• PNF and Movement
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.391-399
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• 2019

Purpose: This study investigated the three-dimensional moment values of the hip joint for subjects with artificial leg length alterations and subjects with unaltered leg lengths. Methods: Forty-two healthy adults (8 men, 34 women) participated in this study. The selected subjects were able to walk normally, had less than a 1 cm leg length discrepancy, and were instructed to wear shoes that fit their feet. The study participants performed 8 dynamic gait trails to measure the hip joint moment using a three-dimensional motion analysis system. Kinetic and dynamic three-dimensional gait analysis data were collected from infrared cameras, and a force plate was used to standardize the weight of each subject. Results: There were significant correlations between the differences in the leg length discrepancy during right extension, right flexion, right internal rotation, and left extension in hip joint moments (p<0.05). There were significant correlations between the differences in shoe conditions during left extension, right flexion, right extension, and right internal rotation in the hip moments (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study suggests that a leg length discrepancy can affect hip joint moment, which may further exacerbate musculoskeletal disorders, such as osteoarthritis in lower extremity joints. Therefore, further studies should be conducted to verify the impact of clinical interventions on differences in hip joint moment values to correct leg length discrepancies and prevent osteoarthritis in lower extremity joints.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.9-18
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• 2018

Background: Leg length discrepancy (LLD) leads to many musculoskeletal disorders and affects daily activities such as walking. In the majority of the population, mild LLD is a common condition. Nevertheless, it is still controversy among researchers and clinicians on the effects of mild LLD during gait, and available studies have largely overlooked this issue. Objects: The purpose of the present study is to investigate the effects of mild LLD on the gait parameters and trunk acceleration. Methods: A total of 15 female and male participants with no evidence of LLD of >.5 ㎝ participated in the present study. All participants walked under the following two conditions: (1) The non-LLD condition, where the participants walked in shoes of the same heel height; (2) A mild LLD condition induced by wearing a 1.5 ㎝ higher heel on the right shoe. The GAITRite system and tri-axial accelerometer were used to measure gait parameters and trunk acceleration. To compare the variation of each variable, a paired t-test was performed. Results: Compared to the non-LLD condition, step time and swing phase were significantly increased in the mild LLD condition, while stance phase, single support phase, and double support phase significantly decreased in the short limb (p<.05). In the long limb of the mild LLD condition, single support phase significantly increased, while swing phase significantly decreased (p<.05). Furthermore, significant decrease in the gait velocity and cadence in the mild LLD condition were observed (p<.05). In the comparison between both limbs in the mild LLD condition, the step time and swing phase of the short limb significantly increased compared with the long limb, while step length, stance phase, and single support phase of the long limb significantly increased compared with the short limb (p<.05). Additionally, trunk acceleration of all directions (anterior-posterior, medial-lateral, vertical) significantly increased in the mild LLD condition (p<.05). Conclusion: The results of the present study demonstrate that mild LLD causes altered and asymmetrical gait patterns and affects the trunk, resulting in inefficient gait. Therefore, mild LLD should not be overlooked and requires adequate treatment.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea CI
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.38-46
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• 2011

3D motion analysis system which is currently widely used for walking analysis has limitations due to both necessity of wide space for many cameras for measurement, high cost, and complicated preparation procedure, which results in low accessability in use and application for clinical diagnosis. To resolve this problem, we developed 3-dimensional wireless ambulatory measurement system based on inertial sensor which can be easily applicable for clinical diagnosis for lower extremity deformity and developed system was evaluated by applying for 10 elderly people with diabetes mellitus. Developed system was composed of wireless ambulatory measurement module that consists of inertial measurement unit (IMU) which measures the gait characteristics, microcontroller which collects and precesses the inertial data, bluetooth device which transfers the measured data to PC and Window's application for storing and processing and analyzing received data. This system will utilize not only to measure lower extremity (foot) problem conveniently in clinical medicine but also to analyze 3D motion of human in other areas as sports science, rehabilitation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Agricultural Machinery Conference
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.98-102
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• 2005

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.49-58
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to identify effects of walking speed and a cognitive task during treadmill walking on gait variability. Experiments consisted of 5 different walking speeds(80%, 90%, 100%, 110% and 120% of preferred walking speed) with/without a cognitive task. 3D motion analysis system was used to measure subject's kinematic data. Temporal/spatial variables were selected for this study; stride time, stance time, swing time, step time, double support time, stride length, step length and step width. Two parameters were used to compare stride-to-stride variability with/without cognitive task. One is the coefficient of variance which is used to describe the amount of variability. The other is the detrended fluctuation analysis which is used to infer self-similarity from fluctuation of aspects. Results showed that cognitive task may influence stride-to-stride variability during treadmill walking. Further study is necessary to clarify this result.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Intelligent Systems
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.631-638
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• 2012

This work proposes a new method to generate velocity profile of a traction motor equipped in a rehabilitation system for knee joint patients through humanoid robot simulation. To this end, a three-dimensional full-body humanoid robot model is newly constructed, and natural human gait is simulated by applying to it reference joint angle trajectories already published. Linear velocity is derived from distance data calculated between the positions of a thigh band and its traction motor at every sampling instance, which is a novel idea of this paper. The projection rule is employed to kinematically describe the humanoid robot because of its high efficiency and accuracy, and measured joint trajectories are used in simulating human natural gait referring to Winter's book. The attained motor velocity profile for a certain position in human body will be applied to our walking-assistance system which is implemented with a treadmill system.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.24 no.8 s.197
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• pp.130-137
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• 2007

