• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.61-67
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• 2011

Background: The purpose of the present study was to determine correlations between the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Modified Barthel Index(MBI), Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE) and Fugl-Meyer motor function Assessment(FMA) in persons with strokes. Methods: We recruited 77 stroke patients from the Seoul Bukbu Geriatric Hospital in Seoul, Korea. Balance was measured by BBS. Activity of Daily Living was assessed using MBI. Cognitive function was examined using MMSE. Motor Recovery was measured using FMA. Data was analyzed using Pearson' correlation. Resurts: There were a statistically significant correlation between BBS and MBI, BBS and MMES, BBS and FMA upper extremity, BBS and FMA lower extremity. There were a statistically significant correlation between MBI and MMSE, MBI and FMA upper extremity, MBI and FMA lower extremity. There were a statistically significant correlated between FMA upper extremity and FMA lower extremity. Conclusions: This study will help rehabilitation program for stroke patients and will be the reference data for selection of therapy and evaluation method.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.98-109
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• 2024

Background: The purpose of this study is to investigate changes in physical and cognitive function according to the level of independence in performing activities of daily living in stroke patients. Design: Retrospective study. Method: This study is a retrospective study analyzing medical records. This study utilized data collected from 123 stroke patients at admission in a local rehabilitation hospital between 2019 and 2022. Stroke patients were classified into 5 groups based on the scores of the Korean Modified Barthel index (K-MBI) evaluated at the time of hospitalization at a rehabilitation hospital, and investigated the change in physical (spasticity (modified Ashworth scale), muscle strength (manual muscle test), gait ability (functional ambulation category), upper extremity function (manual function test), and balance function (berg balance scale)) and cognitive function (Korean mini mental status examination) according to the level of independence in performing activities of daily living. Result:: As a results, significant differences were observed in the physical (muscle strength, gait ability, upper extremity and balance functions) and cognitive functions of stroke patients according to the level of independence in performing activities of daily living (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in upper and lower extremities spasticity. Conclusions: Through the results of this study, we found that the physical (muscle strength, gait ability, upper extremity and balance functions) and cognitive function were influenced by the level of independence in performing activities of daily living in stroke patients.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.62-71
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• 2023

Objective: Stroke patients need the training to adjust their posture and maintain balance is necessary to restore movement function, and unstable support training is one of the appropriate training. In this study, a systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to find out the effects of unstable surface training on balance and gait in stroke patients. Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis Methods: After creating a search expression referring to MeSH and EMTREE, the literature from 1976 to February 2022 was searched in the databases of PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library CENTRAL. A total of 331 studies were searched from three databases, and 11 studies were finally selected according to the inclusion criteria. Unstable surface training included studies using balance trainer, Whole-body vibration, and sand surfaces. Results: The results were found to be d=2.28 (p=0.02) and the effect size was 0.36 (95% CI: 0.05, 0.67) on the Berg Balance Scale. In the Kinesthetic Ability Trainer static balance, d=2.59 (p=0.01) and the effect size was 1.01 (95% CI: 0.24, 1.78). Timed Up and Go test showed that d=2.18 (p=0.03) and the effect size was 0.38 (95% CI: 0.04, 0.72). At the gait speed, d=0.99 (p=0.32) and the effect size was 0.15 (95% CI: -0.15, 0.45). In the 6-minute walk test, d=0.14 (p=0.89) and the effect size was 0.04 (95% CI: -0.47, 0.55). Conclusions: In this study was found that training was effective in balance if it became unstable in standing posture. Therefore, unstable surface training can be used to improve the balance of stroke patients in clinical practice.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.360-365
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of study was to investigate effects of dance sports in virtual reality on balance, depression, and activities of daily living (ADL) in stroke patients. Methods: Subjects of the research consisted of 18 stroke patients who were randomly divided into the experimental and control groups, with nine patients each. All subjects underwent 30 minutes of Neurodevelopmental treatment (NDT) and 15 minutes of Functional electrical stimulation (FES) five days per week for a period of six weeks. Subjects in the experimental group performed an extra 30 minutes of dance sports in virtual reality each day. Balance, depression, and ADL of patients before and after the experiment were measured using Berg's balance scale (BBS), Beck depression inventory (BDI), and Modified Barthel index (MBI), respectively. For comparisone of the state before and after the experiment, wilcoxon signed ranks test was applied and for comparison of the difference between the groups, mannn-whitney U test was applied. Results: Results of this study, showed significant difference in balance, depression, and ADL between the experimental and control groups(p<0.05). As a control of the two groups, the experimental group, which performed extra dance sports in virtual reality, showed a significant difference in balance, depression, and ADL(p<0.05). Conclusion: Depending on the result, a dance sport in virtual reality was verified to enhance balance, depression, and ADL in stroke patients. Therefore, from now on, need for effective program development and application using dance sports in virtual reality will arise.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.221-227
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of gluteus medius (GM) strengthening training using the pressure biofeedback unit for lower extremity muscle function and balance ability in stroke patients. Methods: Twenty-seven stroke patients (14 men, 13 women) volunteered to participate in this study. They were randomly assigned to 3 groups: pressure biofeedback unit GM training, general GM training, and control group. Experimental group 1 performed GM strengthening training using PBU in the sidelying position. Experimental group 2 performed GM strengthening training without PBU in the sidelying position. The training program lasted 4 weeks (20-minute sessions, three times a week). Muscle function was assessed by measuring muscle strength and endurance, and Berg balance scale (BBS), Lateral Reach Test (LRT), and limited of stability (LOS) velocity were measured for evaluation of balance ability. Results: Enhancement of muscle strength and endurance was significantly higher in experimental group 1 than in the other two groups (p<0.05). In comparison of the balance function, experimental group 1 showed a significantly enhanced ability to balance (p<0.05). After the intervention, experimental group 1 showed a significant reduction of LOS velocity in the anterior direction and affected direction (p<0.05). There was no significant difference than the other two groups but a large reduction was observed. Conclusion: These findings suggest that selective gluteus medius strengthening training using the pressure biofeedback unit is effective for lower extremity muscle function and balance ability in stroke patients.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.66 no.2
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• pp.439-446
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• 2017

