• The Journal of Korean society of community based occupational therapy
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.91-106
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• 2018

The purpose of this paper is to review vestibulo-ocular reflex and vestibular rehabilitation for balace problem in elderly. Falling is a common problem associated with aging. Falling and the resulting consequences constitutes one of the most common and serious problems. Balance deficits are one of the top risk factors for falling. Three systems(visual, vestibular and somatosensory) need to be integrated and used to coordinate and control balance. During normal ambulation and head movement, the vestibulo-ocular reflex(VOR) stabilizes gaze, and helps to keep the image of the retina. There is a direct association between deficits in VOR and falls. Older adults have a decreased ability to enhance and suppress the VOR. Vestibular rehabilitation(VR) is an exercise-based group of approaches that began with the aim of central nervous system compensation. VR restores VOR gain and reduces error using repetitive movements of the head and eyes. Many researches showd balance and gait tests were superior in the VR group. It is considered this article helps to prevent elderly falling with vestibular rehabilitation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.139-146
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• 2017

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to systematically analyze the reliability and validity of the Korean-version of the balance assessment tools. METHODS: Two reviewers of this study independently evaluated the titles of articles and abstracts of studies published until December 2016 through electronic databases (RISS, NDSL, KISS, DBpia) using the keywords "Balance or posture or postural control or postural stability", "Test or assessment or measurement or outcome measure or assessment tool or measurement tool", "Korean version", "Reliability" and "Validity". Regarding the questions considered suitable for the purpose of this study, consensus was reached after reading the full text. Selecting journals suitable for the purpose of the study, they were analyzed as data. RESULTS: The reviewers selected nine papers suitable for the purpose of this study, and Korean-version of the balance assessment tools, included the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale, Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke (PASS), Motor Assessment Scale (MAS), Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS), Falls Efficacy Scale (FES), Tinetti-Balance scale, Fullerton Advanced Balance (FAB) scale, and Function In Sitting Test (FIST). Our study showed that the reliability and validity of the Korean-version of the balance assessment tools were high. CONCLUSION: The Korean-version of the balance assessment tools with high reliability and validity would enable physical therapists to make a more accurate evaluation of balance.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.255-262
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• 2024

Background: Nearly half of patients diagnosed with cancer are in the middle of their traditional working age. The return to work after cancer entails challenges because of the cancer or treatments and associated with the workplace. The study aimed at providing more insight into the occupational outcomes encountered by workers with cancer and to provide interventions, programs, and practices to support their return to work. Methods: A scoping review was conducted using the Arksey and O'Malley framework and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for scoping review guidelines. Relevant studies were systematically searched in PubMed/MEDLINE, SCOPUS and Grey literature from 01 January 2000 to 22 February 2024. Results: The literature search generated 3,017 articles; 53 studies were considered eligible for this review. Most of the studies were longitudinal and conducted in Europe. Three macroarea were identified: studies on the impact of cancer on workers in terms of sick leave, employment, return to work, etc.; studies reporting wider issues that may affect workers, such as the compatibility of treatment and work and employment; studies reporting interventions or policies aiming to promote the return to work. Conclusion: There is a lack in the literature in defining multidisciplinary interventions combining physical, psycho-behavioural, educational, and vocational components that could increase the return-to-work rates. Future studies should focus on interdisciplinary return to work efforts with multiple stakeholders with the involvement of an interdisciplinary teamwork (healthcare workers and employers) to combine these multidisciplinary interventions at the beginning of sick leave period.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.430-435
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• 2014

Purpose: The objective of this study was a virtual reality-based balance training program effective for improvement in physical function, examined the balance ability and fall efficacy of elderly women with experienced falls, intending to examine the program's usefulness as an exercise program to prevent the recurrence of a fall. Methods: The participants were 30 elderly women aged 65 or older who met the conditions. The participants were randomly assigned to either a balance training group (BT) or a virtual reality-based balance training group (VT) and received the training three times per week, 30 minutes per day, for six weeks. To measure static balance, the Tetrax Portable Multiple System (Tetrax Ltd, Israel) were used. To measure dynamic balance, the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and functional reach test (FRT) was used, and regarding fall efficacy, the Korean Fall Efficacy Scale (K-FES) was used. Results: Tetrax significantly improved after the intervention in both the BT group and the VT group (p<0.05). The comparison between the two groups was not significantly. BBS and FRT result significantly improved after the intervention in both the BT and VT groups (p<0.001), while K-FES was significantly ameliorated in the VT group only (p<.05). Comparing the groups, there were more significant changes in the BBS (p<0.05) and FRT (p<0.01) result of the VT group than the BT group. Conclusion: A virtual reality-based balance training program is considered to be usable as an exercise program to prevent recurrence of falls in elderly women.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.53-58
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• 2024

Background: As social distancing persists and interest in work-life balance grows, more companies are adopting flexible work policies. While there have been studies on sleep disorders associated with different types of work, such as shift work, research exploring the relationship between flexible work schedules and sleep disorders is still limited, particularly among Korean workers. Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of the 6th Korean Working Conditions Survey, focusing on 31,243 paid workers out of a total of 50,538 participants. We defined flexible workers as those who set their own working hours. Sleep disorders were divided into three categories: 'difficulty falling asleep,' 'frequent waking during sleep,' and 'waking up feeling exhausted and fatigued.' Using scores derived from three specific symptoms, the Minimal Insomnia Symptoms Scale (MISS) was calculated to assess the prevalence of insomnia. We used chi-square tests to analyze demographic and job-related differences. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed to identify any relationship between flexible work schedules and sleep disorders. Results: Significant differences were found between flexible and non-flexible workers regarding age, income level, education level, and job type. Flexible workers reported sleep-related symptoms significantly more often. The odds ratio for insomnia was 1.40 (95% CI 1.21-1.61). For males, the odds ratio was 1.68 (1.36-2.08). Conclusion: This study establishes a correlation between flexible work schedules and sleep disorders among Korean salaried workers. Potential causes could include changes in circadian rhythm, increased work demands, and extended working hours. To precisely determine causality and associated diseases, further research is required.

