• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.444-451
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in temporospatial variables in healthy elderly and healthy adults during usual walking, narrow base walking and centerline-guided walking. Twenty healthy elderly and nineteen healthy adults were participated in this study. In each conditions, the subjects were walked on a 6m walkway at comfortable self-selected speeds under three conditions : (1) usual walking, (2) walking within a 50% of the distance between the subject's ASIS (3) walking along a centerline. GAITRite system was used for kinematic analysis to assess the temporospatial variables. There were no significant changes in healthy adults(p>.05), but walking speed, cadence, H-H base support, functional ambulation performance were significantly decreased progressively as pathway narrowed in elderly adults(p<.05). The results show that elderly people had more difficulty with walking on narrow pathway for fear of falling. This study provides data for use in basic research into safe walking and preventing falling for elderly.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.63-73
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• 2020

Purpose: To investigate breathing-related changes in the balance ability of healthy adults. Methods: The participants were 36 healthy adults in their 20s and 30s. All participants were trained in three breathing (neutral, thoracic, and abdominal) methods one week before measurements. We used AccuSway to measure each participant's balance ability, using each breathing technique, in two postures (bipedal and unipedal). Results: During the bipedal balance task, abdominal breathing produced significant increases in path length and sway velocity. Abdominal breathing resulted in significant changes in sample entropy at the anteroposterior location compared with neutral breathing (p<.05). In the normalized anteroposterior location, there were significant changes in backward movement during thoracic and abdominal breathing compared with those during neutral breathing (p<.05). During the unipedal balance task, path length and sway velocity increased significantly during voluntary breathing compared with those during neutral breathing (p<.05). There was a significant change in backward movement when abdominal breathing-compared with neutral breathing-was used in the normalized anteroposterior location (p<.05). In the normalized left-right location, there was a significant shift to the right during thoracic breathing compared with that during neutral breathing (p<.05). Conclusion: Compared with neutral breathing, altered voluntary breathing patterns affect balance in healthy adults. Our results indicated that that static balance was more affected by abdominal breathing than by neutral breathing. Future studies should examine variables such as the breathing volume, rhythm, and method.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.223-228
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• 2010

This study investigated the closed quotient and other voice quality parameters using electroglottography (EGG) in sustaining the vowel /a/ and reading a sentence at the comfortable pitch and loudness in healthy Korean adults. Seventy two healthy adults (36 men, 36 women) aged 20~40 years were included in the study. The tasks were recorded and analyzed using Lx Speech Studio. In vowel sustaining task, closed quotient (Qx), fundamental frequency (Fx), sound pressure level (SPL), Jitter, and Shimmer were measured. In sentence reading task, closed quotient (DQx), fundamental frequency (DFx), and sound pressure level (DAx) were measured. The sex effects were observed on Qx, Fx, Shimmer, DQx, and DFx. Men had significantly higher Qx and DQx than women, but had significantly lower Shimmer than women. However, there was no sex effect on Jitter. The task effects on Qx and SPL as well as DQx and DAx were also assessed. Qx and SPL were significantly higher than DQx and DAx in both gender. This study showed that the closed quotients in both vowel sustaining and sentence reading tasks were significantly related to other voice quality parameters. Therefore, clinicians and researchers should describe the voice quality parameters like fundamental frequency, sound pressure level, Jitter, Shimmer, and so on when reporting closed quotients using EGG.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.169-176
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• 2008

Purpose : Tandem stance is a clinical measure of standing balance considered to assess postural steadiness in a heel-to-toe position by a temporal measurement. The aim of this study is to investigate postural steadiness and to explore the weight distribution between legs during 25s of quiet stance and tandem stance(right foot was leading) in healthy young adults. Methods : 107 healthy young adults(mean age 21.1 years) are participated. Weight distribution beneath both feet and sway distance were recorded while the subjects performed 25s of quiet stance and tandem stance. Results : Subjects placed more weight on the rear leg in tandem stance and on the left foot in quiet stance. So, quiet stance and tandem stance is not a task for equal weight bearing. Subjects show larger sway distance in anteroposterior direction of tandem stance than quiet stance. Conclusion : The results of this study will be useful to researchers and clinicians using tandem stance measures to evaluate postural steadiness and to predict fall. The results suggest that tandem stance is useful to treat of weight distribution and to improve of balace in elderly adults and stroke patients.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.111-116
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• 2019

