• PNF and Movement
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.227-236
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of coordinative locomotor training (CLT) on the foot pressure and balance of patients with scoliosis. Methods: This was a single-case A-B-A study involving two patients with scoliosis. The study was designed to perform repeated measurements as follows: 5 times at baseline (A), 10 times during intervention (B), and 5 times after intervention (A). The study period was 5 weeks, and the CLT program was divided into warm up, CLT program, and cool down stages, at 50 min per stage. For the primary outcome measure, Gait View AFA-50 was used to determine the foot pressure and balance ability. For the secondary outcome measure, the SRS-22 questionnaire was used to assess the quality of life of the patients with scoliosis. Descriptive statistics and visual analysis using graphs were used to compare the rates of change. Results: The results of this study showed that the foot pressure and balance ability of the two subjects improved during the intervention period and remained improved even during the baseline period. However, their quality of life did not change after the intervention. Conclusion: CLT may have a positive effect on foot pressure and balance ability in patients with scoliosis. Also, this body function improvement may have positive effects on the performance of daily activities which employ the upright position.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.11-19
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• 2016

Background: In the stroke patients with the characteristics of hemiplegic gait, turning direction of the affected and unaffected side influences turning time. Therefore, it is important to investigate the walking response to turning directions in stroke patients. Objects: This study aimed to measure the walking time while turning direction in hemiplegic patients depending on balance ability measured by Berg Balance Scale. Methods: A group of forty-five subjects with stroke (Berg Balance Scale score${\geq}46$ were twenty-eight, Berg Balance Scale score${\leq}45$ were seventeen) were enrolled in this study. Subjects were asked to perform the Timed Up and Go test. Testing indications included two directions for turning in each subject. These indications were for turning toward the affected and unaffected side in stroke patients. The duration of total analysis duration, sit to stand phase, stand to sit phase, mid-turning phase, and end turning phase were recorded. The obtained data were analyzed by using paired t-test and Wilcoxon signed rank test in the group that are below and above 45 points of Berg Balance Scale score. The significance level was set at ${\alpha}=.05$. Results: There were significant increase time in the analysis duration and end turning phase duration while subjects were turned the unaffected side in stroke patients that presented a Berg Balance Scale score${\leq}45$ (p<.05). However, the comparison between the affected side and the unaffected side in the stroke patients with Berg Balance Scale score${\geq}46$, revealed no significant differences of the measured parameters. Conclusion: This finding should be suggested in the specific definition of turning direction for evaluation with Timed Up and Go test in the Berg Balance Scale score${\leq}45$, and other intervention for hemiplegic patients need to be suggested the direction of turning during walking training program.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.49-57
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of 12-week elastic resistance exercise for the elderly on the magnitude of frequency and variability of ground reaction force signals. To this aim, total 12 elderly women aged in their 70 were participated in this study and asked to do a 12-week elastic resistance exercise program. FFT(fast Fourier Transform) was used to analyze the frequency domain analysis of the ground reaction forces's signals and an accumulative PSD (power spectrum density) normalized by support phase of walking was calculated to reconstruct the certain signals. To estimate the gait stability between the before and after exercise, values of variability were determined in a coefficient of variance. The magnitude of frequency and variability analysis for media-lateral signal revealed significantly less after exercise (p<.05). In contrast, variability of this signal's frequency that have used to evaluate the local stability during walking exhibited significantly greater after exercise(p<.05). In summary, magnitude frequency and variability of media-lateral ground reaction force's signal were significantly changed after a 12-week elastic resistance exercise.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.257-263
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• 2015

