• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.249-256
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• 2014

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the effects of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) pattern exercise using sprinter and skater on balance and gait in the stroke patients. Methods: Twenty-two subjects were randomly assigned to the experimental group (n=11) and the control group (n=11). The experimental group performed PNF pattern exercise using sprinter and skater for 15 minutes with conventional physical therapy for 35 minutes (matt and gait training for 15 minutes + FES stimulation for 20 minutes), while the control group performed only conventional physical therapy for 50 minutes (matt and gait training for 30 minutes + FES stimulation for 20 minutes). Both groups performed therapeutic interventions for five days per week, for a period of four weeks. Functional Reach Test (FRT) and Berg Balance Scale (BBS) were used for assessment of balance, and Timed-Up and Go test (TUG) was used for testing of gait. Results: The experimental group showed significant improvements in the FRT and the BBS, while the control group did not show significant changes in two measurements. The experimental group also showed significant improvements, however, the control group did not show significant changes in the TUG. In post-values of three measurements, significant differences were observed between the two groups (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that PNF pattern exercise using sprinter and skater may be used to improve balance and gait function in stroke patients. Thus, we suggested that PNF pattern exercise using sprinter and skater would be a therapeutic intervention in stroke rehabilitation.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.451-461
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• 2019

Purpose: This study identified the effect of abdominal muscle contraction using changes in waist circumference for healthcare workers with back pain due to inadequate posture during working hours. Methods: In this study, we provided educational training focused on posture alignment and utilized waist circumference change sensors to induce the contraction of abdominal muscles as a method to address low back pain in healthcare workers. All 32 participants received the same training and then were assigned to two groups: wearing the keeping core band (CB) and not wearing the keeping core band (NCB). For the CB group, the waist circumference change sensor was applied for 6 weeks during working hours. Wilcoxon's signed-ranks test and paired t-tests were used to compare the differences between the groups. All statistical significance levels were set to α=0.05. Results: Trunk muscle endurance increased significantly in the CB group. There was no significant difference in stability index to evaluate static postural control, but active hip abduction tests, which evaluate dynamic postural control, showed significant decrease in the CB group. Conclusion: These results suggest that the induction of abdominal contraction using the waist circumference change sensor may improve the trunk muscle endurance and the postural control ability of the hip and pelvis of healthcare workers.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.461-473
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the effects of inspiratory muscle training with chest expansion exercises on pulmonary function, maximal inspiratory pressure, and gait in individuals with stroke. Methods: The participants in this study included 36 stroke patients. These patients were randomly divided into three groups: an inspiratory muscle training (IMT) with chest expansion (CE) group (n=12), an IMT group (n=12), and a control group (n=12). Participants in the IMT with CE group underwent IMT and CE exercises 5 times per week for 30 minutes over 4 weeks, whereas those in the CE group and the control group received IMT and conventional physical therapy, respectively, for the same duration. The investigator measured the patients' pulmonary function, maximal inspiratory pressure, and gait endurance. Results: After the intervention, the change values for the forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), peak expiratory flow (PEF), maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), and six-minute walk test (6MWT) in the IMT with CE group and the control group were significantly greater than those of the control group (p<0.05). Similarly, after the intervention, the change values of the FVC, FEV1, PEF, MIP, and 6MWT in the IMT with CE group were significantly greater than those in the IMT group (p<0.05). Conclusion: These findings suggest that IMT with CE could be used to increase pulmonary function, maximal inspiratory pressure, and gait endurance in stroke patients.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.4582-4587
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to identify an effects of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation(PNF) on swallowing function of the stroke patients. For this purpose, subjects were 9 experimental group and 9 control group of the stoke patients. The experimental group has been proceeded total 12 times based on 3 times per 30~50 minutes at a supplied place in the PNF program. The results of this study were as follows. First, the dysphagia scale of the experimental group that was provided with PNF, had a considerable statistic difference. Secondly, the oral pharyngeal functions of the experimental group that was provided with PNF, had a considerable statistic difference. Thirdly, the swallowing speed of the experimental group that was provided with PNF, had a statistic difference in the swallowing speed reduced of the first set, in total. Therefore, PNF is informed to have a effect in advancing the swallowing function of the stroke patients. And in the future, it is considered that researches that it develops the motor program in which the various techniques are combined and it can contribute to the swallowing functions for patients of stroke.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.105-112
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) wrist taping, after the application of a rhythmic stabilization (RS) technique, on the decrease of pain and the increase of grip strength in physical therapists who complained of wrist pain and to provide basic data on interventions for wrist pain patients. Methods: The subjects were 15 peoples in their 20s who complained of pain with a visual analogue scale (VAS) at five points or higher due to overuse of their wrists. They were randomly assigned to a control group, to which PNF wrist taping was applied after stretching (n=7), or to an experimental group (n=8), to which PNF wrist taping was applied after application of the RS technique of PNF. The experiment was conducted for four weeks, five times per week. VAS was measured in order to measure pain decrease, and grip strength (GS) was measured using a dynamometer. In order to compare within-group differences before and after the intervention, a paired t-test was performed, and in order to compare differences between the two groups, the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used. All statistically significant levels were set at ${\alpha}=0.05$. Results: There were significant differences in changes of VAS and GS within each group before and after the intervention (p<0.01), but there was no significant difference between the two groups. Conclusion: This study applied PNF wrist taping after the application of stretching or PNF RS to patients who complained of pain beyond a sense of discomfort; these interventions resulted in a decrease in pain and an increase in the grip strength of the subjects. Taping and therapeutic techniques using PNF are considered to be usefully applied as one of the programs to improve wrist pain patients' pain and grip strength.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.27-32
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• 2018