Purpose: This study examined the effects of horse riding simulator exercise on the thickness changes in the transverse abdominis in normal adults. Methods: Forty-five healthy adults were recruited and randomized to a horseback riding simulation exercise group (n=15), a sling exercise group (n=15), and a trunk stabilization exercise group (n=15). A horseback riding simulator offers the indoor experience of horseback riding and mimics the rhythmic movement of horseback riding, thereby provided a virtual environment, such as riding a real horse on the front screen. The velocity of the horse riding simulator exercise was regulated within the subject's ability to control the exercise on the horse riding simulator. A sling exercise group performed sling exercise under the inspection of the experimenter. In the trunk stabilization exercise group, the subjects were instructed to perform the exercise accurately and pause the session when pain occurred during the intervention. The subjects in each group carried out the interventions three times per week for six weeks. The thickness of the transverse abdominis was measured using a pressure biofeedback unit and the ultrasound. Results: Significant differences in the thickness of transverse abdominis within the groups were observed between before and after the interventions. On the other hand, there were no differences in the parameters among the groups. Conclusion: Horse riding simulator exercise can be an alternative to trunk stabilization exercise by increasing the thickness of the transverse abdominis in healthy adults.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2021

Background: This study is goal to explore the effects of swiss ball exercise on muscular strength, flexibility, and balance in healthy adults with and without pelvic compression belts. Design: Randomized Controlled Trial. Methods: This study randomly divided the experimental and control groups in 24 healthy adults wearing pelvic compression belts, and they conducted Swiss ball exercise programs, 5 times for 40 minutes a week during 3 weeks in conclusion 15 times. Results: The results showed that the experimental groups have increased significantly in muscle strength and flexibility (p<.05). Conclusion: This study showed that pelvic compression belts and Swiss ball exercise programs will help health improvements such as muscle strength, flexibility, and balance in normal adults, and it is also thought to be worth applying to patients with back pain.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.61-67
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• 2018

Background: The purpose of this study is to report the effect of balance training through various ankle inclination on dynamic balance in healthy adults. Methods: This study was participated in 20 healthy subjects. Twenty healthy adults were randomly divided into 10 ankle inclination group and 10 flat group, 3 kinds of exercised were performed in $30^{\circ}$ of the plantar flexion, $0^{\circ}$ of the neutral angle and $30^{\circ}$ of the dorsiflexion. Above 3 kinds of exercises were also performed in the flat group. Dynamic balance of each group was evaluated using a Figure-of-8 hop test, Up-down hop test, and Functional reach test before and after the experiment. Results: In the ankle inclination, the post-experiment showed a significant difference in Figure-of-8 hop test, Up-down hop test, and Functional reach test in comparison to pre-experiment(p<.05). Conclusion: The exercise applied in the ankle inclination is effective in improvement of the dynamic balance.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.1-8
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• 2021

Background: Chronic neck pain (CNP) is associated with weakness in the deep neck flexor muscles, a shortening of the neck extensors, and a reduction in endurance. In addition, muscle imbalance can lead to neck pain and musculoskeletal dysfunction. This study compared neck extensor muscle fatigue, muscle strength, and muscle endurance time between patients with CNP and healthy adults during isometric neck extension. Methods: Thirty participants (15 patients with CNP and 15 healthy adults) were recruited in this research. The outcome measures included splenius capitis (SC) muscle fatigue, isometric neck extensor strength, and muscle endurance. The independent T-test was used to compare the continuous dependent variables between the CNP group and the healthy group. Results: The independent T-test indicated that muscle fatigue in the left SC differed significantly between the CNP group and the healthy group. A significant difference was also noted in the isometric neck extensor and neck extensor strength between the groups. Conclusion: Our results provided promising clinical evidence that patients with CLP have reduced neck extensor strength and endurance and increased SC muscle fatigue, which results in neck pain.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.1 s.31
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• pp.345-360
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• 1996

