• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.30-38
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• 2009

Purpose: This randomized study was done to compare the effects of a 6 month Tai Chi exercise and a self-help program on balance, flexibility and muscle strength in women with osteoarthritis (OA). Method: In this experimental study, 82 women with OA recruited from outpatient clinics or community health centers were randomly assigned either to a Tai Chi group or a self-help group. Thirty women (mean age = 62 years) in the Tai Chi group and 39 (mean age = 59 years) in the self-help group completed posttest measures (balance, flexibility, oxygen consumption, abdominal muscle strength, back muscle strength, and grip strength) at 6 months. Results: After the 6 month, Tai Chi participants had significantly greater balance (mean difference = 2.9 vs. 0.9 for the self-help), grip strength (mean difference = 4.6 vs. 0.9 for the self-help), and back muscle strength (mean difference = 4.1 vs. -0.3 for the self-help). However, flexibility, oxygen consumption, and abdominal muscle strength were not significantly different between the groups. Conclusion: Tai Chi increased balance, grip strength and back muscle strength in older women with osteoarthritis compared to the self-help program. Whether these changes improve physical functioning and fall prevention requires further study.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2021

Purpose: This study examined the effects of heel insoles on the static balance and leg muscle activity and posture control strategy during external perturbation. Methods: Thirty healthy young men participated in the study. The subjects underwent two experimental conditions: 1) no heel insole condition (0cm) and 2) wearing heel insole condition (5cm). The static balance was measured using an I-Balance device, which measured the change in the center of gravity (COG). The onset time of muscle activation and muscle activation of the erector spinae (ES), hamstring (HAM), gastrocnemius (GCM) were measured using surface EMG electrodes to determine the change in posture control strategy during external perturbation. Results: The speed and distance of COG were significantly higher in the wearing heel insoles condition than the no heel insole condition (p<0.05). In addition, significant differences in the onset time of the GCM, HAM, and ES muscle activation were observed when there was no heel insole condition during external perturbation (p<0.017). On the other hand, no significant differences in the onset time of muscle activation were observed between GCM and HAM when wearing the heel insole condition during external perturbation (p<0.017). Moreover, muscle activation of the GCM was significantly higher in the wearing heel insoles condition than the no heel insole condition during external perturbation (p<0.05). Conclusion: These findings suggest that heel insoles may have disadvantages, and increased efforts are needed to maintain balance and change the posture control strategy during external perturbation.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.69-76
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• 2021

Background: Degenerative arthritis accounts for a large portion of the elderly, causing a lot of inconvenience in daily life. Total knee replacement (TKR) are performed to relieve pain in the knee joint. The purpose of this study was to determine whether knee joint stabilization exercises are effective in improving balance and walking ability in degenerative arthritis patients who have undergone TKR. Methods: A total of 30 TKR patients participated in this study. They were assigned to two groups. The experimental group, the group that underwent knee stabilization exercises, joint mobilization and general physical therapy. On the other hand, and the controlled group, the group that underwent joint mobilization and general physical therapy. All exercises were conducted thrice a week, for four weeks. The main balance outcomes were evaluated using the posture balance training system, while walking ability was assessed using a wireless 3-axis accelerometer. Results: The experimental group had significantly higher scores in postural stability testing (PST), limits stability testing, and waling ability. The post-intervention evaluation, there were significant differences in all variables between the two groups. However, no significant difference was noted in the foam eyes closed test in PST. Conclusion: This study suggests that knee joint stabilization exercises effectively improve the balance and walking ability of TKR patients. Thus, it could be presented as useful in clinical practice.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.45-53
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• 2011

Purpose : Many researchers have attempted to identity the reliability used in clinical examination of balance and gait performance for individuals of hemiparetic stroke. The study aims to evaluate whether the reliabilities of three popular clinical measures of balance and gait performance was consistency regardless of applicate experience of those clinical measures compared with previous studies for persons with hemiparetic stroke. Methods : A total of three hemiparetic stroke populations and twenty-six physical therapists were recruited from Glory hospital, Inchen, Korea in this study. The three clinical measures, involving Berg balance test (BBT), dynamic gait index (DGI), and Tinetti performance-oriented mobility assessment (POMA), were assessed in two sessions that were seven days apart. Results : The POMA was showed a good intrarater and interrater reliabilities in people with hemiparetic stroke regardless of measure's experience in clinical field. However BBT and DGI were showed below moderate intrarater and interrater reliabilities. Conclusion : The POMA could be a reliable measure to evaluate functional postural stability and gait performance in hemiparetic stroke patients compared with other two clinical measures regardless of measure's experience of physical therapists.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.32-39
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• 2021