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of genu valgum on the body mass index, movement of lower limb joints, and ground reaction force. Methods : Gait patterns of 30 college students with genu valgum were analyzed and the static Q angle of the femur was measured for selecting genu valgum of the subjects. To analyze the kinetic changes during walking, the six-camera Vicon MX motion analysis system was used. The subjects were asked to walk 12 meters using the more comfortable walking method for walking. After they walked 12 meters more than 10 times, their most natural walking patterns were chosen three times and analyzed. Results : As a result of measuring a relationship between genu valgum and Q-angle, as the Q-angle increases, it showed a genu valgum also increased. Body Mass Index showed a significant difference between the groups was higher in the genu valgum group.(p<.001). The analysis result showed that genu valgum had a significant effect on the internal rotation moment in the hip joint(p<.05). Also, genu valgum had a significant effect on the internal rotation moment of the knee joint(p<.05). The comparative analysis of the Medial-Lateral ground reaction force in the genu valgum group showed a tendency to increase the medial ground reaction force(p<.05). The vertical ground reaction forces of the middle of the stance phase(Fz0) showed a significant increase in genu valgum group(p<.05), in particular the results showed a decrease in the early stance phase(p<.001). Conclusion : In conclusion, the change in body mass is considered to be made by proactive regular exercise for improvement of the genu valgum. In addition, the prevention of the deformation caused by secondary of the genu valgum in this study may be used as an indicator of the position alignment rehabilitation for structural and functional improvements. Applying a therapeutic exercise program for the next lap will require changes in posture alignment.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.9
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• pp.1299-1303
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to analyse the gait characteristics of stroke patients walking on a Zebris system, through quantitative three-dimensional biomechanical analysis. They underwent a continuous rehabilitation training program (RTP). A comparison was made between 3 month and 6 month RTP participants. Their ages were between 60 and 65. The data were analyzed by t-test. The result of comparative analysis of the two groups can be summarized as below. Temporal-spatial data, sagittal plane angular kinematics data, and peak ground reaction force and max pressure data showed that there were no significant differences between the 3 month RTP group and the 6month RTP group (Table 2, Table3, Table 4). It can be suggested that patients with hemiplegia after stroke can improve their walking function through continuous RTP participation.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.397-405
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• 2016

Objective: Pilates is a low/mid-intensity exercise that can be easily performed by elderly individuals as it is an individual body-oriented exercise. It is also a cardio workout that can be performed anywhere to develop strength and flexibility. Therefore, we investigated the effects of 8 week Pilates program on the balancing ability of elderly individuals. Method: The research participants were selected from elderly residents in B city. Ten individuals voluntarily signed an agreement to undergo free measurements as well as to participate in the workout program. (Height: $157.1{\pm}11.9cm$, Weight: $61.7{\pm}8.0kg$). The Pilates exercise was performed 60 minutes a day, three times a week for a total of eight weeks. The measurement variables used to test balance were the vestibular test, 5 m habitual and maximum walk test and 3 m tandem walk test. A series of paired t-test were conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics 23.0 to analyze all the research data collected in order to determine the balance ability of the participants before and after the Pilates program. Additionally, the statistically significant level for all analysis was set to ${\alpha}=.05$. Results: In the vestibular test, some meaningful changes were observed in the length envelope area (ENV) while standing on one foot, but there were no significant differences in the ENV, rectangle(REC), root mean square, and total length. Results also revealed that statistically significant differences existed in the 5 m habitual and maximum walk test, as well as the 3 m tandem walk test. Conclusion: To summarize the findings, the 8 week Pilates program employed in this study significantly improved the dynamic balance of the elderly participants. Thus, elderly individuals that frequent perform Pilates are expected to enjoy positive benefits such as increased balance and fewer falling accidents.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.62-72
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• 2023

Objective: Although balance training has been used as an effective ankle injury rehabilitation program to restore neuromuscular deficits in patients with chronic ankle instability, it is not effectively used in terms of motor learning. Attentional focusing can be an effective method for improving ankle kinematics to prevent recurrent ankle injuries. This study aimed to 1) evaluate the effects of attentional focus, including internal and external focus, and 2) determine a more effective focusing method for patients with chronic ankle instability to learn balance tasks. Method: Twenty-four patients with chronic ankle instability were randomly assigned to three groups (external focus, internal focus, and no feedback) and underwent four weeks of progressive balance training. The three-dimensional ankle kinematics of each patient were measured before and after training as the main outcomes. Ensemble curve analysis, discrete point analysis, and post hoc pairwise comparisons were performed to identify interactions between groups and time. Results: The results showed that (1) the external focus group was more dorsiflexed and everted than the internal focus group; (2) the external focus group was more dorsiflexed than the no feedback group; and (3) the no feedback group was more dorsiflexed than the internal focus group. Conclusion: Because dorsiflexion and eversion are ankle motions that oppose the mechanism of lateral ankle sprain, using the external focus method during balance training may be more effective in modifying these motions, thereby reducing the risk of ankle sprain.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.45-54
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• 2018

