• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.34 no.3
• /
• pp.98-103
• /
• 2022

Purpose: New therapeutic approaches have emerged to improve gait ability in patients with brain damage, such as action observation learning (AOT), auditory cueing, motor imagery etc. We attempted to investigate the effects of AOT with auditory cueing (AOTAC) on gait function in patients with stroke. Methods: The eighteen stroke patients with a unilateral hemiparesis were randomly divided into three groups; the AOTAC, AOT, and control groups. The AOTAC group (n=8) received training via observing a video that showed normal gait with sound of footsteps as an auditory cue; the AOT group (n=6) receive action observation without auditory stimulation; the control group (n=5) observed the landscape video image. Intervention time of three groups was 30 minutes per day, five times a week, for four weeks. Gait parameters, such as cadence, velocity, stride length, stance phase, and swing phase were collected in all patients before and after each training session. Results: Significant differences were observed among the three groups with respect to the parameters, such as cadence, velocity, stride length, and stance/swing phase. Post-hoc analysis indicated that the AOTAC group had a greater significant change in all of parameters, compared with the AOT and control groups. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that AOTAC may be an effective therapeutic approach to improve gait symmetry and function in patients with stroke. We believe that this effect is attributable to the change of cortical excitability on motor related to cortical areas.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
• /
• v.28 no.3
• /
• pp.88-97
• /
• 2021

Purpose: Patients with total knee arthroplasty (TKA) have impaired balance and movement control. Exercise interventions have not targeted these impairments in this population. This study aimed to investigate the effect of complex balance exercises on unstable ground, on the gait, balance, and daily living ability of patients with total knee arthroplasty. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: The participants consisted of 30 patients placed into two groups of 15 each: a experimental group (complex balance exercise) and a control group (physical therapy exercise). Both group exercise was applied for 3 times a week for 30 minutes for four weeks. Force plate for balance ability and Timed up and go (TUG) test were the primary outcome measures. The secondary outcome measures included 10-m walk test (10MWT) and the daily living ability using the Knee Outcome Survey Activities of Daily Living scale (KOS-ADL). Results: The result of this study showed that the experimental group had a significant difference in TUG and 10MWT than the control group, and balance was significantly different in CEA, CPL, and CAV. There was a significant difference in daily living ability between the experimental and control groups. This study confirms that the physical therapy with complex balance exercise on unstable surfaces has positive effects on balance, gait and daily living ability in patients with total knee arthroplasty. Conclusion: As a result of this study, complex balance exercise on unstable surface was more effective in improvement gait, balance and daily living ability in total knee arthroplasty. From this study, physical therapy with complex balance exercises on unstable ground may be proposed as and effective intervention method for improving gait, balance, and daily living ability in patients with early total knee arthroplasty.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
• /
• v.9 no.10
• /
• pp.109-120
• /
• 2018

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of functional electrical stimulation (FES) with mirror therapy on balance and gait ability in chronic stroke patients. Thirty-five subjects who met the inclusion criteria were randomly allocated into three groups: the functional electrical stimulation with mirror therapy group(FMT group, n=11), mirror therapy group(MT group, n=12), and control group (n=12). The exercises were conducted for 30 min per day, five, per week for four weeks. Balance and gait ability were examined at baseline and after 4 weeks of intervention. After training, the FMT group showed significant improvement in berg balance scale (BBS), center of pressure (COP) length, affected step length (ASL), Cadence and average gait speed (AGS) compared MT group and control group(p<0.05). This findings show that FES and MT convergence can be an effective intervention for stroke patients balance and gait ability. Continued development of convergence interventions for stroke patients with balance and gait ability in practice, are suggested.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.11-20
• /
• 2022

PURPOSE: A gait assessment is an important component of the rehabilitation process, and observational gait assessment (OGA) is used routinely in clinical settings. This study examined the association of OGA tools with the independent walking ability in stroke patients to determine a cutoff value of the OGA tool according to independence levels of stroke patient gait. METHODS: Two hundred ten hemiparetic stroke patients participated in the study. The independence of gait was identified using the Functional Ambulation Category (FAC) classifications. The walking ability was assessed using OGA tools (Rivermead Visual Gait Assessment [RVGA], Wisconsin Gait Scale [WGS], Tinetti Gait Scale [TGS], and Functional Gait Analysis [FGA]). RESULTS: Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that among the OGA tools, the FGA correlated with the FAC. The FGA explained approximately 77% of the variance in FAC. In distinguishing the independence levels, the cutoff values were as follows: between FAC 1 and FAC 0 was .5 points; between FAC 2 and lower levels, 5.5; between FAC 3 and lower levels, 11.5; between FAC 4 and lower levels, 14.5; and between FAC 5 and lower levels, 18.5. Items 1, 2, 3, and 10 were identified as explaining most of the variance in the FGA in the stepwise multiple regression. CONCLUSION: The present study found that the FGA is an assessment tool related to the level of gait independence after stroke. Furthermore, the FGA total score can serve as an index of the increase in independence level after stroke.

