• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.258-266
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• 2020

Background: The genicular nerve block (GNB) is demonstrated from several reports to alleviate pain and improve knee functionality in patients with chronic knee osteoarthritis (OA). Ultrasound (US)-guided GNB has been the most used imaging method. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of US-guided versus blind GNB in the treatment of knee OA. Methods: This prospective, randomized clinical trial included patients with knee OA based on American College of Rheumatology diagnostic criteria. The patients were evaluated for clinical and dynamometer parameters at the baseline, 4 weeks after treatment, and 12 weeks after treatment. The patients underwent blind injection or US-guided injection. Results: When compared with the baseline, both groups showed significant improvement in pain, physical function, and quality of life parameters. Significant differences were observed between the groups for clinical parameters (30-second chair stand test, 6-minute walk test) in favor of the US-guided group. On the other hand, blind injection was more significantly effective on some parameters of the Nottingham Health Profile. There wasn't any significant improvement in isokinetic muscle strength for either group. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that both US-guided and blind GNB, in the treatment of knee OA, were effective in reducing symptoms and improving physical function. GNB wasn't an effective treatment for isokinetic muscle function. US-guided injections may yield more effective clinical results than blind injections.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.761-768
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• 2016

Weight bearing is effective during rehabilitation of gait, in the elderly and disabled people. Various training devices using weight bearing function were developed along with treadmill walking; however, no device has been developed in conjunction to walking on the ground. Here, we designed a rail type frame of a gait rehabilitation system for body-weight support (BWS) function, and analyzed its mechanical safety in the static weight bearing condition of a vertical axis. Computational simulations were performed to analyze structure of the driving parts, which are connected with a rail and driving rollers and the lower plate of the BWS. Structural analyses showed the drivers and BWS were safe, when simulated at 135kg weight under static conditions. Thus, this rail type rehabilitation system can be used for gait training of the elderly and disabled.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.1425-1433
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• 2011

We investigated an early rehabilitation training system that increase the intensity of patient rehabilitation training to shorten the time it takes for patients to progress to a secondary rehabilitation training stage by allowing patients incapable of self-ambulation. It consisted of tilting bed, unstable platform using strong springs and training program for lower limb rehabilitation. We performed experimental study on the muscular activities of tibialis anterior(TA), soleus(SO), gastrocnemius(GA) in the lower extremities during training of straight line, circle, quardrangle pattern during tilting angle of $30^{\circ}$, $60^{\circ}$. The muscle activities were higher during tilting angle of $30^{\circ}$ than $60^{\circ}$. In straight line pattern, the muscle activities were higher by SO, GA and TA during medio-lateral direction, however, by TA, SO and GA during anterio-posterior direction. In circle and quardrangle pattern, the muscle activities were higher by TA, SO and GA during clockwise and counterclockwise direction. The results indicate that the early rehabilitation training system could be applied to improve the lower extremity muscular strength for elderly and patients, especially, stroke.

• Journal of Korean Society of Neurocognitive Rehabilitation
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.9-18
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• 2018

The research has sought to examine the effect of cognition training using smart device application games on the cognition function of traumatic brain injury patients. The research was conducted to the seventeen traumatic brain injury patients with slight symptoms who were treated with occupational therapy. The patients were divided into the two groups, nine for the experimental group and eight for the control group. The experimental group was assigned to conduct cognition training using smart device application games and traditional cognition training for fifteen minutes each, and the control group has conducted the traditional cognition training for 30 minutes. All arbitrations were conducted for 30 minutes a day, five times a week and for four weeks. To assess the cognitive function, Korean Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE), Lowenstein Occupational Therapy Cognitive Assessment (LOTCA) and visual memory 1 and 2 of Motor-free Visual Perception Test-3 (MVPT-3) were measured before and after the intervention. In the comparison of the change between the two groups, the experimental groups showed a significant improvement in the visual memory of Motor-free Visual Perception Test-3 and remembrance section of the Korean Mini-Mental State Examination (p<.05). The result of this research has confirmed that the cognition training using the smart device application game can make the positive change to the visual memory of the traumatic brain injury patients more than the traditional cognition training.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.23-30
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• 2012

