• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.29-38
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• 2020

Purpose : The purpose of this research was to investigate the effects of barefoot walking on the sandy beach on pain intensity, disability, motor function, sleep satisfaction, and quality of life in the elderly with low back pain (LBP). Methods : A single-blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted involving 32 elderly with LBP who underwent sand walking barefoot (intervention, n=16) or with sneakers (control, n = 16). Both walking methods were carried out for 30 minutes per day, three times a week for four weeks. Pain intensity and disability were assessed using the visual analog scale and Oswestry disability index, respectively. Balance and gait were evaluated using the Berg balance scale and timed up and go test, respectively. Sleep satisfaction was quantified with the Verran and Snyder-Halpern sleep scale. Finally, quality of life was assessed through the WHO quality of life scale's abbreviated Korean version. Results : Compared with the control group, the intervention group showed significant differences in pain intensity (p=.005), disability due to LBP (p=.002), static balance ability (p=.003), dynamic balance ability (p=.002), and sleep satisfaction (p=.017). There was no significant difference in the quality of life between the two groups. Conclusion : Barefoot walking on a sandy beach is significantly effective in improving pain, disability due to LBP, balance ability, and sleep satisfaction in the elderly with LBP. Further studies with larger sample sizes and longer intervention periods must to be conducted to generalize using barefoot walking in LBP management.

• Journal of Sport and Applied Science
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.21-29
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• 2023

Purpose: This study was to investigate the effects of isometric exercise on muscle activity and body balance ability in asymmetrical walkers. Research design, data, and methodology: Twenty gait asymmetry people were divided to unilateral exercise group (UG, n=10) and bilateral exercise group (BG, n=10). UG were performed unilateral exercise for 60 minutes, three times a week, and 16 weeks, and BG were performed one side and then the other side alternately for 60 minutes, three times a week, and 16 weeks. Muscle activity and body balance ability were measured before, after 4 and 16 weeks isometric exercise. Moreover, SI (symmetry index; SI) was calculated from the measured value of SL (step length). Statistical analyses were conducted using one-way ANOVA and two-way ANOVA with repeated measures, a paired t-test, and multiple comparisons according to Scheffe. Results: In the muscle activity, ST decreased significantly in short step length(S-SL) and BG of LS compared to before isometric exercise(p<.05), and GCM decreased significantly in BG of S-SL(p<.05). As for body balance ability, the mSEBT-A difference between L-SL and S-SL was decreased significantly in UG(p<.05). And the respective total scores of L-SL and S-SL, mSEBT-PM and mSEBT-PL were increased significantly in BG(p<.05). Conclusions: As a result, in this study above, it was confirmed that isometric exercise improved muscle activity and body balance ability in asymmetrical walkers.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.951-959
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• 2022

Objectives: The aim of this study is to describe the effects of treatment with traditional Korean medicine on a patient with multiple cerebral infarction caused by posterior cerebral artery occlusion. Methods: The patient was treated with herbal medicine (Yikgeebohyul-tang) and acupuncture. The effects of these treatments were evaluated using the Manual Muscle Test, the Korean version of the Modified Barthel Index, the Modified Rankin scale, and a subjective percentage of sensation in the left lower extremity and face. Results: After treatment, the Modified Rankin Scale score, subjective percentage of sensation in the left lower extremity, and gait disturbance improved. Conclusion: The results suggest that traditional Korean medicine may be effective for treating the symptoms of multiple cerebral infarction caused by posterior cerebral artery occlusion.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.417-430
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of weight-bearing training with an elastic band during functional electrical stimulation (FES) on walking and balance functions in stroke patients. Methods: Twenty patients with chronic stroke were divided into an experimental group assigned to weight-bearing training with an elastic band during functional electrical stimulation (FES; n=10) and a control group assigned to weight-bearing training alone during FES (n=10). The patients in both groups attended physical therapy sessions five times a week for four consecutive weeks. The experimental group underwent weight-bearing training with an elastic band during FES five times a week for four weeks. The control group underwent weight-bearing training during FES. Balance parameters were measured before and after the intervention using the Balancia program. Moreover, all patients were evaluated using the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), the Time Up and Go Test (TUGT), and the Wisconsin Gait Scale (WGS) before and after each intervention. Results: The results showed that weight-bearing training with elastic bands during FES and weight-bearing training during FES had a significant effect on the affected side's weight-bearing ratio, BBS, TUGT, and WGS in both groups (p <0.05). Additionally, the results showed that the changes observed in the two groups indicate significant differences in path length, average speed, BBS score, TUGT time, and WGS score between the groups (p < 0.05). Conclusion: In patients with stroke, weight-bearing training with an elastic band during FES affected on walking and balance. Therefore, it is an optional intervention for the balance and walking ability of stroke patients.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.1-13
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• 2023

Purpose : Along with the rapid development of digital technology, the application of digital healthcare in the medical field is also increasing. According to many experts, increasing the amount of exercise and physical activity is a helpful way to prevent and manage physical problems in modern society. However, a lack of exercise, which is of the lifestyle of modern people, leads to the development of various diseases. This study aimed to examine the effects of digital exercise intervention using artificial intelligence (AI) on the physical abilities of adults whether digital exercise intervention can be a reliable and effective therapeutic option for musculoskeletal disorders in real-world clinical settings. Methods : In this study, exercise was conducted using a digital application to investigate the effects of an AI-based digital exercise intervention on the physical abilities of adults. A total of 13 adults were evaluated, and their physical abilities before and after the exercise intervention were compared. Hand-grip strength, functional leg muscle strength, dynamic balance, and quadriceps muscle strength were assessed. Exercise was performed using a digital application and in a non-face-to-face manner. AI identified the exercise status of each participant and adjusted the exercise difficulty level accordingly. The exercised daily for 4 weeks. Results : A total of 12 participants were analyzed for the final results. Significant improvements were observed in hand-grip strength, functional leg muscle strength (evaluated using the stand-up test), dynamic balance, and straight-gait ability (p<.05), indicating an increase in the overall muscular strength and physical function of the participants. Conclusions : Digital exercise intervention using AI is effective in improving physical abilities related to musculoskeletal function. It can be useful in clinical practice as an effective treatment option for patients with musculoskeletal disorders or muscle weakness.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.1118-1138
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• 2023

