• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.36-44
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• 2013

This study aimed to investigate the influence of shoe heel height and muscle fatigue on static and dynamic balance in young women. Thirty women who were used to wearing high heels volunteered to participate in this study. The shoe heel heights were 0 cm and 7 cm. And ankle plantar flexor fatigue was experimentally induced. Static and dynamic balance were measured using the one leg standing test (OLST) and the star excursion balance test (SEBT) in anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral directions, respectively. Values in the OLST (shoe heel height 0 cm, $28.83{\pm}3.24$ sec to $26.12{\pm}6.13$ sec; and 7 cm, $24.75{\pm}7.09$ sec to $16.86{\pm}9.32$ sec) and the SEBT in anterior (shoe heel height 0 cm, $71.02{\pm}4.57%$ to $69.50{\pm}3.66%$; and 7 cm, $64.17{\pm}3.53%$ to $59.61{\pm}4.06%$) and posteromedial (shoe heel height 0 cm, $92.01{\pm}5.61%$ to $90.38{\pm}7.10%$; and 7 cm, $83.09{\pm}7.29%$ to $76.83{\pm}9.28%$) directions were significantly reduced when fatigue-inducing exercise was performed (p<.05). Furthermore, within these parameters, there were significant interaction effects between shoe heel height and fatigue condition (p<.05). These findings suggest that shoe heel height and muscle fatigue contribute to some changes in static and dynamic balance in young women, probably leading to negative effects on physical function during a variety of activities of daily living.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.161-174
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to reduce the spasticity of plantarflexion. the subjects of this study were 30 hemiplegic patients with stroke who received of physical therapy in JinJu o o hospital from May to July 2000. the subjects were divided into three groups(FES groups 10, FES + tilt table-wedge board standing groups 10, & tilt table-wedge board standing groups 10). The result were as follow 1. FES therapy was a effective method to reduce the spasticity of plantarflexor. there was a significant difference in modified Ashworth scale(p<.01). there was a significant difference in weight bearing ratio between nonparetic and paretic side(p<.01). 2. Tilt table-wedge board standing therapy was a effective method to reduce the spasticity of plantarflexor to a degree but there was a no significant difference in modified Ashworth scale(p<.05). there was a significant difference in weight bearing ratio between nonparetic and paretic side(p<.01). 3. Tilt table-wedge board standing therapy + FES therapy was a effective method to reduce the spasticity of plantarflexor. there was a significant difference in modified Ashworth scale(p<.01). there was a significant difference in weight bearing ratio between nonparetic and paretic side(p<.01) 4. There was a significant difference in weight bearing ratio between nonparetic and paretic side according to the grade spasticity(p<.01). 5. For normal persons vs hemiplegic patients, there was a significant different in weight bearing ratio between nonparetic and paretic side(experimental subjects 1 p<.01, experimental subjects 2 p<.01, control subjects p<.05).

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to compare the balance and gait between fallers and non-fallers in elderly. A brief questionnaire was used to obtain the fall history. Twenty-seven women subjects were evaluated in this study. Eleven subjects and a mean age of 84.5 years (SD=4.6) were designated as the faller group. Sixteen subjects and a mean age of 80.3 years (SD=5.3) were designated as the non-faller group. The fall-related factors (mental status, balance, range of motion and muscle strength of lower extremity, sensation of foot, and cadence, walking velocity, stride length) were compared between faller group and non-faller group and measured. The results showed that faller group had significantly less range of motion of the hip flexion and knee extension, and strength of the knee extensor and ankle dorsiflexor and plantar flexor than non-faller group. The scores of the Functional reach test and One leg standing were significantly less in faller group than in non-faller group. Faller group showed less walking velocity and stride length compared to non-faller group. However, there was no significant difference in cadence during comfortable waking and fast walking between two groups. There were no significant differences in pressure, position sensory between two groups. These results suggest that exercise for improving the flexibility, muscle strength of the lower extremity and balance may be useful strategies to prevent fall in elderly. Further studies are needed to identify which specific factors are related to fall in the elderly population.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.131-143
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• 2020

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine if an exercise program with vertical vibration can improve balance, walking speed, muscle strength and falls efficacy in the healthy elderly. METHODS: A total of 28 elderly were randomly divided into two groups: vertical vibration exercise group (exercise with vertical vibration) (N = 14) and control group (exercise without vibration) (N = 14). The exercise program, comprising calf raise, deep-squat, semi-squat, front lunge, and leg abduction was conducted with or without vibration, respectively. Subjects in each group participated in the 30 minutes training program, 2 times per week for 6 weeks. In both groups, the balance evaluation system (BT4) was used to evaluate standing balance, and walking speed was measured using the 10MWT. The manual muscle test system was applied to evaluate the knee extensor and ankle planter flexor muscle strength of the subjects, whereas the Korean falls efficacy scale (K-FES) evaluated the falls efficacy. RESULTS: After intervention, the vertical vibration group showed significantly higher changes compared to the control group, in the parameters of standing balance (P < .05), 10MWT (P < .05), left knee extensor (P < .05), right knee extensor (P < .01), both ankle plantar flexors (P < .05), and K-FES (P < .05). CONCLUSION: The exercise program with vertical vibration has the potential to improve balance, walking speed, muscle power and falls efficacy in the elderly.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.124-130
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• 2022

