• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.11-20
• /
• 2019

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the immediate effect of thoracic self mobilization on balance and gait of acute stroke patients. Methods: Patients (n=10) with acute stroke applied to thoracic self mobilization. There are two thoracic self mobilization of both extension and rotation. Each thoracic self mobilization was performed ten times per direction in a total of three sets and the total time required for two thoracic self mobilization was twenty minutes. The break time between sets was one minute. Balance ability was measured using the timed up and go test and the five times sit to stand test for patients. The 10 meter walk test and the functional gait assessment were used for measurement of gait ability for patients. Results: Significant improvements were observed on balance ability (p<.05) and gait ability (p<.05). Conclusion: These results show that thoracic self mobilization is immediate effective on balance and gait ability. Thus, thoracic self mobilization will help recovery of balance and gait ability in acute stroke patients.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.29-36
• /
• 2020

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of whole body vibration (WBV) exercise on lower extremity muscle activity and gait ability in stroke patients. Methods: For this study, 30 stroke patients participated in this study and they were divided into WBV exercise group and sham-WBV exercise group, each group in which consisted of 15 patients. WBV group and sham-WBV group was performed by the patients for five times a week, for six weeks. sEMG was used to measure lower extremity muscle activity. Changes in the activities of the muscles, such as the vatus lateralis (VL), vastus medialis (VM), bicep femoris (BF), gastrocnemius (GCM) muscle, were analysis. Motion analysis system was used to measure gait ability. Gait ability measured the stride length (SL) and walking velocity (WV). Results: According to the results of the comparisons between the groups, after intervention, lower extremity muscle activity of VL (p<.01), VM (p<.01), GCM (p<.01). SL, WV was significant between the group (p<.01). Conclusion: This study showed the WBV exercise is effective for improving increase of muscle activity and gait ability in stroke patients.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.73-78
• /
• 2020

Background: The leg length discrepancy (LLD) have been implicated with degenerative diseases since the early 1970s, which also causes musculoskeletal asymmetry problems. The LLD appears due to factors such as balance ability, response time, and muscle strength between the shorter and longer leg. In this study, the effect of manual therapy to LLD has been studied. Methods: Manual therapy has been applied on shorter leg of 30 patients with LLD. The manual therapy was conducted for 2~3 minutes 3 times a week for 4 weeks. Results: The leg length of shorter leg were measured at initial baseline and after 4 weeks. the average leg length of shorter leg increased from 94.10 cm to 94.33 cm. Conclusion: This paper reports that the manual therapy has positive effects on LLD. It was studied by conducting manual therapy on muscles and joints related to shorter leg. In the future, the muscles and joints of the longer leg should be considered and various age group should be studied to develop the understanding of the effect of manual therapy on LLD.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.69-74
• /
• 2018

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a complex exercise program for elderly people who had experienced a fall on their balance ability and proprioception when their visual sense was blocked. Methods: The subjects were 24 elderly people with experienced fall. They were equally and randomly divided into a blind group and a general group. The subjects performed the complex exercise program for 30 minutes, twice a day, five days a week for 4 weeks a total of 20 times. Outcome measures were the 10-meter walking test (10MWT), Berg balance scale (BBS), Fukuda stepping test(FST), proprioception test (PT). Results: After the intervention, the blind group showed improvements in 10MWT, BBS, FST, PT. The general group showed improvements in 10MWT and PT. Conclusions: The complex exercise program for elderly people helped enhance their balance ability and proprioception.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.9-17
• /
• 2022

Background: Functional massage is a therapeutic massage that incorporates joint motion in non-end-range to reduce pain and improve range of motion (ROM) in patients. This study was aimed at investigating the immediate effect of functional massage on pain, range of motion, balance ability and, gait speed of patients having undergone total hip replacement. Methods: Twenty patients were treated by one participating orthopedic manual physical therapist and randomly assigned to the control group (n=10) or the experimental group (n=10). To treat patients of each group, functional massage and range of motion exercises were used. The experimental group received a functional massage and the control group received range of motion exercise for minutes for one session. The visual analog scale was used for pain assessment. Balance ability was measured using a timed up and go test and a one-leg standing test for patients. The 10-meter walk test was used for the measurement of gait speed assessment of patients. Results: Significant improvements were observed in terms of balance ability (p<.05), gait speed (p<.05), and ROM (p<.05) after functional massage. There was no significant inter-group difference (p>.05). Conclusion: Application of the functional massage showed that statistically significant improvements in ROM, gait speed, and balance ability after a single treatment session. This technique may be a useful treatment in patients having undergone total hip replacement.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.27-34
• /
• 2016

