• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.51-56
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• 2009

Purpose: This study examined the difference in the static balance ability according to the visual cues and postural tasks in normal subjects. Methods: Thirty participants (12 male, 18 female; mean age $24.63\pm1.43$ years) stood barefoot on a force platform in a one-legged stance, tandem Romberg stance and tandem Romberg with neck extension stance with a visual cue open and closes. The static balance was assessed by the center of pressure (CoP), surface electromyography root mean square (RMS) of the leg muscles according to the stance position. Results: In the CoP tests, the difference in the unit path length and circumference area was affected by the visual cue according to the stance posture (p<0.01). In the RMS tests, the difference in the tibialis anterior and medial gastrocnemius muscle was affected by visual cue in accordance with the stance posture (p<0.01). Conclusion: The visual cue and postural task affect the balance ability in normal subjects. Therefore, this study provides clinical evidence that the balance and postural control can be improved. Therapeutic intervention, such as an obstacle course, and a lower leg muscle performance program with a change in the base of support can affect the balance and postural control.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.1066-1069
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• 2002

Dynamic postural control varies with the environmental context, specific task and intentions of the subject. In this paper, dynamic postural control against forward-backward perturbations of a platform was estimated using tri-axial accelerometers and a force plate. Ten young healthy volunteers stood upright in comfortable condition on the perturbation system which was controlled by an AC servo motor. With anterior-posterior perturbations, movements of ankle, knee and hip Joints were obtained by tri-axial accelerometers. and ground reaction forces with corresponding displacements of the center of pressure(CoP) by the force plate. The result showed that the ankle moved first and the trunk forward, which implies that the mechanism of the dynamic postural control in forward-backward perturbations, occurred in the procedure of the ankle, the knee and the hip. Knee flexion and hip extension in the period of acceleration, constant velocity and deceleration phase is very important fur the balance recovery. These responses depends on the magnitude and timing of the perturbation. From the present study the accelerometry-system appears to be a promising tool for understanding kinematic accelerative In response to a transient platform perturbation. A more through understanding of balance recovery mechanism may aid in designing methods for reducing falls and the resulting injuries.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.36-44
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• 2020

With the advent of westernized diet and a lack of exercise, young female college students are paying more attention to their bodyweight and health. Whole-body vibration has been demonstrated to be a suitable training method for improving knee extension maximal strength in young female athletes, as well as the gait performance in elderly women. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a vertical vibration intervention on the physical fitness and postural balance in young females. Fifty-four young women were recruited; all subjects were randomly assigned to the intervention group and control group. The intervention group underwent vertical vibration with a platform for 12 weeks. The results showed that body mass index and body fat percentage had decreased (P<0.05). In addition, their muscle endurance as indicated by a sit-up test and their flexibility as indicated by a sit-and-reach test were both increased. With regard to postural balance, their 30-second sit-to-stand and timed up and go test results were improved. At the same time, their mean single-leg stance with eyes closed time increased (P<0.05). However, there were no significant differences, meanwhile, for the control group. Overall, the results showed that the whole body vibration (WBV) intervention had some beneficial effects on physical fitness and postural balance in young women.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.247-254
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• 2009

We studied the postural response induced by plantar sole vibration with various frequencies(20, 60, 100Hz) and vibration zone(the anterior and posterior foot zone) of both soles during standing. Eight healthy young adults were exposed to 15s periods of plantar sole vibration while blindfolded. Body sway(COM, center of mass), the angle of neck, trunk, hip, knee, ankle and EMG of four lower limb muscles(tibialis anterior, lateral and medial gastrocnemial, soleus muscle) were recorded during 15s plantar sole vibration using 3D motion analysis system. Simulating each zone separately resulted in spatially oriented body tilts; oppositely directed backward and forward, respectively, the amplitude of which was proportional to the vibration frequency. EMG activity of lower limb muscles also varied according to the direction of the vibration zone and linearly according to the frequency. These findings led us to consider the plantar sole vibration as useful method of postural balance control and adjustment.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.255-262
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• 2009

The present study analyzed the association between postural control and electrical stimulation by measuring body sway when use the electrical stimulations were applied to different stimulation zones in lower limbs. The subjects were 14 young adults and were, tested for two different visual condition: eyes open and eyes closed. The experiments were also performed in two different stance case: one legged stance and two legged stance while electrical stimulations were applied concurrently or individually to tibialis anterior and triceps surae. Postural responses were assessed by analyzing COP sway path, sum of COP sway measured by a forceplate. The results showed that the direction of the COP shift changed in accordance with the direction of stimulation and showed sensory adaptation as the experiment progressed for two legged stance case. For one legged stance case, concurrent electrical stimulation both sides of muscles was found to be effective for enhancement of postural balance control.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.32-40
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• 2007

