• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.43-51
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• 2011

Balance is a complex motor skill that depends on interactions between multiple sensorimotor processes and environmental and functional contexts. Many rehabilitation specialists believe that balance assessment under multitask conditions may be a more sensitive indicator of balance problems and falls than balance assessment in a single-task context. Functional Gait Assessment has many tasks that allow for testing under multitask conditions. The purpose of this study was to determine the concurrent validity between the Functional Gait Assessment (FGA), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and Timed "Up & Go" Test (TUG) in patients with stroke. One hundred and five participants with at least 3 months post stroke and able to walk at least 6 m with or without a mono cane, participated in this study. Concurrent validity between the FGA, BBS, and TUG was assessed using Spearman rank order correlation. The FGA correlated with the BBS (r=.80, p<.01) and TUG (r=-.77, p<.01). The good and moderate correlation between the FGA, BBS, and TUG establishes the concurrent validity of the FGA in patients with stroke. These measures provide clinicians with valuable information about patients' functional balance capabilities.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.39-45
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine changes in functional assessment measures (FAMs) and spatiotemporal gait parameters (STGPs) in healthy older adults before and after a 6-week intervention of a proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) training program. Methods: Thirty healthy older adults (mean age: $73.37{\pm}1.21$ age range: 65-79) were randomly assigned either to an experimental group (participating in a 6-week intervention of PNF training) or a control group (only performing daily activities). Participants in the control group did not receive any training program. Performance was assessed by recording changes in the FAMs and STGPs using functional assessment tools and GAITRite. Results: Participants in the PNF group showed significantly improved functional assessment measures and increased stride length, cadence, velocity, and step width (p<0.05). No significant differences in FAMs and STGPs were found in the control group (p>0.05). Conclusion: Participation in a PNF training program improves FAMs and STGPs, thereby increasing the ability of healthy older adults to maintain dynamic balance during functional performance and gait. These findings support the use of PNF training programs as effective fall-prevention programs for the elderly.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.49-57
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• 2015

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the effect of emphasized initial contact gait training on balance and gait ability in hemiplegia patients. METHODS: Twenty-four hemiplegic patients were randomly allocated to an experimental group or control group. All participants received 30-min neurodevelopmental treatment. Furthermore, the experimental group received initial contact-emphasized auditory feedback gait training, whereas the control group received gait training without auditory feedback. The intervention was performed 3 times per week, 20 min per each time, for a total of 6 weeks. Balance was assessed using the center of pressure path length, center of pressure velocity, and limitation of stability path length, whereas gait ability was assessed using the 10-m walking test and functional gait assessment. RESULTS: In both groups, center of pressure path length and center of pressure velocity significantly decreased after training. Compared to the control group, the experimental group showed a 10% significant improvement (p<.05). In the limitation of stability path length of both sides, the experimental group showed a significant increase compared to that before intervention. Compared to the control group, the experimental group showed a 7% significant improvement in results of the 10-m walking test and functional gait assessment (p<.05). CONCLUSION: Emphasized Initial contact gait training is considered an effective treatment for improving gait ability and balance ability in stroke patients.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.303-306
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• 2017

Purpose: Gait variability is defined as the intrinsic fluctuations which occur during continuous gait cycles. Increased gait variability is closely associated with increased fall risk in older adults. This study investigated the influence of attention-demanding tasks on gait variability in elderly healthy adults. Methods: We recruited 15 healthy elderly adults in this study. All participants performed two cognitive tasks: a subtraction dual-task (SDT) and working memory dual-task (WMDT) during gait plus one normal gait. Using the $LEGSys^+$ system, we measured the coefficient of variation (CV %=$100{\times}$[standard deviation/mean]) for participants' stride time, stride length, and stride velocity. Results: SDT gait showed significant increment of stride time variability compared with usual gait (p<0.05), however, stride length and velocity variability did not difference between SDT gait and usual gait (p>0.05). WMDT gait showed significant increment of stride time and velocity variability compared with usual gait (p<0.05). In addition, stride time variability during WMDT gait also significantly increased compared with SDT gait (p<0.05). Conclusion: We reported that SDT and WMDT gait can induce the increment of the gait variability in elderly adults. We assume that attention demanding task based on working memory has the most influence on the interference between cognitive and gait function. Understanding the changes during dual task gait in older ages would be helpful for physical intervention strategies and improved risk assessment.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.91-97
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• 2015

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of the removable ankle-foot orthosis (RAFO) which was developed to improve the gait of stroke patients. The subjects of this study were five stroke patients who agreed to participate in this study by signing a written consent form. To verify gait improvement after wearing the orthosis, a Timed Up and Go test and Functional Gait Assessment were performed, and spatiotemporal gait variables such as gait speed, cadence, stride length, double limb support, and the efficient gait test of body sway angle were performed. For every variable, the differences prior to and after wearing the RAFO were compared using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Every gait variable improved significantly after wearing the RAFO compared to prior to wearing it. The pilot study will enhance future efforts to evaluate orthotic function objectively during gait in stroke patients.

