• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.279-285
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• 2019

Purpose: This study examined the effects of spinal stabilization exercises using visual feedback on the gross motor function and balance of the sitting posture in children with cerebral palsy. Methods: The subjects were 18 children with cerebral palsy aged 8-15 years in the I-III stages of the Gross Motor Function Classification System. The subjects were divided into an experimental group (n=9) and control group (n=9). The experimental group was treated with 30 minutes of neurodevelopmental treatment and 20 minutes of spinal stabilization exercises using visual feedback. The control group was treated with 30 minutes of neurodevelopmental treatment and 20 minutes of spinal stabilization exercises without visual feedback. Both groups participated in the experiment twice a week for eight weeks. The Gross Motor Function Measurement was performed to evaluate the changes between pre- and the post-intervention in gross motor function. The Seated Limit of Stability Surface Area was measured to evaluate the changes in trunk balance. Results: Both experimental and control groups showed a significant increase in the gross motor function and trunk balance (p<0.05). The experimental group showed a significant increase in gross motor function compared to the control group (p<0.05). The experimental group showed a significant increase in the dynamic trunk balance in all directions when measuring the Seated Limit of Stability Surface Area (p<0.05). Conclusion: Spinal stabilization exercises using visual feedback for the neurodevelopmental treatment of children with cerebral palsy can improve their gross motor function and trunk balance when in a sitting posture more effectively.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.281-288
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• 2010

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to examine the correlation between Pediatric Balance Scale(PBS) and Gross Motor Function Measurement(GMFM) with cerebral palsy(CP) children. Methods : 31 ambulatory children with CP were recruited for this study. PBS is a modified version of the Berg’s Balance Scale to access the children with motor impairments. To access the motor functions that directly influence to the functional independence of the ambulatory CP children, total scores of standing category and walking/running/jumping category of GMFM were selectively compared with PBS score by Spearman correlation coefficient analysis. Results : The results revealed high correlation between PBS and GMFM scores both in standing and walking/running/jumping categories(r=.9). Conclusions : Therefore, this study indicates that PBS can be applied not only as a tool to access balance, but also as a measurement to predict and access the level of standing and ambulatory related functions of children with CP.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.213-221
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• 2012

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Vojta therapy on Gross Motor Function Measurement(GMFM) and Selective Voluntary Motor Control (SVMC) in children with Spastic diplegia. Methods : During this experiment, the subject of four children diagnosed with spastic diplegia was tested using ABA design for Single-subject Experimental Research Design. The procedure consisted of baseline, intervention and follow-up phase which was held thirty minutes each for three times a week for a total of 24 times. Gross motor function was measured using GMFM and selective voluntary motor control was measured using SCALE. Results : According to this study, the gross motor function and selective voluntary motor control of all subjects were improved from their intervention phase to their baseline phase. During the follow phase which the intervention was removed, the ability that was enhanced during the prior phases was still either maintained or only reduced slightly. Conclusion : The Vojta therapy used on children diagnosed with spastic diplegia was effective on both GMFM and SVMC. In other words, the therapy was effective on coordination. However, this study is difficult to be generalized due to the insufficient number of subject. In further studies, it will be necessary to increase the number of trials with a control group in order to generalize the effectiveness of Vojta therapy.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.79-86
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• 2008

Background: The purpose of this study was to present a practical method of medical treatment to improve the balance and motor ability of the mentally retarded child with a single mentally retarded child-subject. Methods: The subject of the study was a 39-month-old mentally retarded female. This study included a 2-week basic period and a 13-week treatment period. The treatment method was based on the Bobath Approach. Gross motor function measurement (GMFM) was used to examine changes in motor ability, and the Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS) was used to measure changes in balance ability. The curative program was composed of normalization of muscle tone, strengthening of leg endurance and muscular strength, the improvement of trunk alignment, and the increase of balance. Visual rate of change was used to examine the results. Results: As a result of this study, balance ability increased on the Pediatric Balance Scale (PBS) by 24 points, and motor function increased in terms of Gross Motor Function Measurement (GMFM) by 6.9% (18 points). Standing increased by 41% (16 points), and walking, running, and jumping increased by 31.9% (23 points) compared to thebasic period. Therefore, the Bobath Approach appears to be an appropriate method to improve balance and motor ability in mentally retarded children. Conclusion: It is surmised that aggressive intervention by physical therapists and occupational therapists, and a follow-up study, are required for the growth of motor ability in mentally retarded children.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.425-429
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• 2015

Purpose: This study was to identify the whether there is any correlation between Gross Motor Function Measures (GMFM) and Functional independence Measurement for children (WeeFIM) in order to identify a relevance of daily life motor with gross motor function of children with cerebral palsy. Methods: Subjects were instructed to evaluated by an occupational therapist using WeeFIM (reliability 0.83-0.99) and by a physical therapist using GMFM (reliability 0.93). 10 male children and 13 female children among 23 children being diagnosed as cerebral palsy were targeted for this study. A correlation between GMFM and WeeFIM was analyzed with Kendall correlation. Results: Participants showed significant correlation between GMFM and WeeFIM in all categories, except in the GMFM's walking running jumping category, standing category of GMFM and self care, sphincter control, communication category of WeeFIM. Lying rolling and sitting and crawling kneeling area of GMFM showed a significant correlation with self care(r=0.35, 0.39, 0.4), sphincter control (r=0.45, 0.43, 0.61), mobility transfer (r=0.44, 0.36, 0.64), locomotion (r=0.41, 0.35, 0.74), communication (r=0.4, 0.44, 0.51), and social cognition (r=0.43, 0.51, 0.64) area of WeeFIM (p<0.05). Standing of GMFM and mobility transfer (r=0.74), locomotion (r=0.47) and social cognition (r=0.4) area of WeeFIM showed a significant correlation (p<0.05). Conclusion: These findings indicated significant correlation between activity of daily living (ADL) and gross motor function of children with cerebral palsy. However, because there are a few results that are not significant, both assessment tools should be used for evaluations so that treatment can be achieved with an accurate assessment and establish a therapeutic plan.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Sensory Integration
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.11-20
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• 2012