Purpose: This study examined changes in gait speed and stride length after an intervention involving simultaneous scapular and pelvic patterns of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation in a hemiplegic patient. Methods: A 58-year-old woman with left hemiplegia who had complained of slowness of gait speed and weakness of leg strength took part in an intervention involving scapular postdepression patterns on the affected side and pelvic postdepression patterns on the nonaffected side. The intervention was performed with the patient lying on her left side, in a half kneeling position, and in a standing posture. Rhythmic initiation was used for teaching the movements to the patient and improvement of kinesthesia, and a combination of isotonic was employed for increasing strength and irradiation of the scapula and pelvic movement. The intervention took place for 30 min. It was implemented twice a day, 5 days a week, for 3 weeks. After three repetitions, the average time taken to complete the 10-m walk test (10 MWT), in addition to stride length, was measured to determine gait speed. Results: After the 3-week program, the patient's performance in the 10 MWT improved from 21.7sec to 17.1sec, and her stride length improved from 31.4cm to 38.7cm. Conclusion: The results showed that trunk movement exercise, especially coordinative movements of the scapula and pelvis can improve gait speed and stride length by increasing trunk stability and mobility. A combination of pelvic and scapular patterns can facilitate trunk rotation, thereby improving gait speed and stride length.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.107-115
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• 2019

PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of the chopping pattern of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) on the neglect, balance ability, and activities of daily living in stroke patients with hemi-spatial neglect. METHODS: Twenty stroke patients with neglect volunteered for this study. The subjects were assigned randomly to either the experimental group (EG, n=10) or control group (CG, n=10). The chopping pattern of PNF and exercise therapy were applied in the EG and CG, respectively, for four weeks. Neglect, balance, and activities of daily living were evaluated at the pre-and post-intervention. The assessment tools included a line-bisection test, balance test using Space balance 3D, and modified Barthel index. The pre-and post-intervention values were compared in each group using a paired t-test and the between-group differences were assessed using an independent t-test. Statistical significance was set to ${\alpha}=.05$ for all variables. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed between the EG and CG in terms of neglect, balance, and activities of daily living (p<.05). Both groups showed significant improvement in neglect, balance, and activities of daily living (p<.05). CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the chopping pattern of PNF is effective in improving the hemi-spatial neglect, balance, and activities of daily living in stroke patients with neglect.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.107-113
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• 2014