Objective: The weakness of muscle strength due to stroke affects the posture control and gait in the patients with stroke. Stroke This study examined the effects of the stair climbing training with functional electrical stimulation on muscle strength, dynamic balance, and gait in individuals with chronic stroke. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: Total forty-eight patients were randomly assigned to the 3 groups. Participants randomly divided to stair climbing training with functional electrical stimulation group (SCT+FES group, n=16), stair climbing training group (SCT group, n=16) and control group (n=16). Subjects in the SCT+FES group and SCT group performed stair walking training with and without functional electrical stimulation for 30 minutes, 3 sessions per week for 4 weeks and all subjects received conventional physical therapy for 30 minutes with 5 sessions per week for 4 weeks. Outcome measurements were assessed using the sit-to stand Test for strength, timed up and go test and modified-timed up and go test for dynamic balance, and 10m walk test and GaitRite system for gait. Results: In the SCT+FES group, subjects have been shown the significant increase in lower extremity strength (p<0.05), significantly improve in dynamic balance (p<0.05), and significantly improve in their temporal gait parameter (p<0.05). The SCT+FES group was significantly better than other groups in all parameters (p<0.05). Conclusions: This result suggested that the SCT+FES may be effective strategy to improve muscle strength, dynamic balance, and gait for individuals with chronic stroke.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.65 no.3
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• pp.142-149
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• 2022

Background: Individuals with Down syndrome present with several impairments such as hypotonia, ligament laxity, decreased muscle strength, insufficient muscular cocontraction, inadequate postural control, and disturbed proprioception. These factors are responsible for the developmental challenges faced by children with Down syndrome. These individuals also present with balance dysfunctions. Purpose: This systematic review aims to describe the motor dysfunction and balance impairments in children and adolescents with Down syndrome. Methods: We searched the Scopus, ScienceDirect, MEDLINE, Wiley, and EBSCO databases for observational studies evaluating the motor abilities and balance performance in individuals with Down syndrome. The review was registered on PROSPERO. Results: A total of 1,096 articles were retrieved; after careful screening and scrutinizing against the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 10 articles were included in the review. Overall, the children and adolescents with Down syndrome showed delays and dysfunction in performing various activities such as sitting, pulling to stand, standing, and walking. They also presented with compensatory mechanisms to maintain their equilibrium in static and dynamic activities. Conclusion: The motor development of children with Down syndrome is significantly delayed due to structural differences in the brain. These individuals have inefficient compensatory strategies like increasing step width, increasing frequency of mediolateral center of pressure displacement, decreasing anteroposterior displacement, increasing trunk stiffness, and increasing posterior trunk displacement to maintain equilibrium. Down syndrome presents with interindividual variations; therefore, a thorough evaluation is required before a structured intervention is developed to improve motor and balance dysfunction.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.286-291
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• 2020

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) causes a reduction in the balance of the lower extremities. Static and dynamic balance were evaluated separately to confirm the decrease in balance in patients underwent ACLR. The commonly used methods include the Biodex Balance System (BBS) for static balance and the Y balance test (YBT) for dynamic balance. No study has evaluated whether the static and dynamic balance of the involved side recovers as much as the uninvolved side one year after ACLR. Objects: The purpose of this study was to investigate the recovery of static and dynamic balance between the involved and the uninvolved sides. Methods: The BBS (overall, anteroposterior index, and mediolateral index) and YBT (anterior, posterolateral, and posteromedial) of 58 patients underwent ACLR were measured one year postoperation. Both sides of the BBS and the YBT were compared using the paired t-test. Results: All the index of the BBS showed no difference between the involved and the uninvolved sides, while all the scores of the YBT showed a significant difference in both sides. The YBT anterior result was 54.64 ± 5.62 cm in the involved side and 56.90 ± 5.41 cm in the uninvolved side (p = 0.001). The YBT posterolateral results were 90.12 ± 10.51 cm and 92.34 ± 9.85 cm (p = 0.013). The YBT posteromedial results were 93.72 ± 8.84 cm and 96.14 ± 9.37 cm (p = 0.002). Conclusion: A year after ACLR, the static balance showed no difference, while the dynamic balance showed a significant difference in the involved and the uninvolved sides. The static balance of the involved side recovered as much as the uninvolved side, but the dynamic balance did not. Therefore, dynamic balance training should be considered in the rehabilitation program for patients underwent ACLR.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.1-7
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• 2012

