• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.191-197
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• 2012

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to examine immediate effects of 15 minutes plantarflexor static stretching in quite stance. Methods : Twenty-nine subjects were measured static balance during 1 minute in quite stance with eye closed condition before and after 15 minutes plantarflexor static stretching. Static stretching range was limited from $15^{\circ}$ to $20^{\circ}$ dorsiflexion within comfortable range. Results : The result of this study showed that postural sway significantly increased during 1 minute quiet stance after 15 minutes static stretching(p<.05). Before stretching, postural sway significantly decreased during 41-60 seconds compared to 0-20, 21-40 seconds(p<.05). After stretching, postural sway was decreased significantly over time 0-20, 21-40, and 41-60 seconds(p<.05). Conclusion : The prolong plantarflexor static stretching may require biomechanical, neurological adaptations prior to walking or sport activities for safety.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.127-133
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• 2019

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to obtain detailed and quantified data concerning the effects of plantarflexor fatigue induced to the non-paretic side on muscle activities of the bilateral lower extremities during walking in chronic stroke patients. METHODS: In this study, chronic stroke patients were evaluated for six months after the onset of stroke. To induce the non-paretic plantarflexor fatigue, 20 chronic stroke patients were asked to perform their given fatigue affecting assignments, which were presented in a forced contraction fatigue test method, until the range of motion of the plantarflexor was reduced to less than 50%. The muscle activities of the rectus femoris, tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius in the paretic and non-paretic lower extremities were measured using a wireless surface EMG before and after muscle fatigue induction. RESULTS: The findings showed that after plantarflexor fatigue was induced on the non-paretic side, a significant decrease in muscle activities of the rectus femoris on the paretic side was noted (p<.05). The muscle activities of the tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius were also observed to decrease, but, these results were not statistically significant (p>.05). In the non-paretic side, there was a significantly decrease in the muscle activities of the rectus femoris, tibialis anterior, and gastrocnemius (p<.05). CONCLUSION: These finding suggest that the muscle fatigue of the non-paretic plantarflexor affects not only the muscle activity of the ipsilateral lower extremity but also the muscles activity of the contralateral lower extremity. This highlights the necessity of performing exercise or training programs that do not cause muscle fatigue in clinical aspects.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.325-333
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to find out the effects of hallux valgus on the ankle plantarflexor and dorsiflexor peak torque, on the total work, on the average power, and on the Peak torque of plantarflexor to dorsiflexor ratio values. Isokinetic ankle plantarflexor and dorsiflexor strength was evaluated in 30 women(control: 15, hallux valgus: 15) by Cybex NORM System. Test data was gathered in the right ankle at a speed of 60/sec, 90/sec, 120/sec in the control group and the hallux valgus group. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 10.0 for windows software. Mean and standard deviations were measured and calculated for the General characterristic of subjects. A paired t-test was used to examine the differnces in the means for the ankle plantarflexor and dorsiflexor between two groups. Pearson coefficient correlation was used to examine the correlation of the hallux valgus and the peak torque. Analysis of variance indicated that isokinetic values of the control group were greater than the hallux valgus group(p<.05, p<.01).

• PNF and Movement
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.355-363
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to obtain detailed and quantified data concerning the effects of plantarflexor muscle fatigue induced in the non-paretic side on the spatial and temporal gait parameters of the bilateral lower extremities during walking in stroke patients. Methods: This study was conducted on 20 patients with chronic stroke. The load contraction fatigue test was applied to induce muscle fatigue in the non-paretic plantarflexor muscle. Step length, stride length, double support, gait velocity and cadence, and functional ambulatory profile (FAP) score in the bilateral lower extremities were measured using a gait analysis system in order to investigate changes in temporal and spatial gait parameters caused by muscle fatigue on the non-paretic side. The statistical significance of the results was evaluated using a paired t-test. Results: A review of the results for gait parameters revealed a significant increase in double support (p<0.05) and a significant decrease in step length, stride length, gait velocity and cadence, and FAP score (p<0.05). Conclusion: These results indicate that the muscle fatigue in the non-paretic side of the stroke patients also affected the paretic side, which led to a decrease in gait functions. This implies a necessity to perform exercise or training programs in a range of clinical aspects not causing muscle fatigue.

• 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).