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

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
• /
• v.9 no.3
• /
• pp.315-324
• /
• 2014

PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine the correlation of weight bearing ability at the affected side with balance and gait abilities for the development of pressure biofeedback based equipment to stroke patients. METHODS: This study included 35 patients with stroke patient. The tests were conducted to determine the weight bearing ratio while pushing a step forward the affected side, static balance ability using the total length of COP(Center of pressure), sway velocity of COP, COP velocity at the X and Y axis. Functional reaching test (FRT), berg balance scale (BBS) were used to assess the dynamic balance ability and timed up and go test (TUG), 10m walk test (10mWT) were used assess the gait ability respectively. In order to determine the correlation between measured variables, bivariate correlation analysis was conducted. RESULTS: A significant correlation of the weight bearing ratio were shown with COP total length and velocity(r=-.34), Y-axis velocity(r=-.39), FRT(r=.42), BBS(r=.54), TUG (r=-.39), and 10m walking test (r=-.42). CONCLUSION: This study result showed that as patients with stroke had more weight bearing ratio at the affected side, not only their static and dynamic balance abilities increased more but also functional gait ability improved more. These results mean that, to improve stroke patients' static, dynamic balance ability and gait ability, weight bearing training with the affected side foot placed one step forward necessary for gaits are important.

• PNF and Movement
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.1-8
• /
• 2009

Purpose : The aim of this study was to determine the effect of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) on gait ability in hemiplegic patients. Method : The subjects of this study were 11 hemiplegic patients. Each subject was taken PNF exercise with 3 times per week for 4 weeks. Pre- and post-intervention change in gait ability were measured using an 6m walking test, stride length, and step length. The data were analyzed using the paired t-test. Results : The results of this study showed significantly improvement in 6m walking test, stride length, and step length after intervention. Conclusion : These results suggest that the PNF coordination exercise is an effective way of improving gait ability for hemiplegic patients.

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

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.75-84
• /
• 2022

Background: This study was to investigate the effect of non-invasive transcranial direct current stimulation due to hemiplegic patients due to stroke on temporal and spatial gait ability. Design: Randomized sham controlled trial. Methods: For the study method, 42 patients with hemiplegia due to stroke were randomly assigned to 14 patients each, and the general walking group, tDCS walking group, and tDCS (sham) walking group were subjected to 5 times a week, 30 minutes a day, and 6 weeks. In the temporal gait variables of hemiplegic patients due to stroke, the effect of the gait time, gait cycle, single support, double support, swing phase, stance phase, gait speed, cadence were measured. In spatial variables, one step length and one step length were measured. Results: As a result of the study, the EG group significantly increased in the step time, gait velocity, and cadence of the paralysis side in the comparison of temporal walking variables between groups according to the application of tDCS of walking ability in hemiplegic patients due to stroke patients(p<.05). In the change in spatial walking variables between groups according to the application of tDCS, the step length and stride length of the EG group showed a significant increase. Both the comparison of temporal and spatial symmetry walking variables between groups according to tDCS application was not significant(p>.05) Conclusion: As a result, tDCS has an effective effect on the improvement of the gait ability of stroke patients. In particular, it is an effective method of physical therapy that can improve the cadence and speed of gait, which can be combined with the existing gait training to effectively increase the gait of hemiplegia due to stroke patients.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.26 no.5
• /
• pp.372-378
• /
• 2014

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of side walking training with an elastic-band on gait and balance ability of stroke patients. Methods: Twenty three patients with stroke participated in the study. Participants were randomly assigned to the side walking with elastic-band group (n=7), the side walking without elastic-band group (n=8), and the walking on the treadmill group (n=8);. 10 m walking test (10MWT), Dynamic Gait Index (DGI), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and modified Functional Reach Test (mFRT) were performed for evaluatione of pre- and post-intervention in gait and balance ability of participants. Results: Significantly differences in 10 MWT, DGI, BBS, and mFRT were observed between pre- and post-intervention in three groups (p<0.05). Improvement of pre- and post-intervention of mFRT showed significant difference (p<0.05). The highest rate of change was observed in the side walking with elastic-band group and rate of change showed in the order of the side walking without elastic-band group, walking on the treadmill group. Conclusion: This study suggests that side walking training with an elastic-band may help to improve gait and balance ability of stroke patients.