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of foot strengthening exercise program and functional insoles on joint angle and plantar pressure in elderly women. Thirteen elderly women who were enrolled in a university senior citizens academy of a metropolitan city in 2017 were divided into two groups: exercise group with functional insole (n=7) and exercise group without functional insole (n=6). Method: Three-dimensional motion analysis and Pedar-X were performed to compute the joint angle and the foot plantar pressure, respectively. Two-way repeated measure ANOVA was conducted to compare dependent variables within and between groups. The significance level was set at ${\alpha}=.05$. Results: The range of motion (ROM) of the ankle, knee, and hip joints in the exercise group with functional insole increased significantly more than the exercise group without functional insole. In both the experimental group and the comparison group, the maximum foot plantar pressure and the mean foot plantar pressure were decreased, but the comparison group without functional insole showed more decrease. Since the experimental group demonstrated greater pressure than the comparison group in the contact area (forefoot, midfoot), it was distributed over a greater area. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that participation in foot strengthening exercises and using a functional insole has more positive effects than foot strengthening exercises alone on the joint angle and plantar pressure in elderly women. Increased foot plantar pressure led to an increased contact area (forefoot, midfoot) for distribution of the foot plantar pressure, but the effect of reducing the maximum and average plantar pressures was incomplete. However, wearing functional insoles along with exercise, could help in improving the stability of the joints, by increasing the range of motion, and could help the elderly in movement of the muscles more effectively, leading to an improvement in gait function.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.89-97
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• 2021

PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of coordinative locomotor training on the spine appearance and quality of life of patients with idiopathic scoliosis. METHODS: This study included two patients with idiopathic scoliosis: one with a thoracic and lumbar type scoliosis and the other with thoracic type scoliosis. The study design was a single case study (A-B-A'), with a baseline-intervention/phase-post-intervention. The baseline (A) was designed and measured five times, intervention phase (B) ten times, and post-intervention (A') five times. The coordinative locomotor training program was divided into 10 minutes of warm-up exercise, 30 minutes of the main exercise, and 10 minutes of the finishing exercise, for 50 minutes each time. The primary outcome measurements were measured using the Cobb's angle, Adam's test, and Gait view pro 2.0 to determine the changes in the spine appearance. The secondary outcome measurements were compared before and after using the SRS-22 questionnaire to determine the quality of life of the scoliosis patients. A statistical test analyzed the mean and standard deviation, and the rate of change was presented by a visual analysis method using descriptive statistics and graphs. RESULTS: The findings showed that the spine appearance and quality of life of the two subjects were improved compared to the baseline measurements during the intervention phase, and the improved state was maintained during the post-intervention period. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that coordinative locomotor training may help improve the spine appearance and quality of life of patients with idiopathic scoliosis.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.519-530
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• 1998

In this paper, the basic study on the design of the flexible keel of the energy-storage prosthetic foot was performed in order to Improve the walking performance and Increase the activities of the below knee amputees. Based on the analysis of the anthropometric data and the normal gait on two dimensional sagittal plane available In the literature, we presented a model of the basic structure of the flexible keel of the prosthetic foot. The model of the basic structure was composed of the simple beams, and linear rotational spring and damper. Laminated carbon fiber-reinforced composites were selected as the material of the basic structure model of the flexible keel In order to apply the high strength and light weight materials to the basic structure of the flexible keel of the prosthetic foot. The recoverable strain energy In response to the change of beam shape was calculated bur the finite element analysis and it was suggested that the change of beam shape could be the design variable in flexible keel design. The simulation process was systematically designed by using orthogonal array table in order to design the flexible keel structure which could store the more recoverable strain energy. finite element analysis was carried but according to the design of simulations by using the finite element program ABAQUS and the flexible keel structure of the energy-storage prosthetic foot was obtained from the analysis of variance(ANOVA). The dynamic simulation model of the prosthetic walking using the flexible keel structure was made and the dynamic analysis was carried but during one walk cycle. Based on the above results, an effective design process was presented for the development of the prosthetic fool system.