Objective : The purpose of this study is intended to provide useful information about the disability evaluation indicators, the Modified Barthel Index (MBI) as a measurement tool for assessing the ability to perform activities of daily living through the correlation between the Modified Barthel Index (MBI) and the Manual Ability Classification System (MACS), and Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). Methods : The subject was 82 children with cerebral palsy. The validity was aexamined by calculation of correlation between the Modified Barthel Index (MBI), the Manual Ability Classification System (MACS) and Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS). Results : There were a good significant correlation between the MBI and MACS (r = -.765, p <0.001), the MBI and the GMFCS (r = -.851, p < 0.001) and the MACS and the GMFCS (r = .615, p <0.001). Conclusion : The close correlation between the MBI that is used as the basis of grading cerebral palsy and high reliability and validity of the MACS, GMFCS suggest that disability evaluation indicators, the MBI could be useful for children with disabilities.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.79-84
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• 2017

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to examine how task-oriented training focused on lower extremity strengthening can affect mobility function and postural stability. METHODS: The study's subjects included 10 children with cerebral palsy: 7 girls and 3 boys between the ages of 4 and 9 whose Gross Motor Functional Classification System (GMFCS) level was I or II. Their functional mobility was gauged using the Gross Motor Function Measurement (GMFM), and their postural stability was evaluated using a force platform. Participants received task-oriented training focused on lower extremity strengthening for 5 weeks. The study used a paired t-test to investigate the difference in mobility function and postural stability of children with cerebral palsy before and after the lower extremity strengthening exercise. RESULTS: The GMFM dimensions D (standing) (p<.02) and E (walking) (p<.001) improved significantly between the pre-test and post-test. A significant increase in the posturographic center of pressure (CoP) shift and surface area of the CoP were found overall between the pre-test and post-test (p<.001). CONCLUSION: The present study provides evidence that an 8-week task-oriented training focused on strengthening the lower extremities is an effective and feasible strategy for improving the mobility function and postural stability of children with cerebral palsy.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.63-70
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• 2004

These were two main purposes of this study. The first was to research the relevance between gross motor function measurement (GMFM) and the spatiotemporal parameters of gait in children with cerebral palsy. The second was to research the relevance between gross motor performance measure (GMPM) and the spatiotemporal gait parameters. Twelve children ($6.0{\pm}1.8$ years) with cerebral palsy participated in this study. GMFM and GMPM were performed and the spatiotemporal parameters of gait were measured by using WalkWay MG-1000. There were no significant correlations between the GMFM score and the stride length, step length, step width, cadence, and velocity (p>.05). The GMPM score also had no significant correlation with the spatiotemporal gait parameter (p>.05).

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.81-90
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• 2012

The aim of the current study was to assess the effectiveness of backward gait training on the treadmill in patients with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy (CP). Twelve patients with spastic diplegic CP participated in the study. An 8-week course of backward gait training was administered to the subjects for 3 days per week. Pre-intervention and post-intervention assessments of temporal-spatial gait parameters, the symmetry of the bilateral lower extremity weight bearing, and gross motor function were analyzed using motion analysis system, force plate, and Gross Motor Function Measurement (GMFM). There were significant improvements (p<.05) in the measures of both step length and right stance phase time. Joint kinematics showed increase in right hip abduction in initial contact and terminal swing, right hip external rotation and knee flexion in mid-swing, left ankle dorsiflexion in initial contact and terminal swing (p<.05). The symmetry of the bilateral lower extremity weight bearing and GMFM also significantly increased (p<.05). These findings indicate that backward gait training using a treadmill is beneficial for patients with spastic diplegic CP.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.40-47
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• 2010

The purposes of this study were to compare the reliability and validity of an 88-item version of the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM-88) and a 66-item version of GMFM (GMFM-66) in children with cerebral palsy (CP). The GMFM was completed in 154 children with CP (age range = 6~12). The internal consistency of the GMFM was calculated by Cronbach's ${\alpha}$ for judging reliability. The reliability of GMFM-88 and GMFM-66 were both above .99. The validity of measurement obtained by the GMFM was assessed by examining the unidimensionality of items and by comparing Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels with tests of the GMFM. Both the GMFM-88 and GMFM-66 were satisfied with unidimensionality. Discriminant validity was demonstrated on significant decreases in scores with increasing GMFCS levels in both measurements. However, GMFM-66 was a more sensitive discriminant in GMFCS level 1 and level 2 and in level 2 and level 4. This study reported a comparison of the reliability and validity of GMFM-88 and GMFM-66. The results of this study have implications for the information on the psychometric properties of two versions of GMFCS. This information will be useful for the selection of tools in clinics.