• PNF and Movement
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.1-7
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• 2011

Purpose : The purpose of this research was to determine the effects of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation(PNF) and Functional Electrical Stimulation(FES) of combined on gait ability in hemiplegic gait. Methods : The subjects of this study were 13 hemiplegic patients. Each subjects was taken PNF pattern and FES of combined with 5 times per week for 4weeks. Pre- and Post-intervention change in gait ability were measured using an Timed up and Go test, stride length of the affected side, step length of the affected side. The data were analyzed using the paired t-test. Results : The results of this study were showed significantly improvement in TUG, stride length of the affected side, step length of the affected side after intervention. Conclusion : These results suggest that the Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation(PNF) and Functional Electrical Stimulation(FES) of combined exercise is an effective way of improving gait ability for hemiplegic patients.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.127-133
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• 2017

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of repetitive wrist extension task training with electromyography (EMG)-triggered neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) for wrist extensor muscle recovery in patients with stroke. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: Fifteen subjects who had suffered a stroke were randomly assigned to an EMG-triggered NMES group (n=8) or control group (n=7); subjects in both groups received conventional therapy as usual. Subjects in the experimental group received application of EMG-triggered NMES to the wrist extensor muscles for 20 minutes, twice per day, five days per week, for a period of four weeks, and were given a task to make a touch alarm go off by activity involving extension of their wrist. In the control group, subjects performed wrist self-exercises for the same duration and frequency as those in the experimental group. Outcome measures included muscle reaction time and spectrum analysis. Assessments were performed during the pre- and post-treatment periods. Results: In the EMG-triggered NMES group, faster muscle reaction time was observed, and median frequency also showed improvement, from 68.2 to 75.3 Hz, after training (p<0.05). Muscle reaction time was significantly faster, and median frequency was significantly higher in the experimental group than in the experimental group after training. Conclusions: EMG-triggered NMES is beneficial for patients with hemiparetic stroke in recovery of upper extremity function.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.35-41
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• 2010

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the effects of sensory feedback training of the ankle with visuoperceptual stimulation on static balance and gait functions in patients with chronic post-stroke hemiparesis. Methods: This study included 16 patients with chronic post-stroke hemiparesis. The subjects were randomly assigned toeither the experimental group (EG) or the control group (CG), with 8 subjects in each group. All the subjects received a routine physical therapy. The EG subjects received a 30-min sensory feedback training for the foot and ankle with visuoperceptual stimulation by using Tetrax Portable Multiple System. This training was conducted 3 times a week for 4 weeks. The scores of balance ability, timed up and go (TUG), and dynamic gait index (DGI) were assessed before and after the intervention. Results: In the EG, the scores of static balance, TUG, and DGI obtained afterthe intervention significantly differed from those obtained before the intervention (p<0.05). Further, in the EG, a significant difference was noted in the rate of change of all the variables when compared with those of the CG (p<0.05). However, in the CG, post-intervention score were only significantly different for DGI. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that the sensory feedback training with visuoperceptual stimulation improves balance and gait functions of patients with chronic post-stroke hemiparesis. Further studies are needed to generalize the results of this study.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.67-74
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• 2008

A decrease in the ability to maintain static and dynamic balance after stroke could be related to the inability to select reliable sensory information in producing relative motor action needed to maintain postural stability. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of two different types of surface conditions on the balancing ability of subjects with stroke. Eighteen hemiparetic subjects were assigned to an experimental and control group participating in a six－week rehabilitative therapeutic exercise program focusing on balance and mobility. Exercises were performed 3 to 5 times per week in a stable surface condition by the control group, and in an unstable surface condition by the experimental group. Pre－ and post test assessments involved the measurement of the static balance and dynamic balance, respectively by 7－item Berg Balance Scale－3P and by Pro－3 Balance System. Results showed that under the unstable surface condition, static balance in the experimental group showed more improvement than that of the control group.(Statistically, not very significant.) All the aspects of dynamic balance and mediolateral sway(balance) improved significantly than those of the control group. However, there were no significant differences between two groups. Overall, it can be concluded that under the unstable surface condition, the rehabilitative therapeutic exercise programs are effective in improving the dynamic balance of stroke subjects. The results suggest that the adaptation of the unstable surface in the rehabilitative therapeutic exercises could be effective for the patients with hemiplegia in balance. Further studies are needed to confirm the effectiveness of the unstable surface on improving balance and postural stability of hemiplegics.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.101-110
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• 1997

The maximal voluntary strength of knee extension and flexion on both the right and left sides was measured in patients with hemiparesis of upper motor neuron type and in a group of normal subjects. Significant differences of maximal voluntary strength were found between male and female but the ratio of flexor to extensor strength did not vary significantly between the sides, between the sex in normal subjects. The maximal voluntary strength of uninvolved side were not reduced significantly but involved side reduced significantly in patients. The ratio of flexor to extensor strength in hemiparetic side was significantly less than the ratio for the normal subjects but not significant difference in uninvolved side of patients. According to the above results, the maximal voluntary strength of flexion was more reduced than that of the extension in lower extremity of hemiparesis patients. The strength ratio of flexion to extension was a useful parameter for guiding the rehabilitation of hemiparesis.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.33-42
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• 2017