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.97-111
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• 2004

This study, adopting the pretest-post test experimental study, is designed to find out how the functional electrical stimulation makes effect on the balance of a patient with spasticity of the ankle plantarflexor muscle caused by hemiplegic after stroke. The 46 subjects for this study were randomly sampled out of the patients who were hospitalized from September 1, 2003 to November 30, 2003 in H sanitarium in Yangpyung. The patients were with spasticity of the ankle plantarflexor muscle caused by hemiplegic after stroke and able to walk without supporting implements. The purpose of the study is firstly to analyze the change of ROM, FRTof a patient with spasticity of the ankle plantarflexor muscle when the functional electrical stimulation is applied and secondly to find out how the sex, age, height, weight, part of the diagnosis, duration of pain, experience of relapse and getting hurt from a fall of a patient make effect on the change. The experimental group for the study is divided into two to compare the differences of the effect. The exercising treatment only was performed for the conrtol group, and the functional electrical stimulation to the ankle dorsiflexor muscle as well as the exercising treatment was applied to the experimental group. The ROM test was performed to check the range of motion of the ankle with a double armed universal goniometer. The test was done 3 times to take an average. FRT were performed to check the balance. The statistical test was conducted using the SPSS 10.0/PC program by means of the following methods: χ2-test and t-test for testing homogeneity between the groups; paired t-test, independent sample t-test, F-test, and two-way ANOVA for analyzing the changes before and after the treatment. The levels of statistical significance of all the data were maintained at p<.05. According to the test, ROM has more decreased in experimental group than in control group when the functional electrical stimulation was applied only to the experimental group. However, the significant statistic difference was not shown (p=.059). FRT showed remarkable differences in the experimental group compared to the control group, showing the significant statistic difference (p=.000). On the one hand, the change of ROM, FRT related with the sex, age, height, weight, part of the diagnosis, and experience relapse was a meaningless minimum value. The change of ROM related to the duration of pain and the experience of falling down was also meaningless. However, FRT showed significant statistic difference (p<.05). According to the test above, the application of functional electrical stimulation to a patient with spasticity of the ankle dorsiflexor muscle caused by hemiplegic after stroke makes significant effect on the balance of a patient, but the result has nothing with the sex, age, height, weight, part of the diagnosis, duration of pain, experience of relapse and getting hurt from a fall of a patient. However, it is regarded to give contribution to the balance improvement of a patient. Therefore, this study expects to be a valuable clinical material for a patient with spasticity.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.399-415
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• 2014

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of resistance training with and without whole-body vibration(WBV) on the biomechanical properties of the plantarflexor in the elderly women (>60 yrs., n=35). Thirty-five volunteers were randomly assigned to a resistance training with WBV group (RVT, n=14), a resistance training without WBV (RT, n=11), and a non-training control group (CON, n=10). The RVT and the RT groups participated in the training sessions three times a week for 8 weeks, followed by a 4-week detraining period. The CON group was instructed to refrain from any type of resistance training. To assess strength and activation of the plantarflexor muscles, maximum isometric ankle plantarflexion torque and muscle activation of the triceps surae muscles were measured using dynamometry, twitch interpolation technique and electromyography at four different ankle joint angles. Also, the lower extremity function was assessed by vertical jumping. The measurements were performed prior to, 2 and 8 weeks after the training and after a 4-week detraining period. Following the 8-week training sessions, an increase in the isometric plantarflexion strength was found to be greater for the RVT compared with the RT group (p<.05). Muscle inhibition was significantly decreased after training than before training only for the RVT (p<.05). Following the detraining period, a decrease in isometric plantarflexors strength and a increases in muscle inhibition were significantly less in the RVT compared with the RT group. In conclusion, the exercise with WBV is a feasible training modality for the elderly and seems to have a boosting effect when used with conventional resistance training.

• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.1575-1579
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to investigate how maximum-effort eccentric exercise over different contraction ranges affects the characteristics of torque-angle relationship of human ankle plantarflexor in-vivo. Subjects were randomly assigned in two groups. One group (n=6) performed 120 maximum-effort eccentric ankle dorsiflexion contractions at short muscle length (ankle range of motion from -5 to 15 deg) and the other group (n=6) at long (ankle range of motion from 10 to 30 deg) muscle length. Eccentric exercise decreased the maximum isometric ankle plantarflexion torque ${\sim}40%$. It was found that the optimum ankle joint angle changed from 7.5 deg to 11.1 deg and 10.1 deg, shifted toward the longer muscle length, regardless of the exercise range. The results of this study suggest that eccentric exercise alters the characteristics of torqueangle relationship of the muscle but there is no differential effect of the eccentric contraction range.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.429-444
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• 1999

This study was performed to explore the effects of a dance therapy on physical and psychological characteristics in the elderly. The design of this study was a non-equivalent pre-post test experiment. The subjects consisted of elderly persons living in a facility located in Suweon and Bucheon. Fifty eight subjects, aged between 65 and 93 years who had normal cognition, sensory function, balance, and resting blood pressure. They underwent tests of balance, flexibility, muscle strength, depression, and anxiety as baseline data before dance therapy, and at 6th week and at the end of the 12nd week after following dance therapy. Twenty seven elderly persons were assigned to the experimental group and participated with the dance therapy between April and July, 1998. The dance therapy was developed by the author with the help of a dance therapist and a physiatrist. This therapy was based on the Marian Chace's dance therapy and Korean traditional dance with music. The dance therapy consists of 50 minutes session, 3 times a week for 12 weeks. One session was consisted of warming-up, expression, catharsis, sharing, and closing stage. The intensity of the dance therapy was at the 40 % of age-adjusted maximum heart rates. Data were analysed with mead standard deviation, Chi-square test, unpaired t-test, repeated measures ANOVA, and Bonferroni multiple regression using SAS program. 1. The results related to the physical characteristics were as follows : 1) The balance (standing on one leg, walking on the balancing bar), flexibility and muscle strength (knee extensor, knee flexor, ankle plantarflexor and dorsiflexor) of the experimental subjects significantly increased over time mere than that of the control subjects. 2) The experimental group had significantly higher score for balance, flexibility, muscle strength of knee extensor, and knee flexor than the control group at the 12nd week after dance therapy. 3) The experimental group had significantly higher score for muscle strength of ankle dorsiflexor and plantarflexor than the control group at the 6th week and the 12nd week after dance therapy. 2. The results related to psychological characteristics were as follows : 1) Scores of Geriatric Depression Scale, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, and Zung's Self-rating Anxiety Scale of the experimental group were significantly decreased over time more than that of the control group. 2) The experimental group had significantly lower score for depression than the control group at the 12nd week after dance therapy. 3) The experimental group had significantly lower score for anxiety than the control group at the 6th week and the 12nd week after dance therapy. The findings showed that the dance therapy could be effective in improving the balances, flexibility, and muscle strength of lower limb, and effective in decreasing the depression and anxiety of the elderly. Additional merits of the dance therapy would be inexpensiveness, easy accessibility, and increasing interpersonal relationship. It can be suggested that the dance therapy is effective in the health promotion of the elderly.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.181-188
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• 2022

Objective: The purpose of this study to investigate the correlations among the motor function, balance, and gait velocity and the strength that could explain the variation of gait velocity of chronic stroke survivors. Design: This was a cross-sectional cohort study. Methods: Thirty hemiplegic stroke survivors hospitalized in an inpatient rehabilitation center were participated. The muscle tone of ankle plantarflexor and muscle strength of ankle dorsiflexor were measured respectively with modified Ashworth scale (MAS) and hand-held dynamometer. And the motor recovery and function with Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA), balance with Berg balance scale (BBS) and timed up and go (TUG) test were measured. Gait velocity was measured with GAITRite. The correlation among motor function, muscle tone, muscle strength, balance, and gait were analyzed. In addition, the strength of the relationship between the response (gait velocity) and the explanatory variables was analyzed. Results: The gait velocity had positive correlations with FMA, muscle strength, and BBS, and negative correlation with MAS and TUG. Regression analysis showed that TUG (𝛽=-0.829) was a major explanatory variable for gait velocity. Conclusions: Our results suggest that gait velocity had correlations with muscle strength, MAS, FMA, BBS, and TUG. The tests and measurements affecting the variation of gait velocity the greatest were TUG, followed by FMA, BBS, muscle strength, and MAS. This study shows that TUG would be a possible assessment tool to determine the variation of gait velocity in stroke rehabilitation.