In this study, we developed a wireless rehabilitation auditory feedback gait training system for symmetrical weight-bearing in patient with CVA. The device consists of an instantaneous shoe equipped with two load-cell sensors. Auditory feedback can be applied according to the weight-bearing. For gait patterns analysis, cadence, walking velocity, stance/swing phase ratio and gait cycle were examined. The clinical test with six healthy volunteers and two hemiplegic patients was performed applying the auditory feedback system. Both normal subjects and hemiplegic patients were increased strength on weight-bearing in affected limb, walking velocity, and cadence after biofeedback device. Also, the stance time with weight-bearing was increased while the swing time was decreased in gait phase. It can be expected that by using the feedback system, the patient with lower limb disorder will be able to reach a better quality of weight-bearing during gait.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.218-224
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• 2019

Objective: This reliability study examined the effects of applying varying induced inward pressures using a transducer placed at 0° neutral ankle position (NEU) and 15° ankle dorsiflexion (DF) on tibialis anterior (TA) muscle thickness using a custom-made device with a force indicator during rehabilitative ultrasound imaging. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Twenty-four healthy subjects were recruited in this study. Two examiners measured the muscle thickness of the TA at 0° NEU and 15° DF in 3 conditions of inward pressures (1.0 N, 2.0 N, and 4.0 N) using a custom-made holder. The muscle thickness was measured three times for each of the conditions arranged in random order. For intra- and inter-rater reliability, the intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) with 95% confidence intervals, standard error of measurement, minimal detectable change, and coefficient of variation were analyzed. One-way repeated measures analysis of variance was conducted for investigating changes of TA muscle thickness according to the inward pressures of the transducers. Results: The intra-rater reliability of TA muscle thickness measurement was excellent (ICC_3,1: 0.92-0.96) for all conditions (at both ankle joint angles per varying inward pressure). Likewise, the inter-rater reliability of TA muscle thickness measurement was excellent (ICC_2,1: 0.89-0.97) under same conditions. The mean of TA thickness showed the trend of decreasing significantly with increased inward pressures at all ankle joint angles (p<0.05). Conclusions: Use of this custom-made device with a force indicator is useful to accomplish the high intra- and inter-rater reliability of TA muscle thickness measurement at both ankle joint angles in reducing the measurement error.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.209-214
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• 2020

Objective: Using biofeedback in instructing pelvic floor muscle (PFM) activation is a great method to provide information on muscle contraction. This study aimed to determine the immediate effectiveness of a mobile game-based instruction with an extracorporeal biofeedback device (EBD) to improve PFM contraction in healthy subjects. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Sixteen healthy subjects (4 men and 12 nulliparous women; age, 31±5 years) were enrolled. The subjects were randomly categorized into two groups, those who were to receive instructions on how to contract the PFM by using the EBD (n=7) and those who were to undergo a transabdominal ultrasonography (TAUS; n=9) with biofeedback. PFM function was measured as the displacement (mm) of PFM elevation by using the TAUS before and after the instructions in each group. Results: The EBD and TAUS groups showed a significant increase in the displacement of PFM elevation after the instructions from 5.93±4.03 mm to 7.62±3.77 mm and from 5.27±3.39 mm to 7.47±2.79 mm, respectively (p<0.05). No significant differences were found between the two groups. Conclusions: The results of this study indicated that instructions for PFM contraction using the EBD and TAUS showed an immediate effect; however, no significant difference in effectiveness was observed between the two instruction methods. Therefore, not only can the TAUS method be used but the EBD method can also be used as a PFM instruction method for noninvasive procedures. However, further studies are needed to demonstrate the effectiveness of training and exercise on larger sample sizes that includes patient populations with PFM dysfunction.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.197-200
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• 2020

Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop and investigate the feasibility of a sit-to-stand assistive chair using a pneumatic cylinder. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: The sit-to-stand assistive chair was developed to assist the sit-to-stand movement by rising up of the chair by a pneumatic cylinder. After the user is seated on the chair, if the pneumatic cylinder pulls the seat plate when standing up, the spring of the pneumatic cylinder, which has been stretched, assists in rising the rear end of the seat plate so that the user can stand conveniently and comfortably. A feasibility test was performed in 10 heathy adults. The electromyographic muscle activation of the trunk and lower extremity muscles was analyzed, which included the erector spinae, rectus abdominis, quadriceps, tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius when standing up from sitting using the developed chair and standing up without using the developed chair. Results: As a result, the sit-to-stand assistive chair using a pneumatic cylinder was developed. In the feasibility test, the use of the developed chair had a decrease in rectus abdominis, quadriceps, tibialis anterior activation compared to those who did not use the device in the healthy adults. Conclusions: The sit-to-stand assistive chair using a pneumatic cylinder may be helpful to reduce the activation of the rectus abdominis, quadriceps, tibialis anterior muscles when performing a sit-to-stand movement. Through the results, the efficacy of the sit-to-stand assistive chair can be confirmed. In the future, further studies are warranted to investigate for the safety and efficacy of its use in the elderly population or those who are disabled.

• The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.5-14
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• 2000

Stroke patients have increased with the overall aging of our population, 60 years and older. Recently the number of stroke patients has been on the increase even among younger people in their thirties. The family support is frequently mentioned as a major variable which plays an important role in helping the patients adapt themselves to their hemiplegic situations. The purpose of the study was to examine between family support and activities of daily living(ADLs)abilities for the hemiplegic patients, and to provide the basic data to help the patients carry out their ADLs on their own. The sample for the study included 106 hemiplegic patients and their family members. The data were collected using a focused, structured interviews. The major findings of the study were as follows: 1. The hemiplegic patients perceived that their family supports were very high(Mean, 49.00). 2. The degree of family support was significantly higher in female. high economic status, and non-use of brace patients than in male, poor economic status, use of brace patients. 3. The ADL abilities of the hemiplegic patients were significantly higher in ambulatory, younger, and longer-period-of-illness patients and patients who used a cane as a assistive device. 4. The family support for the hemiplegic patients showed a statistically significant Cor relationship with their performance of ADL(r=.30809. p=0.0013). 5. The performance of ADL for the ambulatory patients were mainly affected by the degree of family support, the period of the hemiplegic illness, the use of brace, informal care giving, and the age. These variables explained 50% of variance. 6. The length of illness was a statistically significant affecting variable for ADL performance in OPD and assistive device in IPD. In conclusion, the higher the hemiplegic patients perceived the degree of family support, the better they performed ADL. We should develop nursing methods which enhance the family support for the hemiplegic patients in order to increase their performance of ADL.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.53-63
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• 2022

PURPOSE: This study examined the changes in the thickness of the abdominal muscles, including the transversus abdominis, according to the set pressure applied by a pressure biofeedback unit during contractions of the hip adductor muscles. METHODS: After randomizing 40 healthy adult males in their 20 s and 30 s, the participants were instructed to match the pressure gauge indication of the pressure biofeedback device to continue contracting the hip adductor while maintaining it at 10 mmHg (low), 40 mmHg (medium), or 70 mmHg (high). The measurement was taken over five seconds using an ultrasound device. RESULTS: According to the contractile pressure applied to the hip adductor muscle, there was a significant difference in the muscle thickness change of the transverse abdominis muscle between 10 mmHg and 70 mmHg and between 40 mmHg and 70 mmHg. The muscle thickness ratio of the external oblique/abdominal muscle was significantly different between 10 mmHg and 70 mmHg and between 40 mmHg and 70 mmHg. CONCLUSION: Increased contraction pressure on the hip adductor muscle increases the muscle thickness of the abdominal transverse muscle. Interbody stability exercise with contractions of the hip adductor muscle is expected to help increase in the muscle thickness of the hip adductor muscle.