• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
• /
• v.11 no.4
• /
• pp.509-516
• /
• 2022

Objective: This study investigated the effect of a video game-based home exercise program on the improvement of balance and muscle strength in the elderly. Design: Randomized controlled trial Methods: Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: a video game-based home exercise training group (experimental group, n=16) and a control group (n=17). The experimental group trained three times a week for 50 minutes per session for six weeks, and the control group did not perform any exercise. To evaluate postural balance, one leg standing test, Berg balance scale, functional reach test, and timed up and go test were performed, and five times sit-to-stand was performed to evaluate lower extremity muscle strength. Results: In the experimental group, there were statistically significant improvements (p<0.05) in one leg standing test, Berg balance scale, functional reach test, and timed up and go test, and five times sit-to-stand after the intervention, but in the control group, the difference before and after the intervention was not significant. The difference between the groups according to the experimental method showed a significant increase in the experimental group (p<0.05). Conclusions: These results suggest that a video game-based home exercise program effectively improves balance and muscle strength in the elderly. A video game-based exercise program can contribute to the rehabilitation of the elderly as a method of home remote rehabilitation.

• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.58-65
• /
• 2017

Background: Children with cerebral palsy (CP) have impaired postural control, but critically require the control of stability. Consequently, therapeutic interventions for enhancing postural control in children with CP have undergone extensive research. One intervention is sensorimotor training (SMT) using a Flexi-bar, but this has not previously been studied with respect to targeting trunk control in children with CP. Objects: This study was conducted to determine the effect of SMT using a Flexi-bar on postural balance and gait performance in children with CP. Methods: Three children with ambulatory spastic diplegia (SD) participated in the SMT program by using a Flexi-bar for forty minutes per day, three times a week, for six weeks. Outcome variables included the pediatric balance scale (PBS), trunk control movement scale (TCMS), 10 meter walking test (10MWT), and 3-dimensional movement coordination measurement. Results: The SMT provided no statistically significant improvement in PBS, TCMS, 10MWT, or 3-dimensional movement coordination measurement. However, positive changes were observed in individual outcomes, as balance and trunk control movement were improved. Conclusion: SMT using a Flexi-bar may be considered by clinicians as a potential intervention for increasing postural balance and performance in children with SD. Future studies are necessary to confirm the efficacy of Flexi-bar exercise in improving the functional activity of subjects with SD.

• PNF and Movement
• /
• v.8 no.3
• /
• pp.39-47
• /
• 2010

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlations between clinical balance scales and Balance Performance Monitor parameters in patient with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). Methods : Twenty AIS subjects (age, $14.26{\pm}1.93yrs$; height, $160.56{\pm}7.98cm$; weight, $47.54{\pm}6.94kg$)were participated in this study. Postural sway(mean balance, sway angle, sway area, sway path, maximal sway velocity) were were evaluated by balance performance monitor. Measurements for clinical balance scales were Functional reach test (both side), the Lateral reach test (both side) and One leg standing test (both legs). Results : The results were as follows. There were positive strong correlation between major curve direction and left-right sway angle, sway path, maximal sway velocity. There were negative strong correlation between the functional reach and left-right sway angle, sway area, sway path, maximal sway velocity. And the lateral reach were also showed negative strong correlation parameters of balance performance monitor. One leg standing were negatively correlated with left-right sway angle, sway path, maximal sway velocity. Conclusion : The clinical balance scales will be useful tools for balance measurements, and basic tools for clinical setting for patient with AIS.

• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.6 no.3
• /
• pp.11-21
• /
• 1999

Human balance is maintained through a complex process involving sensory detection of body motions, integration of sensorimotor information within the central nervous system, and execution of appropriate musculoskeletal responses. The basic task of balance is to position the body center of gravity (COG) over some portion of the support base. When the COG extends beyond the base of support, the person has exceeded the limits of stability (LOS). At this point, a step or stumble is required to prevent a fall. Automatic postural responses operate to keep the COG over the base of support. They are a set of functionally organized, long-loop responses that act to keep the body in a state of equilibrium. There are four commonly identified automatic postural responses, or strategies. These are ankle strategy, hip strategy, suspensory (knee) strategy, and stepping strategy. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the LOS using various knee strategies. Forty subjects participated in this study. The subjects were comprised of 20 males and 20 females who were without neurologic, orthopaedic or balance performance impairments. The LOS was measured with a Balance Performance Monitor (BPM) Dataprint Software Version 5.3. The results of this study were as follows: 1) Knee joint angle which is to increase stability of standing balance with using knee strategy was at mid-range. 2) There were statistically significant differences in anteroposterior LOSs according to the knee strategy. 3) There were no statistically significant differences in mediolateral LOSs according to the knee strategy. 4) There were statistically significant differences of anteroposterior LOSs with using knee strategy according to gender. 5) There were no statistically significant differences in mediolateral LOSs with using knee strategy according to gender.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
• /
• 2005.06a
• /
• pp.1954-1957
• /
• 2005