PURPOSE: To compare postural vertical training with and without visual feedback for improving functional recovery in post-stroke hemiparesis patients with pusher syndrome. METHODS: This study used a single-subject research with alternating design with multiple baselines. Three patients with hemiparetic post-stroke diagnosed with pusher syndrome were selected from the inpatients at the department of physical therapy of a local rehabilitation hospital. For subjective postural vertical (SPV) training with and without visual feedback, an alternating treatment was used. The subjects were randomly selected using the sequence of the two training methods upon starting the intervention, and then the training was alternated. SPV training was performed twice a day, once in the morning and again in the afternoon. Scale for contraversive pushing (SCP), postural assessment scale for stroke, and Barthel index score were used to determine the intervention-related changes. RESULTS: Compared to the average score at baseline, the average SCP score for the SPV training without visual feedback decreased from 5.3 to 2.8, from 4.6 to 3, and from 3.5 to 2.7 for subjects 1, 2, and 3, respectively. However, the average score for the SPV training with visual feedback decreased from 5.3 to 3.1, from 4.6 to 3.5, and from 3.5 to 3.3 for subjects 1, 2, and 3, respectively. CONCLUSION: Postural vertical training without visual feedback may be more beneficial than postural vertical training with visual feedback for improving pushing behavior and functional activity in stroke patients with pusher syndrome.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.50-55
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• 2010

Gait initiation is a transitional process from the balanced upright standing to the beginning of steady-state walking. Dysbalanced gait initiation often causes stroke patients to fall. The net center of pressure, measured by two triaxial force plates from twenty healthy subjects and two stroke patients, was investigated to assess asymmetry of gait initiation in hemiparetic subjects. The time interval and distance of the net center of pressure(CoP) moved from the initiation point to the toe off(S1) and from the toe off to the initial contact(S2) were calculated during gait initiation of normal and stroke patients. When the patient with right hemiplegia(A) initiated his gait with right foot, the time interval and the distance of the net CoP in S1 and S2 were smaller than that of normal subjects' values. However, he initiated the gait with left foot(unaffected side) the time interval and the distance of net CoP in S1 were larger than normative values. Differently, the patient with left hemiplegia(B) has shown that larger time interval and distance in S1 and smaller time interval and distance in S2 in both sides. His asymmetry(with which side the gait initiated) was not significant. It is too early to conclude that these results could be general characteristics of the stroke patients because the variations were large and moreover, the level of motor recovery of the patients was different. However, it is expected that these trials could help to set up the strategy of the therapy for the rehabilitation or prevention of fall in stroke patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2006

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of electromechanical gait trainer therapy in stroke patients. The gait trainer was designed to provide nonambulatory subjects the repetitive practice of a gait-like movement without overstraining therapist. To simulate normal gait, discrete stance and swing phase, lasting 60% and 40% of the gait cycle respectively, and the control of the movement of the centre of mass were required. Methods : This preliminary study investigated during 8 weeks therapy on the gait trainer could improve gait ability in 5 subacute and chronic hemiparetic stroke patients. Gait ability(time up & go [TUG], comfortable and maximal gait speed and functional ambulation category[FAC]), functional movement of lower extremity(Fugl-Meyer Assessment [FMA] and composite spasticity score [CSS]) and sensory of lower extremity(Fugl-Meyer Assessment sensory [FMA-s])were the measured. Results : TUG, comfortable and maximal gait speed and FMA were improved significantly. Although FAC, FMA-s and CSS were improved, there were not statistically significant. Conclusion : Therefore, the gait trainer enabled affected patients the repetitive practice of a gait-like movement, which is important for the restoration of walking ability.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.13 no.7
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• pp.3023-3029
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the home-based virtual reality (VR) on upper extremity motor function in hemiparetic stroke patients. Two matched subjects with left hemiplegia were volunteered to participate in this study. One subject received the home-based VR whereas the other subject recovered a modified home-based constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT). Both interventions were given for 4 hours x 5 times a week for 4 weeks. Outcome measures included Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), Motor Activity Log (MAL), and Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT). The VR-trained subject showed considerable improvement in all the tested motor functions when compared with the home-based CIMT. Specifically, the FMA measure demonstrated that the VR subject showed 17% enhancement whereas the CIMT subject showed 5% increase. Similarly, Amount of Use (AOU) and Quality of Movement (QOM) of the MAL scores of the VR subject showed 40% and 20% increase whereas the CIMT subject showed 0% and 20% increase, respectively. The WMFT scores of the VR subject and CIMT subject showed 20% increase. Our home-based VR was effective in upper extremity motor recovery of chronic hemiparetic patients even when compared with the well-established CIMT approach in stroke victims.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.216-219
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• 2014

Purpose: We presented with a patient with traumatic brain injury who showed a transcallosal ipsilateral motor pathway from unaffected motor cortex to affected extremities, as evaluated by diffusion tensor tractography (DTT). Methods: One patient and six age-matched normal subjects were enrolled. A 42-year-old left hemiparetic male who suffered from brain injury by motor vehicle accident 9 years ago showed a leukomalactic lesion in the right corona radiata and parieto-temporal lobe. His left extremities were completely paralyzed initially, but recovered slowly over 2 years. At the time of the evaluation, he was able to grasp and release an object, and to walk with spastic gait pattern. DTT was performed using 1.5 T with a Synergy-L Sensitivity Encoding head coil. DTT was obtained with termination criteria of FA <0.2 and an angle change > $45^{\circ}c$. Results: The motor tracts of the unaffected (left) hemisphere of the patient and control subjects originated from the motor cortex and descended along the known corticospinal tract without any transcallosal tract. By contrast, the tract of the affected (right) hemisphere originated from the left premotor cortex, descended through the left corona radiata, and then crossed the mid-portion of the corpus callosum. The tract then descended through the known corticospinal tract pathway to the right medulla. Conclusion: We conclude that the transcallosal ipsilateral motor pathway from the unaffected hemisphere appeared to contribute to the motor recovery in this patient.