• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.87-91
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• 2023

Most advanced countries that are members of the World Physiotherapy have established a 4-year education system or specialized graduate school system for physical therapists based on national standards. They have also expanded their laws and systems to provide physical therapists with the autonomy and independence to offer services in their clinics. However, compared with developed countries in North America and Europe, there are issues with the autonomy and independence of physical therapists in Korea related to national regulations. Social status and recognition of the profession are also lagging. Korea is expected to become a super-aged society by 2025. To reduce the financial burden of healthcare and welfare on the government, it is necessary to extend the time spent by older adults on independent activities and minimize their time spent using medical services. To achieve this goal and maximize the active life of older adults, a plan to efficiently use licensed physical therapists in the country should be prepared. Korea should increase the license utilization rate of physical therapists to reduce waste at the national level and increase the professional hope of the younger generations of physical therapists. To create a healthcare policy focusing on the use of physical therapy personnel, similar to that in advanced countries, it is necessary to unify educational systems and produce excellent physical therapists. Providing professional autonomy can help physical therapists develop a sense of job satisfaction. Outstanding talent will choose physical therapy as a profession if they can see hope for their future careers, and if physical therapy services in Korea are similar to those delivered in advanced countries, physical therapy in Korea can develop into a healthcare service that people desire.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.95-102
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the necessity of home visit rehabilitation therapy by rehabilitation professionals working at social welfare facilities. Methods: The subjects of this study were 227 rehabilitation professionals (social worker, nurse, physical therapist, occupational therapist, speech-language therapist, special education teacher, and staff of institutions for the disabled who were working at community rehabilitation centers. The data were collected over 65 days (2008. 09. 10~11. 14). The results were analysed statistically by the Chi-square test. Results: The results are as follows: Long-term care service was established in Korea by the Ministry of Health in July, 2008. But there are limits to their being able to provide various rehabilitation services for chronic patients and old people. According to a recent survey, almost all rehabilitation professionals (N=227) stated that home visit rehabilitation therapy is necessary. Conclusion: In Korea, the long-term care service has a nursing service and a service supporting physical activities of daily living, but not physical therapy. So, home visit rehabilitation services should include physical therapy, rehabilitation exercise, and pain management.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.173-182
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• 2019

Purpose: This study determined if anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL)/superior extensor ankle retinaculum (SEAR) thicknesses are related to dynamic balance in individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI). Materials and Methods: The subjects were 14 males and 15 females (age=24.52±3.46 years). Ankle instability was assessed using the Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool (CAIT) with a cut off score of 25 to define two groups. SonoSite MTurbo (Fugifilm Sonosite, Inc.) musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSKUS) unit was used to assess ATFL and SEAR thicknesses. Dynamic balance was measured with the Y Balance Test (YBT) and two NeuroCom balance tests. Results: There were no significant differences in the average ATFL thickness between stable and unstable ankles in those subjects with CAI (0.25±0.03 cm and 0.21±0.05 cm, respectively) or in the SEAR thickness (0.09±0.04 cm and 0.10±0.03 cm, respectively). There were also no significant differences in the right and left ATFL thicknesses (0.23±0.07 cm and 0.21±0.04 cm, respectively) or the SEAR thicknesses (0.09±0.01 cm and 0.09±0.01 cm, respectively) in those without CAI. There were no differences between limbs in composite scores on YBT in those with CAI (p=0.35) and those without CAI (p=0.33). There was a moderate correlation between the left SEAR thickness and the large forward/backward perturbations on the NeuroCom (Natus) motor control test (r=0.51, p=0.006 and r=0.54, p=0.003, respectively). Conclusion: There were no differences in the ATFL/SEAR thicknesses or balance measures between or within the groups, likely because CAI is multi-factorial and related to mechanisms other than tissue changes alone. More sensitive technology and a better definition of the measurement process may provide more definitive results.

• Journal of The Korean Digital Architecture Interior Association
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.5-11
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• 2011

The present study investigated the actual conditions of physical therapy rooms at long-term hospitals in Korea and conducted a comparative analysis to develop an efficient floor plan and facility improvement measures. 1. At hospitals surveyed, physical therapy services were used at a high frequency but they did not have enough space for rehab treatment and long paths of patient flow were found to make patient management inconvenient. Therefore, physical therapy units should be conveniently located both in terms of distance and direction so as to be accessible from patient rooms or wards. The space should be organized in a concentrated layout for efficiency of physical therapy, and floor planning for therapy units should ensure the best possible viewing angle to therapists. 2. With regard to the disease characteristics of patients, many physical therapy rooms were in difficult circumstances because of poor facilities, so they need to secure skilled personnel, supplement apparatuses and equipment and have rooms for functional recovery, hydrotherapy and operation treatment. In addition, each of the curtained or partitioned areas for treatment should be set up with consideration for the amount of space taken up by medical equipment. The area under each bed should be designed for patient convenience so that it can be used as storage space for patient's belongings and shoes. 3. Patients complained about the lack of physical therapy space, resting places or exercise areas and demanded the expansion of rehab programs and facilities. Physical therapy facilities need to be improved for patient privacy and effective natural ventilation. 4. At most of the long-term hospitals surveyed, physical therapy units were found to have small areas and treatment equipment and devices were insufficient compared to the number of patients. Therefore, it is required to secure more space (at least 138.24 sq. meters per 100 beds) and improve facilities for better physical therapy services.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.282-289
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to analyze the home-stay disability's activity, as well as the participation domains and the environment factor domains of international classification of functioning (ICF), in order to examine the effect of the home visiting physical therapy and the disability's activity. Methods: A total of 211 home-stay disabled subjects with brain lesions or crippled disorder, living in 5 cities and districts of Jeollanam-do, underwent 90 minutes of home visiting physical therapy per week during a 6-month period, and using the ICF checklist, evaluated the subject's activity and participation domains and environmental factor domains. Results: The performance qualifier showed a significant statistical change in the movement, self-care, domestic life, interpersonal interactions and relationships, community, society and civic life domains (p<0.05); and the capacity qualifier showed a significant change only in the mobility domains in the before and after of the home visiting physical therapy (p<0.05). The barrier factor in the order of services, systems and policies domains, product and technology domains, and attitude domains it influenced significantly in the performance (p<0.05), and in the facilitator factor in the order of product and technology domains, support and relationships domains, services, systems and policies domains it influenced significantly in the performance of the disabled (p<0.05). Conclusion: The visiting physical therapy can help in the improvement of the activity and participation of the home-stay disabled subjects, and for the accurate evaluation of the home-stay disabled subjects, it is considered that an evaluation including various environmental factors, such as ICF, must be fulfilled.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.785-791
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• 1995