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationship between physical performance, such as gait and postural control, and cognition on as assessed by clinical tools in individuals with chronic hemiparetic stroke. Methods : Twenty-six patients who had hemiparetic stroke participated in this study, and were evaluated four common clinical measurements, including the Berg balance scale (BBS), 10 meter walk test (10MWT), 6 minute walking test (6MWT), and Montreal cognitive assessment (MoCA). Multiple regression analysis was used BBS score, 10MWT, and 6MWT as the dependent variables; MoCA score, post-stroke duration, age, and affected side as independent variables. Results : In the regression equation of the BBS score, the correlation coefficient (r) was 0.875, the coefficient of determination (R2) was 0.786, and the MoCA score was the most important variable for determining the BBS score. In the regression equation for the 10MWT, ther was 0.888, the R2 was 0.999, and the MoCA score was the most important variable for determining 10MWT. Finally, the r was 0.777, the R2 was 0.998, and the MoCA score was the most important variable for determining 6MWT in the regression equation of the 6MWT. Conclusion : The results show that cognitive abilities affect gait proficiencies in individuals with chronic hemiparetic stroke. Therefore, these results suggest that cognitive tests are necessary for examining and evaluating the abilities of postural control and gait performance for chronic stroke patients in research and clinical environments.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.636-646
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• 2007

Adequate postural control depends on the spatial and temporal integration of vestibular, visual, and somatosensory information. Especially, the musculoskeletal function is essential to maintain the postural control. The experimental studies was performed on the muscular activities in the lower extremities during maintaining and moving exercises on an unstable platform with Magneto Rheological(MR) dampers. The unstable platform of the developed system was controlled by electric currents to the MR dampers. A subject executed the maintaining and moving exercises which are presented through the display monitor. The electromyographies of the eight muscles in lower extremities were recorded and analyzed in the time and the frequency domain: the muscles of interest were rectus femoris(RF), biceps femoris(BF), tensor fasciae latae(TFL), vastus lateralis(VL), vastus medialis(VM), gastrocnemius(Ga), tibialis anterior(TA), Soleus(So). The experimental results showed that the muscular activities differed in the four moving exercises and the nine maintaining exercises. For the anterior-posterior pattern, the TA showed highest activities; for the left-right pattern, the TFL; for the 45, $-45^{\circ}$ pattern, the TFL and TA. Also, the rate of the increase in the muscular activities were affected by the condition of the unstable platform with MR dampers for the maintaining and moving exercises. The experimental results suggest that the choice of different maintaining and moving exercises could selectively train different muscles in various intensity. Futhermore, the findings suggested that the training using this system can improve the ability of postural control.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.206-210
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• 2015

Background: Fatigue has a strong impact on workers' performance and safety, but expedient methods for assessing fatigue on the job are not yet available. Studies discuss posturography as an indicator of fatigue, but further evidence for its use in the workplace is needed. The purpose of the study is to examine whether posturography is a suitable indicator of fatigue in clerical workers. Methods: Thirty-six employees (${\emptyset}$ 34.8 years, standard deviation = 12.5) participated in postural tasks (eyes open, eyes closed, arm swinging, and dual task) in the morning and afternoon. Position of their center of pressure (COP) was registered using a Nintendo Wii Balance Board and commercial software. From registered COP time series, we calculated the following parameters: path length (mm), velocity (mm/s), anterior-posterior variance (mm), mediolateral variance (mm), and confidence area ($mm^2$). These parameters were reduced to two orthogonal factors in a factor analysis with varimax rotation. Results: Statistical analysis of the first factor (path length and velocity) showed a significant effect of time of day: COP moved along a shorter path at a lower velocity in the afternoon compared with that in the morning. There also was a significant effect of task, but no significant interaction. Conclusion: Data suggest that postural stability of clerical workers was comparable in the morning and afternoon, but COP movement was greater in the morning. Within the framework of dynamic systems theory, this could indicate that the postural system explored the state space in more detail, and thus was more ready to respond to unexpected perturbations in the morning.