• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.146-152
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• 2008

This study was aimed to understand the effects of perturbed floor surface on human postural stability while standing. Ten subjects were asked to stand quietly on the surface with two angles of inclination ($0^{\circ}$ and $5^{\circ}$), two contamination conditions (dry and oil-contaminated), and three commercial floor materials (ceramic tile, coated wood, and vinyl tile). During each trial, a force plate with data acquisition systems was used to collect subject's center of pressure (COP) position. Measured COPs were then converted into the length of postural sway path in both subject's anterior-posterior (AP) and medio-lateral (ML) axis. Results showed that the length of sway path in ML axis was significantly affected by the angle of inclination and the type of floor material. The sway length was increased significantly at the inclination angle of $5^{\circ}$ and on the vinyl tile, respectively. The contamination condition, however, did not significantly affect the postural sway length in both AP and ML axis. The results imply that a proper treatment of floor surface and material is critical to preserving postural balance while standing.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.243-250
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• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to observe office workers' postural behaviors during computer work to identify the risk factors for head and thorax postural behaviors. Methods: The participants included 57 office workers who worked longer than 20 hours on a computer. Postural behaviors during computer work were measured using 3-D wearable motion sensors on the forehead and sternum. A multivariate linear regression model evaluated the association between various risk factors (neck pain, demographics, and environmental factors) and non-head and thorax postural behaviors. Results: The participants maintained their head and thorax in neutral postures (defined as 10° extension~10° flexion and 5° extension~10° flexion, respectively) for 24.7% and 39.3% of the total recorded time. Those who reported neck pain at the measurement of postural behaviors showed less time spent in thorax postures. Current neck pain, high desk height, and the distance between the keyboard and the edge of the desk (cm) were found to be related to less time spent in a neutral thorax posture. Conclusion: Office environment factors and current neck pain might affect workers' thorax postures, which might also determine the orientation of head postures during computer work.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.143-151
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• 2016

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of fatigue induction on ground reaction force (GRF) components, postural stability, and vertical jump performance in Taekwondo athletes. Method: Ten Taekwondo athletes (5 men, 5 women; mean age, $22.30{\pm}2.62years$; mean height, $174.21{\pm}9.20cm$; mean body weight, $67.28{\pm}12.56kg$) participated in this study. Fatigue was induced by a short period of strenuous exercise performed on a motorized treadmill. The analyzed variables included vertical jump performance, static stability (mediolateral [ML], center of pressure [COP], anteroposterior [AP] COP, ${\Delta}COPx$, ${\Delta}COPy$, and COP area), postural stability index values (ML stability index [MLSI], AP stability index [APSI], vertical stability index [VSI], dynamic postural stability index [DPSI]), and GRF components (ML force, AP force, peak vertical force [PVF], and loading rate). To analyze the variables measured in this study, PASW version 22.0 was used to calculate the mean and standard deviation, while a paired t-test was used to evaluate the pre- versus post-fatigue results. Pearson's correlation coefficients among variables were also analyzed. The statistical significance level was set at ${\alpha}$ = .05. Results: Vertical jump performance decreased significantly after the induction of fatigue, while AP COP, ${\Delta}COPx$, COP area, APSI, VSI, and DPSI increased significantly. PVF and loading rate increased significantly after the induction of fatigue, while the postural stability variables (AP COP, ${\Delta}COPy$, COP area, APSI, VSI, DPSI) were similarly correlated with GRF components (PVF, loading rate) after fatigue was achieved (r = .600, $R^2$ = 37%). Conclusion: These results suggest that the induction of fatigue can decrease postural stability and exercise performance of Taekwondo athletes during training and competition sessions.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.33-42
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• 2017

PURPOSE: To compare postural vertical training with and without visual feedback for improving functional recovery in post-stroke hemiparesis patients with pusher syndrome. METHODS: This study used a single-subject research with alternating design with multiple baselines. Three patients with hemiparetic post-stroke diagnosed with pusher syndrome were selected from the inpatients at the department of physical therapy of a local rehabilitation hospital. For subjective postural vertical (SPV) training with and without visual feedback, an alternating treatment was used. The subjects were randomly selected using the sequence of the two training methods upon starting the intervention, and then the training was alternated. SPV training was performed twice a day, once in the morning and again in the afternoon. Scale for contraversive pushing (SCP), postural assessment scale for stroke, and Barthel index score were used to determine the intervention-related changes. RESULTS: Compared to the average score at baseline, the average SCP score for the SPV training without visual feedback decreased from 5.3 to 2.8, from 4.6 to 3, and from 3.5 to 2.7 for subjects 1, 2, and 3, respectively. However, the average score for the SPV training with visual feedback decreased from 5.3 to 3.1, from 4.6 to 3.5, and from 3.5 to 3.3 for subjects 1, 2, and 3, respectively. CONCLUSION: Postural vertical training without visual feedback may be more beneficial than postural vertical training with visual feedback for improving pushing behavior and functional activity in stroke patients with pusher syndrome.