Although many children with cerebral palsy have problems with their eye movements available data on its intervention is minimal. The purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of the postural movement normalization and eye movement program on the oculomotor ability of children with cerebral palsy. Twenty-four children with cerebral palsy (12 male and 12 female), aged between 10 and 12, were invited to partake in this study. The subjects were randomly allocated to two groups: an experimental group received the postural movement normalization and eye movement program and a control group which received conventional therapy without the eye movement program. Each subject received intervention three times a week for twelve weeks. The final measurement was the ocular motor computerized test before and after treatment sessions through an independent assessor. Differences between the experimental group and control group were determined by assessing changes in oculomotor ability using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The changes of visual fixation (p<.01), saccadic eye movement (p<.01) and pursuit eye movement (p<.01) were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group. These results show that the postural movement normalization and eye movement program may be helpful to treat children with cerebral palsy who lose normal physical and eye movement.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.169-177
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of aging and dual tasking to the postural control during quiet standing. It was hypothesized that the center of pressure (COP) dynamics would be differently affected by aging and characteristics of the task. Total 60 adults (35 young adults and 25 older adults) participated in this study. They conducted two different standing tasks (dual vs. Nondual) twice in a random order. Variability, complexity, coupling and symmetric index from the left, right and overall COPs were measured by various parameters in nonlinear, linear and frequency analyses methods. Results demonstrated that older adults had worse performance in postural control with decreased complexity in overall sway movement, and increased coupling between left and right limb COP movement, even though there was no significant difference in symmetric index. These tendencies are generally clearer in nonlinear measures at the dual task condition. Results implied that older adults had compensatory strategy in dual tasking which results in simple and combined postural movement patterns.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.427-432
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• 2016

Objective: The goal of this study was to systematically investigate the postural stability of dancers by providing unexpected perturbations. Method: Six female dancers and college students participated in this study. Unpredictable wait-pull balance perturbations in the anterior direction were provided to the participants during standing. Three different perturbation intensities (low, moderate, and high intensity) were used by increasing perturbation forces. Spatial and temporal stability of postural control were measured by using margin of stability (MoS) and time to contact (TtC), respectively. Results: Both MoS and TtC at moderate intensity were significantly greater in the dancer group than in the control group, but no significant differences were found at low and high intensities between the groups. Conclusion: The present study showed spatial and temporal stability of dynamic postural control in dancers. We found that the dancers were more spatially and temporally stable than the ordinary participants in response to unexpected external perturbation when the perturbation intensity was moderate at two extreme intensity levels (low and high).

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.169-176
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• 2008

Purpose : Tandem stance is a clinical measure of standing balance considered to assess postural steadiness in a heel-to-toe position by a temporal measurement. The aim of this study is to investigate postural steadiness and to explore the weight distribution between legs during 25s of quiet stance and tandem stance(right foot was leading) in healthy young adults. Methods : 107 healthy young adults(mean age 21.1 years) are participated. Weight distribution beneath both feet and sway distance were recorded while the subjects performed 25s of quiet stance and tandem stance. Results : Subjects placed more weight on the rear leg in tandem stance and on the left foot in quiet stance. So, quiet stance and tandem stance is not a task for equal weight bearing. Subjects show larger sway distance in anteroposterior direction of tandem stance than quiet stance. Conclusion : The results of this study will be useful to researchers and clinicians using tandem stance measures to evaluate postural steadiness and to predict fall. The results suggest that tandem stance is useful to treat of weight distribution and to improve of balace in elderly adults and stroke patients.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.133-141
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to conduct balance training through vision control to improve the balance, postural control, and balance confidence and to decrease the visual and sensory dependence of stroke patients. Methods: Twenty-eight chronic stroke patients volunteered to participate in the study. They were randomly assigned to the eyes-closed and the eyes-open training groups. Three times a week for four weeks each group performed an unstable-support session and a balance training session for thirty minutes per set. Their balance, postural control, and balance confidence were assessed using BIO Rescue (BR), the postural assessment scale for stroke (PASS), and the Korean activity-specific balance confidence scale (K-ABC), respectively. All data were analyzed using SPSS version 22.0. Statistical methods before and after working around the average value of each dataset were independent T-test. The significance level for statistical analyses was set at 0.05. Results: Comparison between the groups showed statistically significant effects on all variables before and after the intervention (p < 0.05). Conclusion: This study reflected that balance-training programs involving vision control improve the balance, postural control, and balance confidence of chronic stroke patients. Thus, stroke patients should undergo training programs that increase the use of their other senses with vision control in clinical practice.