Objectives: Sarcopenia is an age-associated skeletal muscle disorder that can profoundly impact the health of elderly people. However, the efficacy of herbal medicine in sarcopenia is uncertain. This review aims to investigate evidence of the effect of herbal medicine on sarcopenia. Methods: We systematically searched 12 electronic databases for relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Only trials that met the inclusion criteria were selected, and the characteristics of the included studies were extracted and synthesized in a narrative manner. The quality of the included studies was assessed using Cochrane's Risk of Bias (RoB) 2.0 tool. Results: 7 RCTs involving 672 participants with sarcopenia met the inclusion criteria. The intervention combining herbal medicine and conventional treatment (i.e., exercise, nutritional support) had a significant therapeutic effect compared with the conventional treatment, showing improvement in muscle strength (i.e., grip strength), muscle mass (i.e., appendicular skeletal muscle mass index), and physical function (i.e., gait speed, short physical performance battery, and timed up and go test). However, the methodological quality of the included RCTs was relatively low due to their high RoB, making it difficult to evaluate the efficacy of herbal medicine in sarcopenia. In terms of safety, several adverse events were reported. Conclusion: This review suggests that herbal medicine has a positive effect on muscle strength, muscle mass, and physical performance in elderly patients with sarcopenia, but there is a clear need for further research in this area.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.84 no.3
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• pp.745-749
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• 2023

Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker (GSS) disease is a rare hereditary prion disease which is clinically characterized by a progressive cerebellar ataxia followed by cognitive impairment. We report a rare case of GSS disease in a 39-year-old male patient who complained of a progressive gait disturbance followed by dysarthria with cognitive impairment, after five months from the onset of initial symptom. His brain MRI scan revealed multifocal symmetric diffusion restricted lesions with T2/FLAIR hyperintensities in bilateral cerebral cortices, basal ganglia, and thalami. His family members also manifested similar symptoms in their 40-50s, suggesting the possibility of a genetic disease. Finally, he was genetically diagnosed with GSS disease by real-time quaking-induced conversion and prion protein (PRNP) gene sequencing test.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.804-810
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to apply treadmill training through motor learning to cerebral palsy children and examine its effects on their motor Functions and balance. The subjects of this study were 16 spastic diplegia children who had difficulty in independent gait, and GMFCS level III, IV. The participant's were allocated randomy to 2 groups: a motor learning group(n=8) and the control group(n=8), Both groups received muscle strengthening exercise for 3 session, 30 minutes per week over 7 weeks period. Data collected from the 16 spastic diplegia children the results were as follows. The motor learning group showed significant increase in motor function(p<.05). The motor learning group showed significant increase in balance(p<.05). Between motor learning group and control group, motor functions and balance was a statistically significant difference(p<.05).

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.562-568
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• 2016

This study to investigated the therapeutic effect of robot-assisted rehabilitation (Lokomat) with virtual reality (VR) on Pusher syndrome (PS) after stroke. A total of 10 patients presented with PS after stroke were recruited. The participants were divided into two groups: Lokomat (n=5) and control groups (n=5). Lokomat and conventional physical therapy (CPT) were performed together in the experimental group, and the patients in the control group were treated with CPT only twice a day. One session of intervention was carried out for 30 minutes five times per week for 4 weeks. Scale for contraversive pushing (SCP), Berg balance scale (BBS), falling index (FI), and Timed up and go test (TUG) were measured before and after the intervention. The Lokomat group produced significantly better outcomes in SCP (p=0.046), BBS (p=0.046), FI (p=0.038), and TUG (p=0.038) compared with the control group after 4 weeks of intervention. In addition, there were significant correlations between SCP and BBS (p=0.024), FI (p=0.039), and TUG (p=0.030). In conclusion, Lokomat with VR more effectively aided recovery from PS after stroke, and restoration of PS symptoms was related with improvement of balance and gait function.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.787-797
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• 2022

The purpose of this study was to confirm the reduction of pain and symptom relief of Parkinson's disease by vertically stimulating the spine through the application of a mechanical bed capable of thermal and massage stimulation. For this purpose, after confirming the segmental motion of the spine due to the use of a medical combination stimulation bed for Parkinson's disease patients, VAS, ODI, gait ability, and spiral drawing tests were performed, and the relationship between the variables was identified. In the 10-day visual analog scale and evaluation of low back pain dysfunction, the average trend of decreasing after bed use was confirmed. For walking ability, a decrease in the moving time and an increase in the moving distance were observed. In the spiral drawing test, the mean test time after using bed was significantly lower than before. As a result, it suggested the possibility of using it as an auxiliary method for recovery and pain relief of Parkinson's disease patients due to spinal segmental movement with mechanical heating and massage. However, this study is a preliminary study, and there is a small number of subjects, so additional research is needed that considers the number and condition of future subjects in detail.