• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.1-11
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• 2016

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to identify whether virtual reality-based exercise could improve on balance, gait and fall efficacy in patients with Parkinson's disease. Methods : Ten patients with Parkinson's disease were randomly divided into either an experimental or control group. The experimental subjects performed vertual reality-based exercise, whereas the control subjects performed conventional physical therapy for 4 weeks. The balance, gait and fall efficacy of all subjects were assessed by using the Measurement Training and Documentation (MTD) balance system, force platform system, Korean version of Berg Balance scale (K-BBS), 6 Minute Walk Test (6MWT), and Korean version of Fall efficacy scale (K-FES) at pre training and post training. Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to analyze change before and after intervention in intra-group. Mann Whitney U test was used to analyze changes of all variables in inter-groups. Results : Subjects in the experimental group showed significant improvements in difference of weight distribution, K-BBS scores, antero-posterior and medio-lateral sway length, ground reaction force (GRF), 6MWT, and step length following training. The changes of difference of weight distribution, K-BBS scores, AP Sway Length, GRF, 6MWT, step length and K-FES scores in the experimental group were significantly more than them of the control group. Conclusion : The result of this study suggest that virtual reality-based exercise training is an intervention to improve on balance, gait, and falls efficacy in patients with Parkinson's disease.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.445-453
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to analyze the gait characteristics and interaction between lower extremity joints according to shoe's heel heights in young women. Participants were selected as subject consisted of young and healthy women (age: $23.71{\pm}1.49yrs$, height: $165.92{\pm}2.00cm$, body weight: $54.37{\pm}3.46kg$) and walked with 3 types of shoe's high-heel (0, 5, 9 cm). The variables analyzed consisted of the displacement of Y axis in center of mass ([COM]; (position, velocity), front rear(FR) and left right(LR) angle of trunk, lower extremity joint angle (hip, knee, ankle) and asymmetric index (AI%). The displacement of Y axis in COM position showed the greater movement according to increase of shoe's heel heights, but velocity of COM showed the decrease according to increase of shoe's heel heights during gait. The hip and knee angle didn't show significant difference statistically according to increase of shoe's heel height, but left hip and knee showed more extended posture than those of right hip and knee angle. Also ankle angle didn't show significant difference statistically, but 9 cm heel showed more plantarflexion than those of 5 cm and 0 cm. The asymmetric index (AI%) showed more asymmetric 9 cm heel than those of 0 cm and 5 cm. The FR and LR angle in trunk tilting didn't show significant difference statistically according to the increase of shoe's heel height during gait in young women.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.105-112
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• 2019

Objective: The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of wearing an ankle weight belt while performing gait in water by focusing on the effect of using ankle weights have on the gait kinematics and the muscle activities for developing optimum training strategies. Method: A total of 10 healthy male university students were recruited for the study. Each participant was instructed to perform 3 gait conditions; normal walking over ground, walking in water chest height, and walking in water chest height while using ankle weights. All walking conditions were set at control speed of $4km/h{\pm}0.05km/h$. The depth of the swimming pool was at 1.3 m, approximately chest height. The motion capture data was recorded using 6 digital cameras and the EMG was recorded using waterproof Mini Wave. From the motion capture data, the following variables were calculated for analysis; double and single support phase (s), swing phase (s), step length (%height), step rate (m/s), ankle, knee, and hip joint angles ($^{\circ}$). From the electromyography the %RVC of the lower limb muscles medial gastrocnemius, rectus femoris, erector spinae, semitendinosus, tibialis anterior, vastus lateralis oblique was calculated. Results: The results show significant differences between the gait time, and step length between the right and left leg. Additionally, the joint angular velocities and gait velocity were significantly affected by the water resistance. As expected, the use of the ankle weights increased all of the lower leg maximum muscle activities except for the lower back muscle. Conclusion: In conclusion, the ankle weights can be shown to stimulate more muscle activity during walking in chest height water and therefore, may be useful for rehabilitation purposes.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.383-392
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• 2020

