<.05), and the pronation-supination movement of lower arm has been significantly improved as well. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, it is evidenced that functional electrical stimulation is effective treatment for hand function of children with cerebral palsy. For future research, it is recommended to examine various protocols of FES including impact of long-term application.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.74-79
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of the FES-gait with augmented feedback training to the FES alone on the gait and functional performance in individuals with chronic stroke. Methods: This study used a pretest and posttest randomized control design. The subjects who signed the agreement were randomly divided into 12 experimental groups and 12 control groups. The experimental groups performed two types of augmented feedback training (knowledge of performance and knowledge of results) together with FES, and the control group performed FES on the TA and GM without augmented feedback and then walked for 30 minutes for 40 meters. Both the experimental groups and the control groups received training five times a week for four weeks. Results: The groups that received the FES with augmented feedback training significantly showed a greater improvement in single limb support (SLS) and gait velocity than the groups that received FES alone. In addition, timed up and go (TUG) test and six minute walk test (6MWT) showed a significant improvement in the groups that received FES with augmented feedback compared to the groups that received FES alone. Conclusion: Compared with the existing FES gait training, augmented feedback showed improvements in gait parameters, walking ability, and dynamic balance. The augmented feedback will be an important method that can provide motivation for motor learning to stroke patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.37-44
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• 2021

PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of functional electrical stimulation (FES) on temporal-spatial gait and the activities of daily living in hemiplegic stroke patients. METHODS: The subjects were 29 hemiplegic stroke patients (57.7 ± 10.3). The patients walked at a self-controlled speed in four states: (1) walking without FES (non-FES), (2) walking with FES on the gluteus medius in the stance phase (GM), (3) walking with FES on the common peroneal nerve and tibialis anterior in the swing phase (PT), (4) walking with both GM and PT. A GAITRite system, Timed-Functional Movements battery, and Timed UP and Go test were used to measure the variables. RESULTS: Significant improvements were observed in all variables of the GM+PT, GM, and PT states compared to the non-FES state (p < .05). There were significant improvements in the GM+PT state compared to GM and PT states (p < .05). Moreover, significant improvements were noted in the single support time on the affected side, backward walking 10ft, and side stepping 10ft on the affected side of the GM state compared to the PT state (p < .05). There were significant improvements in the stride length on the affected side and side stepping 10ft on the unaffected side of the PT state compared to the GM state (p < .05). CONCLUSION: FES is effective in improving the temporal-spatial gait and activities of daily living in hemiplegic stroke patients.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.111-116
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• 2005

This study was designed to apply the stimulation system developed in our laboratory to investigate how the stimulation conditions affect the muscle contractile characteristics in the isometric condition as well as during the FES standing/walking. Four paraplegic and ten healthy subjects participated in this study, and their knee extensors were voluntary contracted or electrically stimulated to measure the muscle force and the fatigue index for different waveforms of the pulse train. We also investigated different combinations of the electrode positions during standing/walking. It was confirmed that continuous and high-frequency stimulation causes faster fatigue than intermittent and low-frequency stimulation. Fatigue resistance was higher around the optimal muscle length than at a stretched position in healthy subjects, whereas the opposite was observed in paralyzed subjects. The paired t-test results with the level of significance at 0.01 indicated that the sinusoidal waveform generated the largest torque among the four typical waveforms. Although statistically not very significant, the sinusoidal waveform also generated, in general, the highest fatigue resistance at an intensity level below the supramaximal stimulation. One of the paraplegic subject who participated in the standing/walking program can now stand up for 1 minute and 50 seconds with the knee extensors, and walk for about 5 minutes at the speed of 12m/sec.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.329-337
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to investigate the functional changes of the vastus medialis while the neuromuscular electrical stimulation(NMES) was performed in elderly women with knee osteoarthritis. The subjects of this study were 30 women who were diagnosed degenerative arthritis, 15 in the experimental group and 15 in the control group. The experimental group performed conventional physical therapy and neuromuscular electrical stimulation, and the control group received only conventional physical therapy, five times per week for four weeks. Outcome measures were assessed before and after 4weeks using the VAS(pain), quadriceps femoris strength, thigh circumference, and Q-angle. The data of the quadriceps femoris strength and thigh circumference were significantly increased in experimental group(p<0.05). The data the pain was significantly decreased in both the two groups(p<0.05). There were statistically significant differences in quadriceps femoris strength and thigh circumference between the two groups(p<0.05). As the result, the application of neuromuscular electrical stimulation of the vastus medialis could be more effective for decrease pain and improving muscle function in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.191-198
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• 2020

Background: Stroke patients experience multiple dysfunctions that include motor and sensory impairments. Therefore, new intervention methods require a gradational approach depending on functional levels of a stroke patient's activity and should include cognition treatment to allow for a patient's active participation in rehabilitation. Objects: This study investigates the effect of integrated revision of electrical sensory stimulation, which stimulates somatosensory and action observation training, which is synchronized cognition intervention method on stroke patients' functions. Methods: Twenty-one stroke patients were randomized into two groups. The two groups underwent twenty minutes of intervention five times a week for three weeks. This study used an electromyogram to evaluate symmetric muscle activation of lower extremities and muscle onset time when performing sit to stand before and after intervention. A weight-bearing ratio was used to evaluate the weight-bearing of the affected side in a sit to standing. To evaluate sit to stand performance ability, this study performed five timed sit to stand tests. Results: The two groups both showed statistically significant improvement in muscle onset time of lower extremity, static balance ability in a standing position, and sit to stand performance after the intervention (p < 0.05). In addition, the action observation and synchronized electrical sensory stimulation group showed significant improvement in symmetric muscle activation of lower extremities and weight-bearing ratio of the affected side (p < 0.05). Conclusion: action observation and synchronized electrical sensory stimulation (AOT with ESS) can have positive effects on a stroke patient's sit to stand performance, and the intervention method that provides integrated AOT with ESS can be used as new nervous system intervention program.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers D
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• v.52 no.12
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• pp.708-716
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• 2003

The surface EMG signal detected from voluntarily activated muscles can be used as a control signal for functional electrical stimulation. To use the voluntary EMG signal, it is necessary to eliminate the muscle response evoked by the electrical stimulation and enable to process the algorithm in real time. In this paper, we propose the Gram-Schmidt(GS) algorithm and implement it in FPGA(field programmable gate array). GS algorithm is efficient to eliminate periodic signals like muscle response, and is more stable and suitable to FPGA implementations than the conventional least-square approach, due to the systolic array structure.