Purpose: The objective of this study was to identify functional problems, including walking ability, of patients with strokes using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) and to present a method that could solve functional problems, thereby determining the applicability of the ICF to increase the quality of evaluation and intervention in clinical fields in the future. Methods: Information on stroke patients who were admitted and treated in a hospital was collected. The authors conducted evaluations, interventions, and measurements of the results of the ICF tool in order to improve gait abilities of patients. The subjects were trained using proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) one hour a day and five times a week for four weeks. The result measurement variables were a six-minute gait test, 10 m velocity test, gait instability test, and measurements using the ICF sheet. Results: In the six-minute gait test, gait distance increased by 48 m, from 102 m to 150 m. The gait velocity test result showed an improvement from 0.36m/s to 0.44m/s. The subjects performed a gait instabilitytestwithacupfilledwith50mmwater. In the gait instability test, the amount of water was 38 mm before the intervention; however, it was 50 mm after the intervention. The gait velocity with a cup filled with water improved from 0.25m/s to 0.31m/s. Conclusion: An evaluation and intervention were designed with the ICF tool for stroke patients. Gait abilities improved when the PNF technique was used. The IFC method can be used for evaluation and intervention, and it could help improve gait abilities of stroke patients.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.9 no.7
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• pp.117-124
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• 2018

This study investigated the effect of wrist taping (WT) after application of stabilizing reversal technique (SRT) of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) on pain and grip strength (GS) in patients with wrist pain (WP). Twenty patients with WP were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n=10) that received WT after application of SRT, and a control group (n=10) that received WT after application of stretching. The total intervention time consisted of a maximum of 10 minutes including breaks, and was performed 5 times a week for 2 weeks. Pain reduction was measured using a visual analogue scale. GS was measured using a dynamometer. Within group changes in pain and GS were significant in both experimental and control groups (p<0.01). Between group changes in pain and GS were greater in the experimental group than in the control group (p<0.01). This findings indicate that SRT of PNF and WT convergence can be an effective intervention for patients with WP. Continued development of convergence interventions for patients with WP various conditions in practice, is suggested.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 2015

Purpose: This study aimed to examined the effects of upper and lower limb coordinated exercise of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) on static and dynamic balance ability. Methods: The subjects of this study were 18 patients who had been diagnosed with a stroke and hospitalized and who had received rehabilitation treatment at D rehabilitation hospital located in J city. They were randomly and equally assigned to a PNF upper and lower limb coordinated exercise group and an ordinary central nervous system development and treatment group, and they conducted exercises for eight weeks. They carried out exercise three times per week, for 30 minutes per each time. After each four minutes of exercise, each participant was given a and rest for one minute after exercise for four minutes was given. In order to test the subjects' static and dynamic balance ability and their dynamic balance ability, frailty and injuries,: a cooperative studyies of intervention techniques (FICSIT-4) test, a four- step square test (FSST), a timed up and go test (TUG), and a TWT3M tests wasere conducted before and after the exercise. Descriptive statistics were taken for the general characteristics of the subjects, and an independent t-test was conducted both before and after the exercise in order to examine differences between the two groups before and after the exercise were conducted. The A statistical significance level was set at p= 0.05. Results: In all the tests (of FICSIT-4, FSST, TUG, and TWT3M), both the experimental group and the control group saw more improved results, but the experimental group's results were significantly higher than those of the control group, and the size of the effects was larger in the experimental group than in the control group, with statistically significant results. Conclusion: PNF upper and lower limb coordinated exercise applied to chronic stroke patients produced brought significant results in static and dynamic balance ability. PNF and is considered as an important intervention program to improve stroke patients' balance ability.