• The Journal of Korea CHUNA Manual Medicine
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.55-64
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• 2002

Objectives : Acupuncture therapy is known as a effective method to CVA with paralysis. To make clear about effectiveness of acupuncture affecting to active and static postural adaptation for the patient with hemiparesis, we studied whether acupuncture changed ability of maintenance with one leg standing posture, and character of gait such as gait velocity, cadence, stride length, step length and base of support. Methods : This clinical study has been carried out with 10 cases of CVA patient with hemiparesis. We treated patients with acupuncture for 4 weeks, estimated each paralytic leg and well leg before 1st treatment and after last treatment, and compared the change of one leg with the other. To estimate the change of ability of static postural adaptation, we checked the time of duration with one leg standing posture. And about active postural adaptation, we used temporal distance gait analysis with Ink-Foot-Print method. Results and Conclusions : In static postural adaptation, paralytic leg significantly improved the duration with one leg posture. And In active postural adaptation with gait analysis, paralytic leg showed significant improvement in stride length and step length. Base of support and cadence were also significantly improved.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.61-71
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• 2012

In daily activities, people often perform two or more tasks simultaneously. This is referred to as dual-tasking or multi-tasking. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of performing dual tasks while using a mobile phone on static and dynamic postural stability. Twenty-four subjects were asked to stand on a force plate and then instructed to perform a balance task only (BT), a balance task while listening to music (BTL), a balance task while talking on the mobile phone (BTT), and a balance task while sending text messages (BTS). We used the BioRescue$^{(R)}$ to measure postural sway and limit of stability for static and dynamic postural stability. Also the star excursion balance test (SEBT) was used to measure dynamic postural stability. A one-way ANOVA with repeated measures was used to compare the effects of the BT, BTL, BTT, and BTS. The Bonferroni's post hoc test was used to determine the differences among four tasks. Carrying out the BTS significantly decreased the limit of stability compared with carrying out the BT, BTL, and BTT (p<.05). In limit of stability, total surface area of BTT was more significantly decreased than that of BT and total surface area of BTS was more decreased than that of BT, BTL and BTT (p<.05). In the SEBT, the BTS displayed significantly smaller reach distance values compared with the BT or BTL (p<.05). These findings suggest that performing the balance task while sending text message on the mobile phone decreases dynamic postural stability, whereas performing the same task while listening to music using the mobile phone does not. Therefore, it requires more attention to maintain dynamic balance while sending text messages.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.109 no.2
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• pp.195-201
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• 2020

A forest operation is considered as one of the riskiest environments for the development of musculoskeletal disorders because operators are exposed to harmful environmental conditions such as rough terrain, inclement weather, and poor working postures. In weed and kudzu removal operations, manual application is still common in Korea. In this study, we evaluated the ergonomic conditions of weed and kudzu removal in regeneration forests and the associated risk of musculoskeletal disorders. The risk of musculoskeletal disorders was evaluated using the Ovako Working Posture Analysis System and postural risk index. Postural risk was significantly higher for kudzu compared with weed removal operations. This suggests that kudzu removal operations must be improved to decrease postural risk.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.117-126
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• 2007

In this paper, we propose an early rehabilitation training system for the improvement of postural balance with multi-modality on a tilting bed. The integration of the visual, somatosensory and vestibular functions is significant to for maintaining the postural control of the human body. However, conventional rehabilitation systems do not provide multi-modality to trainees. We analyzed the characterization of postural control at different tilt angles of an early rehabilitation training system, which consists of a tilting bed, a visual feedback, a computer interface, a computer, and a force plate. The software that we developed for the system consists of the training programs and the analysis programs. To evaluate the characterization of postural control, we conducted the first evaluation before the beginning of the training. In the following four weeks, 12 healthy young and 5 healthy elderly subjects were trained to improve postural control using the training programs with the tilting bed. After four weeks of training, we conducted the second evaluation. The analysis programs assess (center of pressure) COP moving time, COP maintaining time, and mean absolute deviation of the trace before and after training at different tilt angles on the bed. After 4 weeks, the COP moving time was reduced, the COP maintaining time was lengthened, and the mean absolute deviation of the trace was lowered through the repeated use of vertical, horizontal, dynamic circle movement training programs. These results show that this system improves postural balance and could be applied to clinical use as an effective training system.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.17-24
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• 2012

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to show the effect of postural training through action observation (AO) on craniovertebral angle (CVA) and cranial rotation angle (CRA) of forward head posture (FHP). Methods : From 16 subjects of having the FHP who consist of postural training through the AO (n = 8) and control group (n = 8) were training to three times per one week during three weeks. FHP measurements for pre and post the intervention use to Wiz-pacs(Wiz-Picture Achiving Communication System) from X-ray change of CVA and CRA. Results : The study for the change within the group pre and post the intervention, CVA and CRA were found the significant differences only in the postural training group through the AO (p<.05). In the comparison of the rates of change between the groups pre and post the intervention CVA and CRA all showed the significant differences (p<.05), and in the comparison of the rates of average change of individual variables in each groups, the postural training group through the AO showed more change rates. Conclusion : The study suggests that when people with FHP received the postural training, the postural training through the AO resulted in more change into the correct postures.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.647-656
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of vibratory stimulus as somatosensory inputs on the postural control in human standing. To study these effects, the center of pressure(COP) was observed while subjects were standing on a stable and an unstable support with co-stimulated mechanical vibrations to flexor ankle muscles(tibialis anterior tendon, achilles tendon) and two plantar zones on both foot. The COP sway measurement was repeated twice in four conditions: (1) with visual cue and vibration, (2) without visual cue and vibration, (3) with visual cue and without vibration, (4) without visual cue and with vibration. The calculated parameters were the COP sway area and the distance, the median frequency and the spectral energy of COP sway in three intervals $0.1{\sim}0.3,\;0.3{\sim}1,\;1{\sim}3Hz$. The results showed that vibratory stimulus affect postural stability. The reduction rate of the COP sway with vibratory stimulus were higher on the unstable support because the effect of postural stability increases when afferent nervous flow is more activated by vibration on unstable support. If unclear visual or vibratory information is received, one type of information is compared with the other type of sensory information. Then the input balance between visual and vibratory information is corrected to maintain postural stability. These findings are important for the rehabilitation system of postural balance control and the use of vibratory information.