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the immediate effects of neuro-dynamics technique (NDT) to the balance and gait for chronic stroke patients. Methods: This study was composed of the cross-sectional design. Nine patients with chronic stroke applied to NDT. Balance ability function was measured using the Good Balance System device for static balance, timed up and go test (TUG) and functional reach test (FRT) for dynamic balance. The 10 meter walk test (10MWT) and GAITRite device were used for measurement of gait ability for patients. Results: There were significant improvements were observed on dynamic balance ability (p<.05) and gait ability function (p<.05). Conclusions: This research shows that the NDT is immediate effective on dynamic balance and gait ability of the chronic stroke patients. Further studies may be needed to continuously intervention of NDT for more patients.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.77-85
• /
• 2021

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to determine the changes in muscle strength and walking ability in patients who complained of knee instability due to excessive pronation of the foot. METHODS: Twenty patients (ten men and ten women) who complained of instability of the knee joint due to excessive pronation of the foot participated in the experiment. In the experimental group, the internal rotation of the tibia caused by excessive adduction of the foot was maintained as external rotation, and the joint state was to recognize the movement of the joint position changed through maintenance of the muscle. This exercise was performed five times for each patient, and the muscle strength maintenance was performed for 20 seconds. In the control group, stretching and range of motion (ROM) exercises were performed. For the stretching exercise, one specific motion was performed for 20 second, and the ROM exercise was performed to confirm the change in muscle strength in the knee joint area and walking ability. RESULTS: The knee flexion and extension strength in the patients with excessive pronation of the foot differed significantly from those in the subjects from the control group (p<.05). Further, the before-after comparison of the step time and length in the evaluation of walking ability, which affects overall postural movement due to knee joint instability, revealed a significant difference between the experimental and control groups (p<.05). CONCLUSION: The patients that were subjected to manual therapy and ROM exercise for the knee joint showed improved knee joint muscle strength and walking ability compared to the subjects from the control group.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.63-73
• /
• 2021

Background: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of pressure belt during proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation sprinter pattern training using a Thera-band on leg muscle strength and gait in stroke patients with stroke. Methods: Nine patients with stroke underwent training five times a week for four weeks, and changes in the muscle strength and walking ability of the paralyzed leg before and after training were measured. Muscle strength was measured using a Digital muscle tester, and walking ability was measured using a G-WAKER and the timed up and go (TUG) test. Results: Results showed that the quadriceps, hamstring, tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, cadence, stride length, and stance phase significantly increased (p<.05). The swing phase, gait cycle duration, and TUG test results significantly decreased (p<.05). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that a pressure belt is a very useful tool for improving muscle strength and walking ability in patients with stroke.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.47-55
• /
• 2021

Background: Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common conditions of the lower limbs. The present study aimed to compare the effect of hip muscle strengthening exercise and stretching of lower extremity in plantar fasciitis, with regard to pain, navicular drop and foot and ankle functional ability. Methods: A total of 42 patients diagnosed with plantar fasciitis were randomly assigned to the experimental group (n=21) that applied the hip muscle strengthening exercise and the control group(n=21) that applied the general lower limb stretching. The intervention period was 6 weeks. Results: The results of the experiment showed that the exercises for strengthening the hip muscle had significant effects on pain, navicular drop and foot and ankle functional ability In addition, lower extremity stretching showed improvement effects in pain, navicular drop and foot and ankle functional ability, however, the difference between the groups except navicular drop did not reach statistical significance Conclusion: Both interventions tested in this study were confirmed to be effective treatment options for patients with plantar fasciitis.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.89-98
• /
• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of electromyography (EMG)-biofeedback based closed kinetic chain exercise (CKCE) on quadriceps muscle activity and dynamic balance ability in patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS). Methods: Thirty subjects with PFPS were included and they were divided into EMG-biofeedback using CKCE (Group I) and squat exercise using CKCE (Group II), each group consisted of 15 patients. Group I and Group II was performed by the patients for three times a week, for six weeks. sEMG was used to measure quadriceps muscle activity and star excursion balance test (SEBT) was used to measure dynamic balance ability. Results: According to the results of the comparisons between the groups, after intervention, quadriceps muscle activity and dynamic balance ability were significantly higher in Group I than in the Group II. Conclusion: Findings of this study suggest that EMG-biofeedback using CKCE that provides real-time biofeedback information on muscle contraction may have a beneficial effect on selective muscle strength of vastus medialis oblique muscle and dynamic balance ability in PFPS.