A quantitative evaluation of postural balance training using a virtual reality bicycle system was performed. In the experiment, the effectiveness of virtual reality bicycle system on postural balance training was analyzed with four male subjects in their twenties. The parameters measured during cycling were cycling time, average velocity, number of times subject deviated from path, and weight shift. Those parameters were evaluated for the quantification of the extent of control. We also measured the parameters on postural control capability after 5th trial and 10th trial in a balance testing system with a force plate to find out the effectiveness of the training. In the balance test with force plate, it was found out that the weight shift was almost zero and the deviation from the target trace reduced significantly after the training with the virtual cycle. The result showed that the virtual bicycle system was an effective system as a rehabilitation training device.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
• /
• v.8 no.4
• /
• pp.187-193
• /
• 2019

Objective: The aim of this preliminary study was to investigate the effects of virtual reality combined with balance training on upper limb function, balance, and activities of daily living (ADL) in persons with acute stroke. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: Fourteen acute stroke survivors were recruited and randomly assigned into two groups: the experimental group (n=7) and the control group (n=7). Both groups performed the conventional rehabilitation therapy for 30 minutes a day, 5 times a week, for 4 weeks. Additionally, the experimental group conducted the virtual reality training for 30 minutes on an unstable surface during each session, whereas the control group performed balance training for 30 minutes on a stable surface. All measurements were performed before and one day after intervention. Upper limb function, balance, and ADL were assessed using the Manual Function Test (MFT), the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and the Korean version of the Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI), respectively. Results: Both groups showed significant improvements in MFT, BBS, K-MBI after intervention (p<0.05). There were no significant differences between the experimental and control groups with respect to MFT, BBS, and K-MBI after intervention. The experimental group showed a greater decrease in fall risk (BBS<45) after intervention than the control group (p<0.05). Conclusions: These findings suggest that virtual reality combined with balance training has a better effect on balance improvement than virtual reality training alone in persons with acute stroke.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.1-9
• /
• 2021

Background: The requirements for postural and motor control in backward walking training (BWT) may improve balance and walking speed in patients with acute stroke. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of BWT on balance, balance confidence, and fall efficacy in this population. Design: Randomized controlled pilot trial. Methods: This study included 14 subjects with acute stroke (onset of illness less than one month). They were randomly allocated to a BWT (n=7) or forward walking training (n=7) group and observed five times in a week for a period of two weeks. Measurements were taken before and after the experiment using the Berg balance scale (BBS), Activities-specific balance confidence scale (ABC), and Fall efficacy scale (FES). Results: The BBS, ABC and FES scores obtained in both groups after the experiment were significantly higher than those before the experiment (p<0.05). In addition, the BBS, ABC, and FES scores in the experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group (p<0.05). Conclusion: These findings indicate that BWT improved balance and balance confidence and decreased the risks of fall in patients with acute stroke. Further study is needed to better understand the effects of backward walking in acute stroke patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.7-14
• /
• 2019

PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of observing a self-video or a video of another person performing balance and gait training, followed by actual performance of the observed movements on the balance and walking ability of chronic stroke patients. METHODS: Thirty patients, who had experienced a stroke and were admitted to S rehabilitation hospital for treatment, were selected randomly and divided into three groups with 10 patients each: self-action observation (SAO) group, other-action observation (OAO) group, and treadmill walking training (TWT) group. The training program was conducted five times per week for four weeks. The GAITRite system, 10 m walking test, and timed up and go test were performed to measure the subjects' gait and balance ability. RESULTS: The velocity, cadence, double support, and stride length were increased significantly in the SAO and OAO groups (p<.05) but the T group showed no significant changes; no significant difference was observed among the groups (p >.05). The 10MWT decreased significantly in the OAO group (p<.05), but there were no significant changes in the SAO and T groups, and no significant difference was observed among the groups (p>.05). The TUG decreased significantly in the SAO and OAO groups (p<.05), but there were no significant changes in the T group, and no significant difference was observed among the groups (p>.05). CONCLUSION: The self or other action observation training helps improve the balance and gait ability.

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

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.9-17
• /
• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine reliability and validity of the Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients (PASS) in chronic stroke patients. Methods: A total of 43 stroke patients, who had a stroke more than 6 months previously, participated in the study. Reliability was determined by the intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC$_{3,1}$), Bland and Altman method and Cronbach's alpha by internal consistency. Validity was examined by correlation the PASS scores to the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Trunk Control Test (TCT), and Fugl-Meyer Balance (FM-B) score. Results: The intra-rater reliability and the Absolute reliability of the PASS was good ICC$_{3,1}$=0.97 (95%CI 0.95$\sim$0.99) and excellent SEM=1.01 respectively. Cronbach's alpha value for PASS was found to be 0.94. There were significant correlations between the PASS and BBS, TCT, FM-B (r=0.65－0.96, p<0.01). Conclusion: The PASS provide reliable and valid instrument of the postural control assessment for chronic stroke patients.