Purpose: Balance and gait dysfunction caused by aging affect elderly individuals' independent life, which, in turn, can reduce their overall quality of life. The purpose of this study is to compare the differences in the vestibular function of healthy elderly and young adults based on the subjective visual vertical (SVV) test as well as to compare and analyze the gait ability between these two groups to study the differences and association between vestibular, dizziness, and balance ability. Methods: The subjects were 18 young and 16 elderly adults with no neurological or musculoskeletal damage. To evaluate vestibular function, a subjective visual vertical test was performed. To evaluate the gait function, the step time, step length, stride length, stance phase ratio, and swing phase ratio were measured. Balance was evaluated using the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and dizziness was evaluated using a dizziness handicap inventory (DHI). Results: There were significant differences in the SVV, BBS, and DHI between the young and elderly adults (p < 0.05). The gait variables of the older adults were all significantly different (except for the swing phase ratio) than those of the young adults (p < 0.05). As the result of correlation analysis, the SVV values of the young adults showed a significant negative correlation with step length and stride length (p < 0.05), while the SVV values of the elderly adults only showed a significant positive correlation with the DHI (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The elderly appeared to show a decrease in vestibular function when compared to the young adults, and it is thought that walking and balance function declined, while dizziness increased. Moreover, it is believed that these results can be used as basic data for vestibular rehabilitation in the future.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.33-39
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in walking pattern of the elderly during inclined walkway with uneven surfaces and level walking. 10 young($26.3{\pm}1.3$ years, $174.3{\pm}5.3\;cm$, $69.5{\pm}9.5\;kg$) and 13 elderly($72.4{\pm}5.2$ years, $164.5{\pm}5.4\;cm$, $66.1{\pm}9.6\;kg$) male subjects were participated in the experiment. Experiment consisted of 2 walking conditions: horizontal and inclined walkway with uneven surfaces. 3D motion capturing system were used to acquire and analyze walking motion data with sampling frequency of 120 Hz. To compare differences between conditions, kinematic variables(walking speed, stance-swing ratio, hip joint angle, knee joint angle, ankle joint angle, pelvic rotation angle) were used. Results showed that there were some changes of elderly walking pattern in inclined walkway with uneven surfaces: hip joint(adduction and rotation) and pelvic movement pattern. These changes by inclination and surface may affect gait pattern of young subjects as well as elderly subjects. However, in case of elderly it revealed more unstable gait than the young. Further study is necessary to clarify changes in walking pattern for elderly by considering various gait variables including head movement and various walkway conditions.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.127-145
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• 1997

The purpose of this study wa9 to analyse the gait patterns of two female children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy by using the three-dimensional video motion analysis technique. Case 1 has mild spastic hemiplegia on the right side while Case 3 has moderate spastic hemiplegia on the left side. A group of 10, normal female children of the same age(7-8 years old) were selected as the control group for comparison. Time and distance variables as well as the Center of Mass displacement, and the pelvic and joint motions in three anatomical planes were analysed for this purpose. The following observations were made through the analysis : Case 1 revealed an asymmetrical gait pattern in which the step length of the unaffected side was shorter than that of the affected side, which wan a result of the effort to minimize loading on the affected leg by shortening the swing phase of the unaffected leg. Case 1 scored similar phase ratios, cadence and walking velocity to the normal group. A slight posterior tilt of the pelvis was observed throughout the gait cycle. Less hip and knee flexion than the normal group was observed, and demonstrated hyperextension of the knee in the terminal stance phase. The main problem in case 1 originated from the insufficient dorsiflexion of the affected foot during the swing phase. Therefore, Case 1 has difficulty with foot clearance in the swing phase. Usually, this is compensated for by using exessive hip abduction and medial rotation in conjuction with trunk elevation as well as increased vortical displacement of the center of mass. Case 1 revealed a foot-flat initial contact pattern. Case 2 was characterized by a consistent retraction ef the affected aide of the body througout the gait cycle, As a result, an asymmetrical gait pattern with increased stance phase ratios of the unaffected side was observed. In spite of this the step lengths of both sieds were similar. Case 2 scored lower cadence and walking speed than the normal group with lower gait stability. The main problem in Case 2 originated from an excessive plantaflexion of the affected foot which, in turn, rebutted in high hip and knee flexion. Hyperextension of the knee was observed at mid-stance, and execessive anterior tilt of the pelvis throughout the gait cycle was noticed. A gait pattern with high hip abduction and medial circumduction was maintained for the stability in the stance phase and foot clearance in the swing phase. Case 2 revealed a forefoot-contact initial contact pattern.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.159-166
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to develop and automatic gait event detection algorithm using single accelerometer which is attached at the top of the shoe. The sinal vector magnitude and anterior-posterior(x-axis) directional component of accelerometer were used to detect heel strike(HS) and toe off(TO), respectively. To evaluate proposed algorithm, gait event timing was compared with that by force plate and kinematic data. In experiment, 7 subjects performed 10 trials level walking with 3 different walking conditions such as fast, preferred & slow walking. An accelerometer, force plate and 3D motion capture system were used during experiment. Gait event by force plate was used as reference timing. Results showed that gait event by accelerometer is similar to that by force plate. The distribution of differences were spread about $22.33{\pm}17.45m$ for HS and $26.82{\pm}14.78m$ for To and most error was existed consistently prior to 20ms. The difference between gait event by kinematic data and developed algorithm was small. Thus it can be concluded that developed algorithm can be used during outdoor walking experiment. Further study is necessary to extract gait spatial variables by removing gravity factor.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Clinical Electrophysiology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.31-35
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• 2012

