• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.55-64
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• 2023

PURPOSE: Examine the effects of auditory feedback and functional electrical stimulation on balance, walking ability, and lower extremity function of subacute stroke patients. METHODS: Twenty-seven subjects diagnosed with subacute stroke within six months were randomly divided into three groups: test group 1, which performed walking exercises with auditory feedback and functional electrical stimulation; test group 2, which performed walking exercises only with functional electrical stimulation; control group applied only functional electrical stimulation, with nine subjects each. RESULTS: There were significant pre- to post-intervention differences in BBS in the gait training group with auditory feedback and functional electrical stimulation treatment, and significant pre- to post-intervention differences in BBS, sit-to-stand time, and average step speed in the gait training group with functional electrical stimulation, but no statistically significant differences in between-group comparisons. CONCLUSION: Gait training with auditory feedback and functional electrical stimulation can improve the balance and gait performance in stroke patients. Therefore, in the future, gait training with auditory feedback and functional electrical stimulation therapy may be suggested as a gait rehabilitation training tool for stroke patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.95-103
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• 2018

PURPOSE: The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of functional electrical stimulation gait training with rhythmic auditory stimulation on balance and gait ability in stroke patients. METHODS: In this blinded randomized controlled study, 26 stroke patients were assigned to either experimental group (n=13) consisting of 30 min of gait training 5 days per week for 4 weeks while performing functional electrical stimulation gait training with rhythmic auditory simulation, or a control group (n=13) performing the same gait training program, also consisting of 30 minutes 5 days a week and lasting for 4 weeks, but without functional electrical stimulation and rhythmic auditory stimulation. At baseline and after the 4 week intervention, balance was measured using the timed up and go test (TUG). Gait velocity was measured using the 10-meter walk test (10 MWT) and gait ability was assessed using the functional gait assessment (FGA). RESULTS: After the intervention, the experimental group showed statistically significant differences in gait velocity and ability (10 MWT, FGA) (p<.05). Between-group differences were statistically significant in gait velocity and ability (10 MWT, FGA) (p<.05). CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that functional electrical stimulation gait training with a rhythmic auditory stimulation gait training program may help improve gait ability in stroke patients.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.374-378
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• 2021

Objective: Bilateral movement training is an effective method for upper extremity rehabilitation of stroke. An approach to induce bilateral movement through functional electrical stimulation is attempted. The purpose of this study is to develop an EMG-triggered functional electrical stimulation device for upper extremity bilateral movement training in stroke patients and test its feasibility. Design: Feasibility and Pilot study design. Methods: We assessed muscle activation and kinematic data of the affected and unaffected upper extremities of a stroke patient during wrist flexion and extension with and without the device. Wireless EMG was used to evaluate muscle activity, and 12 3D infrared cameras were used to evaluate kinematic data. Results: We developed an EMG-triggered functional electrical stimulation device to enable bilateral arm training in stroke patients. A system for controlling functional electrical stimulation with signals received through a 2-channel EMG sensor was developed. The device consists of an EMG sensing unit, a functional electrical stimulation unit, and a control unit. There was asymmetry of movement between the two sides during wrist flexion and extension. With the device, the asymmetry was lowest at 60% of the threshold of the unaffected side. Conclusions: In this study, we developed an EMG-triggered FES device, and the pilot study result showed that the device reduces asymmetry.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.95-109
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• 2019

Purpose : This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of FES with abdominal muscle contraction before virtual reality training on balance and gait ability in patients of stroke patients. Methods : The subjects were 30 stroke patients who satisfied the selection criteria. They were randomly assigned to a group receiving functional electrical stimulation with a virtual reality training program (the experiment group, n=15) and placebo functional electrical stimulation with a virtual reality training program (the control group, n=15). The program consisted of three 30-min sessions per week for six weeks. The timed up and go test (TUG), the BT4, the G-WALK were used to estimate subjects' balance, gait before and after the program. For the experiment group, the functional electrical stimulation was applied to the external oblique and the rectus abdominis, For the control group, the same program and the placebo functional electrical stimulation were applied. Results : There were significant improvements in the subscales of the balance and gait ability test of those who participated in the functional electrical stimulation, while the control group showed no significant changes. Conclusion : Therefore, functional electrical stimulation with virtual reality effectively improved the balance and gait ability in patients with chronic stroke.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.55-63
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• 2021

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of balance training with Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) on balance and gait in patients with chronic stroke. Design: A cross over design Methods: Nine patients with stroke were recruited into this study. They were measuring their balance ability and gait ability. The intervention "A" included 4 weeks of balance training with Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) for 40 m/d, 3 d/wk. Intervention "B" included 4 weeks of balance training with placebo Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) for 40 m/d, 3 d/wk. Of the 9 patients who completed the study, 5 were randomly assigned to" group A-B", and 4 to group B-A. The crossover occurred after 4 weeks. Results: Following are the specific results of balance training with Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) on patients with chronic stroke. First, patients who received treatment A showed improvement compared with patients who received treatment B in static balance. There were significant decreases in anterioposterior, mediolateral postural sway extension and velocity moment (p<0.05) with their eyes opened and closed conditions. Second, they had significantly improved in dynamic balance (p<0.05). Lastly, there were also improvement in their gait velocity and cadence (p<0.05). Conclusions: These findings suggest that, the Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) combined with balance training more effectively improves the balance and gait ability, I'm convinced that it could be actively used in clinics added to the conventional physical therapy in the future.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.33-42
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of rehabilitation exercise and neuromuscular electrical stimulation on a visual analysis scale and functional visual analysis scale regarding functional capacity. A total of 7 consecutive patients with the complaint of patellofemoral pain syndrome who received this diagnosis from a sports medicine physician were recruited to assess the effect of rehabilitation exercise and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Functional Visual Analog Scale (FVAS), functional capacity patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome. The exercise rehabilitation consisted of a complex training program requiring five treatments a week for eight weeks. The training program consisted of four phases, and each lasted for two weeks. Statistical analyses were one-way ANOVA with repeated measures. The results were as follows: (1) There were significant differences in the VAS and FVAS during 8-weeks of rehabilitation exercise and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (p<.01). (2) There were no significant differences in the functional capacity during 8-weeks of rehabilitation exercise and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (p<.05). In conclusion, at the end of the eight weeks of this rehabilitation program and neuromuscular electrical stimulation, a significant reduction was found in VAS and FVAS, but there was no significant difference in functional capacity at the end of the treatment.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.123-132
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• 2020

PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of both lower extremities proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation training with functional electrical stimulation on the balance and gait of stroke patients. METHODS: Ten patients with stroke were divided randomly into two groups of five patients each who met the selection criteria. The training was conducted five times a week, for 60 minutes. The experimental group received both lower extremities proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation training with functional electrical stimulation while the control group received general physical therapy with functional electrical stimulation. RESULTS: The timed Up-and-Go (TUG) test result was statistically significant after the intervention in the experimental group (p<.041). Berg Balance Scale (BBS) assessment was statistically significant after the intervention in the experimental group (p<.047) and between the experimental and control groups (p<.012). The cadence assessment was statistically significant after intervention in the experimental group (p<.031) and between the experimental and control groups (p<.015). The stride length assessment was not statistically significant after intervention in the experimental group and between the experimental and control groups. Gait velocity assessment was statistically significant after the intervention in the experimental group (p<.031) and between the experimental and control groups (p<.015). CONCLUSION: Both lower extremities proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation training with functional electrical stimulation had positive effects on the balance and gait of stroke patients.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.288-293
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of gait training using functional electrical stimulation on the improvement of hemiplegic patients' functions for balance and gait velocity. The subjects of the experiment were determined to be 10 each hemiplegic patients who had been diagnosed with stroke or brain damage six months or longer earlier assigned to an experimental group and a control group respectively. The subjects were evaluated before the experiment using Tetrax and 10M gait tests, received gait training five times a week for four weeks using functional electrical stimulation and were evaluated after the experiment in the same method as used in the evaluation before the experiment. In order to examine differences between the experimental group that received gait training using functional electrical stimulation and the control group that was treated by functional electrical stimulation and received gait training thereafter, differences between before and after the experiment were analyzed using paired sample t-tests and differences in changes after the experiment between the experimental group and the control group were analyzed using independent sample t-tests in order to compare the two groups with each other. Experimental results showed significant differences in weight bearing, balance and gait velocity between before and after the experiment in the experimental group(p<.05). In the control group, whereas weight bearing and gait velocity did not show any significant difference between before and after the experiment(p>.05), balance showed significant differences(p<.05). Weight bearing, balance and gait velocity change rates showed significant differences between the experimental group and the control group(p<.05). In conclusion, it was indicated that gait training using functional electrical stimulation is effective for enhancing stroke patients' weight bearing rates, balance abilities and gait velocity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.39-48
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• 2020

PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of integrating transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation into treadmill gait training by applying functional electrical stimulation on the spasticity, balance, and gait ability of chronic stroke patients METHODS: Twenty participants were assigned randomly to two groups: the treadmill gait training group with applied functional electrical stimulation (FES) with integrated transcutaneous electricalstimulation (TENS) (experimental group, EG, n = 10) and the treadmill gait training group with FES (control group, CG, n = 10). Both groups received treadmill gait training with FES for 30 minutes a time, four times a week, during five weeks. The experimental group received additional TENS on their L3, L5, and S2 dermatome for 30 minutes before the interventions. The spasticity, balance, and gait ability were evaluated before and after the training to compare the intergroup and intragroup changes. RESULTS: Both groups showed significant improvements in the static, dynamic balance, and gait ability (p < .05), but did not show any significant changes in the muscle tone. The EG showed significant improvements in the static balance ability and gait cycle compared to the CG (p < .05). CONCLUSION: Treadmill gait training combined with FES with integrated TENS is an effective method for improving the static balance and gait cycle. On the other hand, the effects of treadmill gait training with FES on spasticity need to be studied further.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2008

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of gait training with the use of an electromechanical gait trainer with functional electrical stimulation (FES) for patients that had undergone subacute stroke. Methods: The study subjects included nine subacute stroke patients of the Korea National Rehabilitation Center in Seoul, Korea. Outcome was measured using the timed Up and Go test, Fugl-Meyer-L/E assesment, with determination of the comfortable maximal gait speed, composite spasticity score, functional ambulatory category and Berg balance scale. All measured scores were recorded before, during, and after rehabilitation and at an eight-week follow-up. Results: Patients who received electromechanical-assisted gait training in combination with FES after subacute stroke were more likely to achieve independent walking, functional activities, balance and gait speed. Conclusion: The outcome of our gait-training program demonstrates that it may be practical to integrate FES into electromechanical gait training without any adverse effects. However, further randomized controlled studies are needed to evaluate if patient outcome after combined training is superior to outcome after the use of electromechanical gait trainer treatment alone or conventional gait training alone.