Background: During postural control, older adults are more dependent on proprioception than are young adults. Ankle proprioception, which plays an important role in maintaining postural balance, decreases with age. Published studies are insufficient to establish a significant age difference in postural sway resulting from the known age-related decrease in ankle proprioception and do not examine various detailed test conditions. Objects: The present study aimed to compare ankle proprioception between older and younger groups along dimensions of position vs. force proprioception and dorsiflexion vs. plantarflexion. The present study also aimed to compare postural sway between young and older women during quiet standing under two sensory conditions. Methods: We recruited seven young women aged 21-24 and seven older women aged 60-63. Ankle proprioception was assessed as the accuracy of the joint position sense (JPS) and the force sense (FS). Postural sway was assessed using center-of-pressure measurements recorded during quiet standing under two sensory positions: eyes open and eyes closed with head tilted back. Results: Older women had lower JPS in dorsiflexion and lower FS in plantarflexion than did younger women. We found no significant age differences in JPS in plantarflexion or in FS in dorsiflexion. We observed a main effect of group on postural sway in two sway parameters out of three. We observed significant differences in JPS with dorsiflexion, and in FS with plantarflexion. Conclusion: Proprioception for ankle plantar flexor decreased more significantly with aging than did that for ankle dorsiflexor, accounting for the impaired postural balance observed in older women.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.53-67
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• 2004

This simulation study investigated the characteristics of normal gait, $30^{\circ}$ crouch gait, $30^{\circ}$ crouch/equinus gait, $45^{\circ}$ crouch gait, $45^{\circ}$ crouch/equinus gait. The knee flexion angles were restricted using a specially designed orthosis. This study was carried out in a motion analysis laboratory of the National Rehabilitation Center. Fifteen healthy male subjects were recruited for the study. The purposes of this study were (1) to compare spatiotemporal parameters, kinematics, and kinetic variables in the sagittal plane among the different gait, (2) to investigate the secondary compensatory strategy, and (3) to suggest biomechanical physical therapy treatment methods. The pattern and magnitude observed in each condition were similar to those of normal gait, except the peak knee extension moment of the unrestricted ankle motion-crouch gait. However, the speed of the $45^{\circ}$ crouch gait was half that of a normal gait. The ankle joint moment in the crouch/equinus gait showed the double-bump pattern commonly observed in children with spastic cerebral palsy, and there was no significant difference in gait speed as compared with normal gait. The peak ankle plantar-flexor moment and ankle power generated during the terminal stance in the crouch/equinus conditions were reduced as compared with normal and $45^{\circ}$ crouch gaits (p<.05). The crouch/equinus gait at the ankle joint was an effective compensatory mechanism. Since ankle plantarflexion contracture can be exacerbated secondary to the ankle compensatory strategy in the crouch/equinus gait, it is necessary to increase the range of ankle dorsiflexion and the strength of plantarflexion simultaneously to decrease the abnormal biomechanical advantages of the ankle joint.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.11 no.11
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• pp.4418-4426
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• 2010

Muscle fatigue often induces deterioration of postural balance and muscle contraction, such as strength or maximal voluntary contraction(MVC). This study was to investigate the effects of transcutaneous electrical stimulation(TENS) applied to the fatigued muscles on postural imbalance and decline in muscle strength following fatigue of triceps surae. For the 4 months from March, 2010, twenty healthy subjects without vestibular disease and visual disturbance were recruited and induced muscle fatigue of triceps surea performed by repeated voluntary contraction. TENS was applied to gastocnemius immediately after development of muscle fatigue. Postural sway length, velocity and MVC were recorded under these conditions: pre-fatigue, post-fatigue, and TENS application to fatigued muscle during post-fatigue. Muscle fatigue increased postural imbalance as expressed by sway length and velocity and decreased muscle contraction(p<.05), while TENS improved the postural imbalance and MVC following muscle fatigue during stance(p<.05). The results suggested that fatigue on plantar flexor is associated with postural balance and muscle contraction, and TENS application to fatigued muscle was effective in improving postural imbalance and decline in muscle strength following muscle fatigue. TENS will be an effective method in exercise, working environment and daily life.