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of kinematic variables by analysis of a gait in older. Methods : This study selected nine in older adults with osteoarthritis. The Kinematic variables during walk were compared analyzed using motion analysis. Results : The findings of this study are as follows. Stance time showed significant difference within-subject groups and interaction within-subjects and time. The swing and stride time showed a no significant interaction within-subjects and time. Swing time showed a no significant difference according to time and within-subjects. Stride time showed a significant difference according to time. But, stride time showed a no significant difference according to within-subjects. Conclusion : These findings of this study indicate that when the patients with total knee arthroplasty decreased stability. Therefore, stance and stride time showed increase when walking, because to decrease the weight bearing that is delivered to knee. And swing time showed decrease.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.249-258
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to investigate the different patterns of the lower limb between elderly and adult females to reduce the rate of falls. Ten old females(age: $73.1{\pm}2.69yrs$, height: $151.9{\pm}4.82cm$, mass: $57.36{\pm}5.36$) and ten adult females(age: $28\pm}4.76$ yrs, height: $160.6{\pm}6.83cm$, mass: $53.9{\pm}8.44$) were participated in this experiment. The gait motions were captured with Qualisys system and variables were calculated with Visual-3D. The following results were found. The elderly female group showed bigger inclination angle between COM and COP than the adult female group so that the dynamic stability was reduced in walking for the compensation with a bigger stride width. The elderly female group ensure for the necessary forward movement of COM in order to replace the decreased function of ankle and knee joint. If the distance between COM and COP is closer and the energy reduction of a specific joint is reduced, they could prevent the elderly female's falling rate by strengthening of muscles which were related the extension of ankle joint.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.53-60
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• 2018

PURPOSE: This study aimed to identify the effect of a backward walking exercise using a mirror on balance and gait in patients with stroke. METHODS: Twenty subjects with post-stroke hemiparesis volunteered to participate in this study. The experimental and control groups performed backward walking exercise plus conventional therapy or conventional physical therapy, respectively, for 6 weeks. Assessment instruments included the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), timed up and go test (TUG), and 10-m walking test (10MWT). Evaluation was performed before and after the 6-week training period. We conducted a paired t-test to compare the within-group changes before and after the intervention. An independent t-test was used to compare between-group differences. The statistical significance level was set at ${\alpha}=.05$ for all variables. RESULTS: The experimental group showed a significant within-group change in the BBS, TUG, and 10MWT (p<.05). The control group also showed a significant change (p<.05). A significant difference was observed between the experimental and control groups with regard to changes in the BBS, TUG, and 10MWT results after the interventions (p<.05). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that backward walking exercise using a mirror may be valuable for future research. Further studies with a wider range of pathology and longer experiment duration are required to validate the results of the present study.