Portable low-cost Kinect sensor was used to analyze standing balance ability of the elderly. Eighty subjects who can walk alone and have a normal cognitive level participated in this experiment. Based on Berg Balance scale (BBS) test with 52 points, subjects were divided into Healthy older (HO: 46 persons, BBS: $53.80{\pm}1.19$) and Impaired older (IO: 34 persons, BBS: $49.06{\pm}2.03$) group. Each subject performed 30 seconds four different standing balance tests (EO: Eyes Open, EC: Eyes Close, EOf: Eyes Open on foam, ECf: Eyes Close on foam). Five variables (Mean distance, Range of distance, Root mean square, Mean velocity, 95% ellipse area) were calculated from the hip joint center movement of Kinect sensor. Results showed that there were significant differences between groups for four different standing tests. Calculated variables from kinect sensor showed significant correlation with BBS score. Especially, mediolateral mean distance, mediolateral root mean square, mediolateral range of distance and 95% ellipse area showed discriminative ability for all tests. Mean values of variables of IO were higher than those of HO, which means the decreased balance ability in IO compared with HO. Therefore, it was possible to estimate simple balance assessment of the elderly using portable low-cost Kinect sensor.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.143-151
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• 2020

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the effect of single-leg stance training according to different support surfaces on walking speed and balance in patients with chronic hemiplegia. Methods: Twenty-two patients with chronic stroke were randomly categorized into an experimental group (11 patients) and a control group (11 patients). In the experimental group, single-leg stance training was performed on an unstable surface after 50 min of general physical therapy. In the control group, single-leg stance training was performed on a stable surface after 50 min of general physical therapy. All participants performed five sets of single-leg stance exercises per minute and rested for 3 min. The intervention was performed 5 times a week for 4 weeks, and each patient was evaluated using the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Fugl-Meyer Assessment Scale (FMA), and difference in walking speed between the first and last day of the intervention. Results: Compared to baseline measurements, both study groups showed significant increases in FMA, BBS, and walking speed (p<.05) after the intervention. However, there was no statistically significant difference (p>.05) between the experimental and control groups. However, in the experimental group, the increases in FMA, BBS, and walking speed were 3.36 %, 9.50 %, and 7.71 %, respectively. In the control group, the increases in FMA, BBS, and walking speed were 2.39 %, 6.65 %, and 7.64 %. Conclusion: Single-leg stance training on different support surfaces could help improve walking ability and balance in patients with chronic hemiplegia.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2020

