• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.124-129
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• 2016

Background: Work-related fatigue has a strong impact on performance and safety but so far, no agreed upon method exists to detect and quantify it. It has been suggested that work-related fatigue cannot be quantified with just one test alone, possibly because fatigue is not a uniform construct. The purpose of this study is therefore to measure work-related fatigue with multiple tests and then to determine the underlying factorial structure. Methods: Twenty-eight employees (mean: 36.11; standard deviation 13.17) participated in five common fatigue tests, namely, posturography, heart rate variability, distributed attention, simple reaction time, and subjective fatigue before and after work. To evaluate changes from morning to afternoon, t tests were conducted. For further data analysis, the differences between afternoon and morning scores for each outcome measure and participant (${\Delta}$ scores) were submitted to factor analysis with varimax rotation and each factor with the highest-loading outcome measure was selected. The ${\Delta}$ scores from tests with single and multiple outcome measures were submitted for a further factor analysis with varimax rotation. Results: The statistical analysis of the multiple tests determine a factorial structure with three factors: The first factor is best represented by center of pressure (COP) path length, COP confidence area, and simple reaction time. The second factor is associated with root mean square of successive difference and useful field of view (UFOV). The third factor is represented by the single ${\Delta}$ score of subjective fatigue. Conclusion: Work-related fatigue is a multidimensional phenomenon that should be assessed by multiple tests. Based on data structure and practicability, we recommend carrying out further studies to assess work-related fatigue with manual reaction time and UFOV Subtest 2.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.105-110
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• 2023

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the degree of dizziness affects static balance due to the disruption or absence of the senses involved in balance. To this end, the correlation between the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), which objectively evaluates dizziness, the Fourier Index (FI; Frequency bands of postural oscillation, F1, F2-4, F5-6, F7-8) and the Stability Index (ST), which evaluates static balance ability, were examined. Methods: This study investigated balance and dizziness issues in 30 healthy young adults. Participants underwent multiple tests like the DHI and tetra-ataxiometric posturography (Tetrax) under different conditions (eyes open/closed, standing on a foam-rubber pillow, and with the head in various orientations). Results: We found that F1 exhibited a weak positive correlation with dizziness under normal conditions, as well as when the eyes were closed (r=0.396, p<0.05) and the head was tilted back (r=0.375, p<0.05). Meanwhile, F5-6 showed a moderate positive correlation with dizziness in both head-back (HB: r=0.471, p<0.05) and head-forward postures (r=0.404, p<0.05). Lastly, both F7-8 and ST demonstrated a moderate positive correlation with dizziness when the head was in a forward posture (F7-8: r=0.483; ST: r=0.403, p<0.05). Conclusion: The study results indicate that the severity of dizziness affects sensory systems and balance. It also suggests that head movements, especially forward and backward, further stimulate the vestibular system, intensifying dizziness, and balance problems in affected individuals.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.155-162
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• 2023

PURPOSE: The primary objective of this study was to develop a virtual reality-based vestibular rehabilitation system to enhance balance perception, target rehabilitation specialists, and evaluate its usability. A key goal was establishing a system refinement strategy based on the collected data. METHODS: We conducted a study involving ten adults aged 10 to 29 in Gwangju Metropolitan City to evaluate the usability of a virtual reality-based vestibular rehabilitation system to enhance balance perception. After introducing the product and explaining its use to the participants, balance assessments and training were conducted using computerized dynamic posturography (CDP) (also called the test of balance [TOB]). Subsequently, participants were given a questionnaire to evaluate subjective stability, operability, and satisfaction. Frequency analysis was utilized to determine the frequency of the variable values of the measurement items in the survey for descriptive statistics. RESULTS: We found that the average usability score was 2.587. When broken down by category, stability received an average rating of 2.725, operability scored an average of 2.783, and satisfaction averaged 2.454. These findings suggest that most participants experienced positive sentiments and considerable satisfaction. CONCLUSION: The study successfully developed a virtual reality-based vestibular rehabilitation system, which was an improvement over the previous model and addressed its shortcomings. The results show that users with vestibular impairments are satisfied and more engaged with this system, indicating that additional studies are warranted.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.12 no.12
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• pp.5518-5524
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to investigate the change of balance ability on aging by measuring balance ability of elderly females whose age is over 65. The subjects are ten elderly women (the mean age: 71.9) able to walk without assistants, the assistant equipments and drug dependence and ten young healthy women (the mean age: 23.2). We measured stability index (ST), Fourier index (F), weight distribution (WD), weight distribution index (WDI), synchronization index (SI) and fall index (FI) by using Tetrax (Tetra-ataxiometric Posturography). In result, STs and Fs at the low frequency region (F1) represented the significant difference between two groups at all postures with PO (pillow with eye open) exception (p<.01). Fs at the other frequency regions (F2~F8) represented the significant difference between two groups (p<.05). WDI of the elderly women represented the higher values than the young women at all postures but there are the significant difference at PO and PC (pillow with eye closed) only. These results may be due to age-related ability decline of somatesthesia, vestibular organ, central nervous system.

• 한국노년학
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.1261-1275
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• 2009

Age related decrease of muscle strength, balance, and gait abilities bring about physical inactivity in the elderly. Virtual reality (VR) training has been used successfully to rehabilitate functional balance and mobility in elderly subjects. This study was aimed at determining the effect of VR-based exercise programs by using a video game on the muscle strength, balance, and gait abilities in the elderly. 48 old people were randomly divided into two groups; VR-group (men: 11, women: 14, age: 68.42yrs) and control group (men: 10, women: 13, age: 67.58yrs). VR-group performed an exercise program twice a week for 8 weeks and control group had no intervention. The VR-based exercise program was composed of warm up(10 mins), VR-program(40 mins), and cool down(10mins). It was performed by playstation eyetoy play that provided visual and auditory feedback as well as movements of the upper and lower extremities. Muscle strengths of the knee and ankle were measured using manual muscle tester. Static balance was estimated using computerized posturography. Dynamic balance was measured by Timed up and go test (TUG), Functional reach test (FRT). 10m walk test and 6-min walk test were used to assess gait abilities. After the completion of the VR-exercise program, muscle strength, balance, and gait abilities were improved significantly (p<0.05). In conclusion, the VR-based exercise program showed improvement on the muscle strength, balance, and gait ability in the elderly. This exercise program is both effective and interesting for this age group.