Background and Purpose: To evaluate the blood flow velocity using doppler ultrasound of the carotid artery, vertebral artery, and basilar artery in stroke patients Material and Methods: To evaluate the blood flow, I measured the peak systolic velocity and mean velocity of the common carotid artery(CCA), internal carotid artery(ICA), external carotid artery (ECA). vertebral artery(VA), and basilar artery(BA) in 44 stroke patients and 15 healthy adults. To investigate the difference between ischemic stroke patients and normal healthy adults, I selected 44 ischemic stroke patients diagnosed by brain CT and brain MRI, and 15 healthy adults who did not have any symptoms of stroke, hypertension, heart disease, and diabetes melitus. Results: Peak velocity in normal adults was 50.6${\pm}$1.6cm/sec in the CCA, 67.2${\pm}$1.7cm/sec in the ICA, 62.5${\pm}$2.4cm/see in the ECA, 45.5${\pm}$1.9cm/sec VA. and 50.5${\pm}$3.5cm/sec in the BA. Mean velocity in normal adults was 26.9${\pm}$1.1cm/sec in the CCA, 43.7${\pm}$1.4cm/sec in the ICA, 26.7${\pm}$1.3cm/sec in the ECA. 31.6${\pm}$1.9cm/sec in the VA and 33.0${\pm}$2.6cm/sec in the BA. In this study, there was a significant increase in the velocity of ICA, ECA, and VA of ischemic stroke patients in comparison with normal healthy adults. And the blood flow velocity of this study in the CCA and ECA was different from other reported foreign values and the other known values in my country. Conclusion: There was a significant difference in the blood flow velocity between ischemic stroke patients and normal healthy adults. And the blood flow velocity of this study was different from other reported foreign values and the other known values in my country. Therefore, it needs more detailed studies about old aged Korean and ischemic stroke patients than previous studies.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.66-74
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• 2007

The aim of the present study was to investigate age-related differences in stepping behavior in response to sensory perturbations of postural balance. The participants for this study were 2 healthy elderly adults (mean age=76.0) and 2 younger adults (mean age=25.5). Subjects were asked to step over a 10 cm high obstacle at self-paced speed with the right limb to land on the primary target (normal step length) that is 10 cm in diameter. However, if, during movement, the light was illuminated, then the subject had to step on the secondary target (long step length). It was planned that the onset of the light would be prior to peak Fx of swing limb, between swing peak Fx and swing toe-off, and after swing toe-off. In the younger adults these secondary visual cues were provided at mean times of 240 ms (standard deviation (SD)=11), 402 ms (SD=13), and 476 ms (SD=88) following the movement onset. Corresponding mean times for the healthy elderly were 150 ms (SD=67), 352 ms (SD=39), and 562 ms (SD=115). Results showed great changes in both group and visual cue condition in Fx ground reaction forces and temporal events following the swing toe-off. Swing limb acceleration force (Fx) and stance peak Fx1 was much greater in the young adults compared to the older adults. Both young and older adults increased stance peak Fx2 in the visual cue condition compared to normal stepping. There was no difference in stance peak Fx2 between the visual cue conditions in both groups. Similarly, the time to stance peak Fx2 was much longer for the visual cue condition than for the normal stepping. It was not different between the visual cue conditions in the young adults, but in the elderly mid and late cue was much greater than early cue. In addition, time to stance peak Fx2 and swing and stance time were much longer in the older adults compared to the young adults for the visual cue conditions. These results suggest that unlike young adults, elderly adults did not flexibly modify their responses to unexpected changes in step length while stepping over obstacles.