The optimized prosthetic mass distribution was a controversial problem in the previous studies because they are not supported by empirical evidence. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of prosthetic mass properties by modeling musculoskeletal system, based on the gait analysis data from two above-knee amputees. The joint torque at hip joint was calculated using inverse dynamic analysis as the mass was changed in knee and foot prosthetic components with the same joint kinematics. The results showed that the peak flexion and abduction torque at the hip joint were 5 Nm and 15 Nm when the mass of the knee component was increased, greater than the peak flexion and abduction torque of the control group at the hip joint, respectively. On the other hand, when the mass of the foot component was increased, the peak flexion and abduction torque at the hip joint were 20 Nm and 15 Nm, greater than the peak flexion and abduction torque of the control, respectively. The hip flexion torque was 4.71-fold greater and 7.92-fold greater than the hip abduction torque for the knee mass increase and the foot mass increase on the average, respectively. Therefore, we could conclude that the effect of foot mass increase was more sensitive than that of knee mass increase for the hip flexion torque. On the contrary, the mass properties of the knee and foot components were not sensitive for the hip abduction torque. In addition, optimized prosthetic mass and appropriate mass distributions were needed to promote efficiency of rehabilitation therapy with consideration of musculoskeletal systems of amputees.

• Transactions of the KSME C: Technology and Education
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.153-165
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• 2013

The established gait analysis studies have regarded leg as one single spring. If we can design a knee-ankle actuating mechanism as a primary actuator for supporting knee extension, it might be possible to revolutionary store or release elastic strain energy, which is consumed during the gait cycle, and as a result leg stiffness is expected to increase. An ankle joint actuating mechanism that stores and releases the energy in ankle joint is expected to support and solve excessive artificial leg stiffness caused by the knee actuator (primary actuator) to a reasonable extent. If unnecessary kinematic energy is released with the artificial speed reduction control designed to prevent increase in gait speed caused by increase in time passed, it naturally brings question to the effectiveness of the actuator. As opposed to the already established studies, the authors are currently developing knee-ankle two actuator system under the concept of increasing lower limb stiffness by controlling the speed of gait in relative angular velocity of the two segments. Therefore, the author is convinced that compensatory mechanism caused by knee actuating must exist only in ankle joint. Ankle joint compensatory mechanism can be solved by reverse-examining the change in metatarso-phalangeal joint (MTPJ) tilt angle (${\theta}_1=0^{\circ}$, ${\theta}_2=17^{\circ}$, ${\theta}_3=30^{\circ}$) and the effect of change in gait speed on knee activity.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.57-66
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• 2008

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of kinesio taping in patients with degenerative arthritis. 40 female patients with degenerative arthritis were voluntarily recruited and randomly divided into experimental and control group. Experimental group(mean age was 73.4 years, height was 153.5cm, and weight was 59.9kg) was applied patellar inferior and medial gliding, quadriceps, tibial external rotation, gastrocnemius, and soleus using a kinesio tape. And control group(mean age was 72.7 years, height was 154cm, and weight was 58.6kg) was received a interferential current therapy(ENDOMED 582, Enraf－Nonius, Holland). And we received a consent form from all subjects. Measuring was conducted by using a 3－dimensional gait analysis system for measuring of stride length, cadence, and velocity. The results were as follow: Stride length was significantly increased after than before treatment(p<.05). Cadence was significantly increased after than before treatment(p<.05). And Velocity was significantly increased after than before treatment(p<.05). Cadence was a significant difference between experimental and control group(p<.05), but there was no significant difference stride length and velocity between two groups. So we suggest that kinesio taping has a effectiveness in patients with degenerative arthritis.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.72-79
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• 2016

Background: Increased foot pronation causes biomedchanical changes at the lower limbs, which may result in musculoskeletal injuries at the proximal joints. Pronation rear-foot leads to plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, and posterior tibial tendonitis pathologically. According to the recent meta-analysis, They showed that therapeutic adhesive taping is more effective than foot orthoses and motion control footwear, low-Dye (LD) taping has become the most popular method used by physiotherapists. Objects: The purpose of this study was to determine the immediate effects of LD taping results in different ankle motion and ground reaction force (GRF) as before and after applied LD taping on pronated rear-foot during gait. Methods: Twenty-four participants were recruited for this study. The gait data were recorded using an 8-camera motion capture system and two force platforms. At first, the experiments were carried out that participants walked barefoot without LD taping. And then they walked both feet was applied LD taping. Results: The ankle inversion minimum was significantly greater after LD taping than before LD taping (p=.04); however, in the GRF, there were no significant differences in the inversion maximum or total motion of the stance phase (p=.33, p=.07), or in the vertical (p=.33), posterior (p=.22), and lateral (p=.14) peak forces. Conclusion: The application of taping to pronation rear-foot assists in increased ankle inversion.