• Annals of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
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• v.35
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• pp.36.1-36.11
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• 2023

Background: Work-Family Conflict means that the demands of work and family roles cannot be met simultaneously, so one cannot concentrate on one's work or family role. This conflict can negatively affect mental health and cause insomnia symptoms. Methods: This study was conducted on 20,442 subjects. Insomnia symptoms were assessed using the Minimal Insomnia Symptom Scale, and other variables were assessed using the questionnaire method. Logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the effect of Work-Family Conflict on insomnia symptoms, and subgroup logistic regression analyses were also performed. Results: The number of people with insomnia symptoms was 4,322 (15.1%). Compared with Low Work-Family Conflict, the odds ratios (ORs) for the risk of insomnia symptoms were 1.84 (95% confidence interval: 1.56-2.16) in High work-to-family conflict, 1.16 (1.02-1.32) in High family-to-work conflict, and 3.19 (2.87-3.55) in High Work-Family Conflict. The ORs were higher for men than women in High WFC but higher for women than men in High Work-Family Conflict. Conclusions: The risk of insomnia symptoms was highest in High Work-Family Conflict.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.47-65
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• 2002

This study examined the correlations among the Berg Balance Scale, which is a clinical tool used to evaluate balance ability, spatiotemporal parameters of gait, and falling; determined the parameters most closely related to falling; and identified a discriminatory parameter and its predictability. Thirty-four subjects aged 72 to 92 years participated in this study. Following a questionnaire survey about falling, the Berg Balance Scale and spatiotemporal parameters of gait were measured. The results revealed that the incidence of falls increased with aging and an accompanying reduction in the flexion range of motion of the hip joint. The gait characteristics of elderly people who fell easily included a slower walking speed, shorter stride, and longer stance time than other elderly. When the cutoff score was set at 45, the Berg Balance Scale was able to identify correctly those individuals who truly have experience of falling than when the cutoff score was set at 39. But when the cutoff score was set at 39, the scale's specificity identifying correctly those individuals who truly have not experience of falling was higher than at the cutoff score of 45. Therefore, the Berg Balance Scale is an appropriate screening method in a clinical setting for the early detection of elderly people at risk of falling. In conclusion, elderly people with a Berg Balance Scale score. below 45 are the most likely to fall owing to their decreased balance ability.

• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Health Society Conference
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• 2004.12a
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• pp.74-74
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• 2004

• The Journal of Korean society of community based occupational therapy
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.59-70
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• 2017

Objective : The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of virtual reality-based remote rehabilitation on stroke patients systematically and to look for its effect and how to apply it domestically. Methods : In order to search data, EMBASE and CINAHL database were used. Relevant research used those terms of virtual reality, telerehabilitation, and stroke. A total of 10 studies satisfying the selection criteria was analyzed according to their qualitative level, general characteristics, and PICO method. Results : Based on the selected 10 studies, virtual reality-based telerehabilitation system was applied. Sensory and motor feedback was provided with inputting visual and auditory senses through a video in the home environment, and it stimulated changes in the client's nervous system. Tools to measure the results were upper extremity function, balance and gait, activities of daily living, etc. Those virtual reality-based telerehabilitation method had an effect on upper extremity function and ability of sense of balance in all studies, and on the activities of daily living partially. Telerehabilitation service to make up environmental specificity improved satisfaction of client. That meaned the effect of the intervention to maintain the function. Conclusion : The virtual reality-based telerehabilitation system was applied to upper extremity function, sense of balance, and activities of daily living largely, and it showed that it helped to improve functions through intervention, supervision, and training of therapist in the home environment as well. This study suggests the basis and possibility of clinical application on virtual-reality based telerehabilitation. Additional research is needed to diverse virtual reality intervention methods and the effect of telerehabilitation in the future.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.21-31
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• 2007

Purpose: This study investigated effect of skating exercise on balance ability improvement in cerebral palsy. Methods: Total five subject with cerebral palsy were recruited from school for disability childen in Daegu, and the skating exercise was conducted 3times at a week during 8 weeks the skating exercise. Balance test was measured using Balance System with overall index, anterior/posterior index, medial/lateral index of balance ability. Results: There was significant difference between 4 and 8weeks training session in the overall index(p<0.05). There was no significant difference between 4 and 8weeks training session in the anterior/posterior index(p<0.05). There was significant difference between 4 and 8weeks training session in the medial/lateral index(p<0.05). There was significant difference between 4 and 8weeks training session in the anterior/posterior index and medial/lateral index(p<0.05). Conclusion: This study showed that skating exercise was effect on balance ability improvement in cerebral palsy. The future study needs more detailed research and comparison about effect of skating exercise on balance ability improvement in cerebral palsy.