Background: This study analysed the effect of the fall prevention education activities on balance, fall efficacy, activities of daily living (ADL) of sub-acute stroke patients. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: The subjects of the study were 24 subacute patients, who have onset period of less than 6 months. They are randomly allocated in the conventional therapy group (n=12) and fall prevention education group (n=12) and observed with frequency for 5 times a week for four weeks. Measuring took place before and after the experiment leading to following results of the Fall efficacy scale (FES), Berg balance scale (BBS) and Functional Independence Measure (FIM). Results: FES, BBS and FIM score was significantly greater in the post-test than in the pre-test in both groups (p<0.01). Independent t-test confirmed that the fall prevention education group showed much greater improvement change in the FES, BBS and FIM score than conventional therapy group (p<0.05). Conclusion: The present study demonstrated the importance of clinical contribution of the fall prevention education in the individuals with subacute stroke patients to the balance, fall efficacy and ADL following the stroke rehabilitation.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.55-62
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• 2014

Objective: To study the effects of gait training with additional weight and gait training with non-additional weight on balance ability and gait ability in patients with chronic stroke through comparative analysis. Design: Randomized controlled trials. Methods: The subjects were divided randomly into two groups: additional weight group (AWG, n=12), and non-additional weight group (NAWG, n=10). Both groups received general physical therapy for 30 min in 1 session, 5 sessions per week during 6 months. The AWG practiced gait training with additional weight of 0.1 and 0.5 kg for 20 min a day, 3 days per week for 6 months and the NAWG practiced gait training with non-additional weight for 20 min a day, 3 days per week for 6 months. Patients in both groups were instructed to walk as fast as they could along a 35 m long track (straight for 20 m and curved for 15 m). Patients walked with their hemiplegic side on the inside of the track while a physical therapist followed along to instruct patients to maintain a straight posture. Balance ability was tested with the Functional Reach Test, the Timed Up and Go test, and the Berg Balance Scale, and gait ability was tested with GAITRite. The results of balance and gait ability were analyzed before and after interventions. Results: A significant increase in FRT, TUG, BBS was seen in both groups after intervention (p<0.05). A significant increase in gait ability was seen in the AWG after intervention (p<0.05). For balance and gait ability, the results from the AWG was significantly improved compared with the NAWG (p<0.05). Conclusions: Gait training with additional weight improves balance ability and gait ability in stroke patients, this gait training method is effective and suitable for stroke patients to increase the ability of functional performance.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.19-27
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• 2022

Background: Foot drop is a common symptom in stroke patients. Tape applications are widely used to manage foot drop symptoms. Previous studies have evaluated the effects of static and dynamic balance and gait on foot drop using kinesiology tape; however, only few studies have used dynamic tape application in stroke patients with foot drop. Objects: The purpose of this study was to investigate the immediate effects of dynamic taping, which facilitates the dorsiflexor muscle, on static and dynamic balance and gait speed in stroke patients with foot drop. Methods: The study included 34 voluntary patients (17 men, 17 women) with stroke. The patients were randomly assigned to the experimental group (n = 17), wherein dynamic taping was used to facilitate the dorsiflexor muscle, or the control group (n = 17), wherein kinesiology taping was used. Before the taping application, velocity average, path-length average, Berg balance scale, and timed up and go test (TUG) were recorded to measure static and dynamic balance, whereas the 10-meter walk test (10MWT) was used to measure gait speed. After the taping application, these parameters were re-evaluated in both groups. Repeated measure analysis of variance was used. Statistical significance levels were set to α = 0.05. Results: Except for the 10MWT scores in the control group, significant differences were noted in all the parameters measured for static and dynamic balance and gait speed between the pre and post-test (p < 0.05). However, the parameters showed significant interaction effects between group and time in the TUG and 10MWT (p < 0.01). Conclusion: These results indicate that compared with kinesiology taping, dynamic taping used in chronic stroke patients with foot drop had a more significant effect on dynamic balance and gait speed.