• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.292-297
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• 2022

Purpose: This study describes the effects of kicking a ball training on balance and upper limb function in chronic hemiplegia. Methods: Thirty chronic stroke patients were randomly selected; Kicking a ball (n=10), Treadmill gait (n=10), Stepping on the ground group (n=10). The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) for balance and Foot Scan for weight distribution. Upper limb function was measured by the Manal Function Test (MFT). This treatment was performed five times a week for a total of 4 weeks. Results: Kicking group was significantly increased in SPPB (p<0.05) and MFT (p<0.05) between pretest vs post test and pretest vs follow-up. Conclusion: Kicking a ball was effective for improving weight acceptance on the paretic leg, balance and upper limb function. However, In terms of balance, the core stabilization that affected the upper extremity function was not evaluated. Thus, additional research may help determine correlation between core stability and upper limb function to improve balance.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.170-176
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• 2016

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of ball kicking dual task gait training with the addition of a cognitive task with general treadmill gait training (TGT) on gait speed, gait endurance, functional gait, balance and balance confidence in patients with chronic hemiparetic stroke. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: Fourteen stroke patients who volunteered to participate in this study were randomly divided into two groups with seven patients in each group: ball kicking dual task training (DTT) group and TGT group. The DTT group received ball kicking DTT with cognitive tasks consisted of three stages and the TGT group received TGT using normal walking speed, respectively, for 30 minutes per day 3 days per week for 4 weeks. Outcome assessments were made with the 10-meter walking test (10MWT), 6-minute walking test (6MWT), functional gait assessment (FGA), Berg balance scale (BBS), timed up and go test (TUG), and the activities-specific balance confidence (ABC) scale. Results: The DTT group showed more significant improvement in the 10MWT, 6MWT, FGA, BBS, TUG, and ABC than the TGT group (p<0.05). In addition, within groups comparison showed significant improvement in all variables (p<0.05). Conclusions: The findings suggest that both ball kicking dual task gait training and TGT improve gait performance and balance in patients with chronic hemiparetic stroke. However, ball kicking dual task gait training results showed more favorable outcomes than TGT for chronic hemiparetic stoke patients.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.73-78
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• 2015

Objective: This study focused on subacute stroke patients who were asked to kick a ball while walking on a treadmill. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of a body weight-supported treadmill training (BWSTT) combined with ball-kicking on muscle strength, balance, and gait. Design: Single blind, randomized controlled trial. Methods: Twenty stroke patients who volunteered to participate in this study were randomly assigned to either the BWSTT combined with ball-kicking (BWSTT-BK; 10 participants) group or the BWSTT group (10 participants). Participants in the BWSTTBK group performed treadmill walking combined with simultaneous ball-kicking for 30 minutes daily for 5 weeks. Participants from the BWSTT group performed only treadmill walking. The muscular strength, balance, and gait ability were measured before and after the 5-week training. To assess for muscular strength, a digital muscle tester was used to measure hip flexor, knee extensor, and dorsiflexor strength. To assess for balance, the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and Timed Up and Go Test (TUG) was used. To assess for gait, the 10 meter walk test (10MWT) and Functional Gait Assessment (FGA) was used. Results: The BWSTT-BK group showed significantly improved muscular strength, balance, and gait according to BBS, TUG, 10MWT, FGA, and digital muscle testing scores compared to the BWSTT group (p<0.05). In addition, within-group comparison showed significant improvement in all variables (p<0.05). Conclusions: These findings suggest that BWSTT-BK results in more favourable outcomes for stroke patients. Therefore, BWSTT-BK may be useful for the recovery of gait ability of stroke patients.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.299-305
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• 2018

Perception refers to the process of acquiring all the information about the environment through various sensory organs such as the visual, auditory, tactile, and olfactory senses and integrating and interpreting the information transmitted to the brain. The ability to use these perceptions efficiently is called perceptual skill, and perceptual skill is an important factor for improving performance in the field of sports. As a result, many researchers have developed various perceptual training programs to maximize these perceptual skills while they have also progressed on attempting to verify their effects. The perceptual skill training introduced in this study is a training method that focuses on visual perception and is a training method that is applied in the United States and Europe. to improve sports performance. As a result of carrying out the perceptual skills training based on the kicker's important clue (the kicker's hip - the angle of the body and foot before kicking) to the goalkeeper in the situation of a soccer penalty kick improved the ability of predicting the direction of the ball while even in tennis, carrying out the perceptual skills training based on the server's important clue (position, ball, racket) improved the accuracy of the ability to predict in the direction of serve. Recently, there have been numerous research studies that were carried out on such perceptual skills training, but the number of studies conducted are insufficient, especially in Korea where research studies on perceptual training seem to be in a relatively neglected state. In addition, extensive studies need to be carried out to investigate whether the improvement of perceptual skills in the laboratory situation can be transitioned to an actual performance situation. Therefore, in order to elevate sports performance, researchers need to examine the perceptual training program's extent of necessity as well as the research direction regarding its effects.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.96-104
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• 2017

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the hip joint strengthening exercises using proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) on the clinical symptoms and the treatment effects in balance, sit to stand, and gait abilities in patients with TBI. Design: A single case study. Methods: A 13-year-old adolescent with quadriplegia and hip joint control impairment participated in this four-week training intervention. The patient, diagnosed with TBI, wastreated with hip joint strengthening exercises using PNF. In the first week, we focused on strengthening the body, relaxing the hip flexors and activating the hip extensor muscles in order to solve the patient's physical function and body structure. From the 2nd and 4th week, we improved the motivation through the task-oriented method, and then weight-bearing training of the right lower extremity was proceeded by kicking a soccor ball with the left lower extremity. The exercises were performed for 4 weeks, 5 days a week, for 60 minutes with the exercise intensity gradually increased according to the subject's physical abilities. Results: As a result of the study, the patient demonstrated improvements in the physical examination, which were evaluated before and after intervention and included the manual muscle test, modified Ashworth scale, sensory assessment, coordination assessment, Berg balance scale, 5-time sit to stand test, and the 10 meters walk test. Conclusions: The results of this case suggest that a hip joint strengthening exercise program using PNF may improve hip control ability, balance, sit to stand and gait ability in a patient with TBI.