• The Journal of the Korean bone and joint tumor society
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.51-58
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• 2012

Purpose: This study attempts to know functional results and gait analysis usefulness in patients with bone tumor around knee joint tumors who underwent prosthesis knee joint reconstruction. Materials and Methods: Retrospective study was conducted with 7 patients out of 30 patients who underwent prosthesis knee joint reconstruction after wide marginal excision for bone tumor around knee in orthopedics of this hospital from 2001 to 2010. Functional assessment and gait analysis were perforemed. Results: For the SF-36 score, while 'role physical' and 'role emotional' items showed 100% (100 points) high scores individually, general health, physical function, vitality, and social function showed low scores. The mean score of MSTS was 88.1% (23.8 points [17-27]), indicating a relatively high score. For the gait analysis, mean gait velocity was 97.2 m/s, mean cadence was 105.6 step/min, mean stride length was 111.3 m, mean step length was 61.5 cm, swing phase was 39.8%cycle, stance phase was 60.1%cycle, mean single limb support was 37.1%cycle, mean double limb support was 13.0%cycle, and mean push off was 60.7%cycle. Conclusion: It is expected that prosthesis reconstruction after wide marginal excision for bone tumor around knee has relatively good functional results. Gait analysis was considered one of method which showed gait phase and assessed functional ability objectively by quantitative assessment post operative patient condition. It might help treatment and post operative rehabilitation planning with the functional assessment.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.364-368
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• 2015

Purpose: Walking in the dual-task condition is a critical skill for hemiplegic patients to live in real-life situations. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of dual-task gait training and general gait training on gait parameters and cognitive function in patients with chronic stroke during dual-task walking. Methods: The study included 23 patients with chronic hemiparetic stroke who were randomly divided into experimental (dual-task gait training) and control (general walking training) groups. The 11 subjects in the experimental group and nine subjects in the control group received dual-task gait training (walking while handling a ball, crossing obstacles, picking up various objects, and problem solving simple cognitive tasks and general over-ground gait training, respectively, for 30 minutes per day 5 days per week for 4 weeks. Spatiotemporal parameters and cognitive tasks in the dual-task gait condition were measured. Statistical analysis of the changes between the pre- and post-intervention measurement variables was performed using ANCOVA. Results: In the gait condition under cognitive tasks, the changes pre- and post-intervention in gait velocity, stride length, double support limb, and step symmetry were significantly greater in the dual-task gait training group; however, the dual-task gait training group showed no significant improvement compared to the general gait training group in terms of the assessment of cognitive tasks. Conclusion: The findings suggest that dual-task gait training may be beneficial for walking ability in dual-task walking condition.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.385-394
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• 2010

Purpose : The present study was to examine the difference and severity of asymmetry in independently ambulating stroke survivors and to establish the association between gait asymmetry, velocity, and the motor function of lower extremity. Methods : The subjects used in this study were 43 subjects with hemiparesis being able to walk independently. Motor function of lower extremity was measured clinically with the Fugl Meyer-Lower /Extremity Assessment. Overground gait velocity and spatia-temporal parameters were collected by the GAITRite system. Results : Thirty(69.77%) patients showed statistically significant temporal asymmetry while 28(65.1%) exhibited statistically significant spatial asymmetry. One-way ANOVA results showed a main effect of temporal asymmetry group(normative, mild, severe) for gait velocity(F=74.129), FM-L/E(F=17.270), swing-stance symmetry(F=66.869, F=13.485, respectively), spatio-temporal asymmetry(F=13.166, F=31.800, respectively) 66, F=31.800, respectively). Gait velocity was negatively associated with temporal asymmetry(r=-.83), spatial asymmetry(r=-.60). Motor function of lower extremity was also associated with temporal asymmetry(r=-.58), and spatial asymmetry(r=-.50). Conclusion : The study attempted to establish the standard assessment of hemiparesis gait symmetry in light of the complex relationship with motor impairment and gait velocity. More future work will need to link the degree of gait asymmetry to clinically relevant outcomes to better establish the clinical significance of such observations.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.105-114
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• 2021

Intra-articular injection of ELHLD peptide is considered to have a therapeutic effect in osteoarthritis (OA) through the inhibition of transforming growth factor-β1. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of intra-articular injections of high-dose ELHLD peptide (100 ㎍/kg) in canine stifle OA. Six client-owned dogs diagnosed with stifle OA were included. Selected dogs were treated with an intra-articular injection of high-dose ELHLD peptide (100 ㎍/kg). Outcome measures, including orthopedic examination, gait analysis, and Canine Brief Pain Inventory (CBPI) score, were evaluated four times after injection. Orthopedic examination, gait analysis, and owner's assessment (CBPI) improved significantly from 4 weeks after injection. In conclusion, we obtained sufficient evidence from this small sample that high-dose ELHLD peptide improves clinical signs of canine OA not only through subjective assessment but also through objective evaluation.

• 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.