The objective of this study was to find out the level of patient expectation and satisfaction on their services. The questionaire reports of 781 patients, which were structured with the question about the level expectation and satisfaction of the services. Major findings of this study were as follows 1) The percentage of patients satisfied with the services as a whole is 59.1 %,where more patients are satisfied with the attitude of therapists (87.3 %), the therapeutic-skill of therapists(84.1 %) and the adequateness of treatment (63.9 %) than the expenses of services (42.0 %) and waiting time(47.4 %). 2) Fourty two percents of patients responded that they expected to be recovered completely.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.711-718
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• 2001

The community based rehabilitation(CBR ) of public health center(PHC) has been considered as the one of the alternative medical services which is adequate to our realities. The purpose of this study is to serve basic data in order to strengthen the CBR of PHC. This study was investigated on 191 samples of 95 physical therapists, 35 physicians. and 61 nurses who work at PHC. Data were collected for 40 days from January 10 to February 20,2001. The results are as follows: First, the recognition level of CBR of sample specialists was very high as about 85% of the total number studied. Also the number of physical therapists at PHC, who had intention of participation to CBR, was very high as almost 92%. Second, specialists more than a half of sample group thought that two therapists and one assistance per one PHC were needed for serving with sufficient CBR services. finally, various additional strategies were proposed by sample specialists. in order to activate the CBR of PHC. it is necessary to enact the related laws. to stimulate teamworks between rehabilitation specialists, and to establish so called 'public health therapists'. Also we must reinforce the CBR instruction for PHC therapists and the education for health center officer.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.85-93
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• 1990

Effects of various factors related to the process of social action of hospital services on the selecting a hospital were investigated by using of questonnaires answered by 19 patients in Zeon buk Do certain hospital in rehabilitation.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.65-77
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• 2014

Purpose : This research is to understand the academic self-efficacy of trainees receiving the 4 category-union education of HIT(Health Integrated Technic) Methods : A self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted in 450 health-related college students in Daegu city from April to July. A statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 17.0 for window version. Results : First, satisfaction to education of HIT was higher in vocational consciousness program than patient care programme educational deepening program. Second, academic self-efficacy to education of HIT was higher in educational deepening program than patient care programme vocational consciousness program. Conclusion : Systemic education is needed to develop vocational consciousness, patient care and educational deepening that suit the characteristics of college students in order to establish an environment for revitalizing satisfaction and academic self-efficacy to 4 category-union education

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.241-248
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• 2022

Background: The PyeongChang 2018 Winter Paralympic Games (WPG) being one of the most successful Paralympic Games (PG) in modern athletic world history, hosted the largest number of elite athletes representing 49 National Paralympic Committees (NPCs). Objects: The present investigation highlighted the demographic and clinical characteristics of injured athletes and non-athletes and the physiotherapy services provided during the PyeongChang 2018 WPG. Methods: Prospective descriptive epidemiology study, in which the study group comprised of 201 participants (51 athletes and 150 non-athletes) who were admitted to and utilized the polyclinic physiotherapy service of 2018 PyeongChang WPG in Physiotherapy Department of Paralympic Village from March 1, 2018 to March 20, 2018. Results: Qualitative frequency analysis of injury type demonstrated highest number of chronic injuries (51%, n = 100) in athletes and non-athletes. Anatomical injury site analysis revealed that the spine and shoulder areas were affected with equal frequency for athletes (54.9%, n = 14), whereas for non-athletes, the frequencies of spine and shoulder area injuries were 36.7% (n = 55) and 26% (n = 39), respectively. The Pyeongchang WPG showed a high rate of athletes visiting the physiotherapy service during the pre-competition period (33.3%, n = 50), which may have led to smaller incidence rate of traumatic injury. The physiotherapy treatment service analysis demonstrated that manual therapy (35.4%, n = 230) was most commonly utilized, followed by transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation/interference current therapy (TENS/ICT), therapeutic massage and therapeutic exercise. Conclusion: We established the importance of prophylactic and preventive physiotherapy services to reduce the risk of sports injuries during WPG.