• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.1387-1392
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of fall injuries on the balancing abilities and ankle flexibility. Fifteen of the voluntary participants had no experience of falling in the last two years (none falling group, NFG) and 15 others experienced at least one (falling group, FG). Static balance (sway length, sway area), dynamic balance (timed up and go (TUG), and functional to reach test (FRT) were measured in each group. In comparison of static balance, sway length was not significantly different between NFG and FG in both eyes open and eyes close, however the sway area of the FG was significantly wider than that of the NFG (p<.05). In dynamic balance comparisons, TUG of FG was significantly longer than that of NFG (p <.05), however FRT and STS were no significant difference between groups. Ankle flexibility was significantly higher in NFG than in FG. This study suggests that the fall prevention program should include methods for improving ankle stability and lower extremity function.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.2354-2358
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• 2021

Background: Stroke is a neurological disorder characterized by an impaired static balance. A change in poor posture after stroke may worsen static balance. The balance control through an upright posture may include kinesiology taping of the middle back. Objectives: To investigated the effect of kinesiology taping of middle back on static balance in patients with stroke. Design: A randomized controlled trial. Methods: A total of 10 patients with stroke were divided into two groups. The experimental and control groups received kinesiology taping and placebo taping of the middle back, respectively. After 24 h, static balance (i.e., sway area and path length) was measured in closed eyes condition. Results: The experimental group (kinesiology taping group) showed a significant decrease in sway area and path length after the intervention. In addition, kinesiology taping group showed a significant decrease in sway area and path length compared to the control group. Conclusion: Kinesiology taping of the middle back can improve static balance in stroke patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.129-136
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• 2020

PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine the most effective feedback condition for static balance in elderly subjects. METHODS: Thirty-eight elderly subjects (12 men and 26 women with a mean age of 77.21 years) participated in this study. They each completed a questionnaire on their general characteristics, excluding personal identification codes. The static balance ability of the participants was evaluated using a Wii Balance Board and the Balancia program (version 2.0). The following three feedback conditions were considered: condition 1 (tactile feedback), condition 2 (visual feedback), and condition 3 (no feedback). One-way repeated-measures analysis of variance was used for the comparisons according to sway length and sway velocity. The statistical significance level was set to α = .05 for all variables. RESULTS: Significant differences in the sway length and sway velocity were observed between the three conditions (p < .05). Significant differences in the sway length were noted in the order of conditions 1, 2, and 3 (p < .05), and significant differences in the sway velocity in the order of conditions 3, 2, and 1 (p < .05). CONCLUSION: Significant differences in static balance ability were observed between the three conditions. In this study, tactile feedback was found to be the most effective feedback for balance training. Owing to aging and impairment of the senses, such as that observed in the tactile receptors, visual receptors, and proprioceptors, it is recommended that elderly subjects participate in balance training.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.407-413
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• 2014

PURPOSE: We investigated the influence of heel insole and visual control on body sway index with high-heeled shoes. METHODS: The subjects of this study were 61 healthy students. None of the participants had any orthopedic or neurologic alterations. C90 area, C90 angle, trace length, sway average velocity were measured using a force plate by BT4. The variables were measured both with insole and without insole when wearing high-heeled shoes under the conditions of eyes open and eyes closed. The collected data were analyzed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and paired t-test. RESULTS: When wearing high-heeled shoes with insole under the conditions of eyes open, trace length, C90 area, velocity were significantly more decreased than without insole (p<.01). When wearing high-heeled shoes with insole under the conditions of eyes closed, only C90 area was significantly more decreased than without insole (p<.05). When wearing high-heeled shoes with insole under the conditions of eyes open, trace length, C90 area, velocity were significantly more decreased than under the conditions of eyes closed (p<.01). CONCLUSION: The present study demonstrates that the use of high-heeled shoes with insole supported from heel to midfoot more increased static balance than without insole under the conditions of eyes open.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.39-46
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• 2016

Loss of postural stability can possibly lead to slip and fall accidents in the number of workplaces and everyday life. This study was aimed to examine the effects of whole body fatigue and partially limited visual field on the ability of maintaining postural balance during quiet standing. A group of twelve healthy male subjects participated in the experiment. Before and after experiencing the whole body fatigue induced by bicycling exercises, the position coordinates of subject's center of pressure (COP) were obtained under the two levels of visual field condition (i.e., open visual field and limited visual field). Four levels of the whole body fatigue examined were rest, 300watt, 600watt, and 900watt. Position coordinates of COPs measured on a force plate were then converted into the total length of postural sway path in both the medio-lateral (ML) direction and the anterior-posterior (AP) direction. Two-way ANOVA result showed that the length of sway path in the AP direction became significantly larger as the whole body fatigue accumulated. Post-hoc test revealed statistically significant differences between rest and 900watt and between 300watt and 900watt. The significant increase of the sway length was also found when the visual field was partially obstructed by the boxes. In the ML direction, however, there was no statistically significant difference of the postural sway in both the AP and ML directions. The results imply that the ability of maintaining postural stability can be reduced significantly due to such tasks along with whole body fatigue. The postural balance can also be impaired by the limited visual field.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.18-26
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to compare difference of the static and dynamic balance in normal subject and LBP subject and recognizes about postural sway. The subjects of this study included 30 normal subjects and 30 LBP subjects. By using Active balance system, the static balance was measured by unit path length, circumference area, weight bearing, stabilometry length, while the dynamic balance was measured by step evaluation. Statistically analyzed using independent t-test to search static balance and dynamic balance difference in two groups. Postural sway appeared greatly in patient group than normal group in analysis result of static balance and postural sway was big in patient group of when closed eye and normal group and patient group did show statistical significance in unit path length, circumference area. Weight support of normal group was shared equally in weight bearing rate, but weight support of patient group stewed less to pain side. Anterior step time and Task achieve time of dynamic balance were spent more in patient group than normal group. Desire to be used to useful information to lay treatment policy about set-up and action of when quantification result of valued postural balance treats low back pain patient by objective tool, in the fixture, more researches in postural estimation desire that is enforced abuzz.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.3-9
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• 1986

This research is aimed at examining age-related changes of postural sway when people stand upright, examining external effects which can be exerted upon the postural sway (experiment 1), and also analyzing specific changing characters of posture-control by sudden impacts (experiment 2). The total number of subjects was 115, who are in twenties through seventies and 75 of them were participated in experiment 2. In experimen 1, the subjects were examined for 25 seconds respectively while standing upright with both feet and with eyes opened, standing upright with both feet and with eyes closed, and standing upright with a single foot and with eyes opened. In experiment 2, only while standing upright with both feet and with eyes opened they were examined for 5 seconds. Main findings were as follows: 1. In the single-foot standing position, the growing older exerted more important effects upon the fluctuation length and area of the center of gravity than in the both-foot standing position. 2. The standard deviation was increasing with age in the fluctuation length and the fluctuation area of the center of gravity. 3. There were no significant differences in daily variation, temperature change, and muscle burdening. 4. The recuperation from the postural sway by external impacts was so slow with age. 5. There were little differences in decrease frequencies among the subjects but younger persons.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.19-27
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• 2009

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine changes of postural sway and weight distribution after cooling the foot. Methods: Ten men with no history of sensory, neurological and orthopedic disorders were participated in this study. They performed four methods: (1) non-treated feet group(control group); (2) both feet treated group; (3) right foot treated group; and (4) left foot treated group. The feet of them were put into ice box, then they stood more than forty seconds on EMED system with bared feet. Data on the moving length, velocity, and maximum velocity of COP and the weight distributions during thirty seconds only were measured in standing position. Results: (1) The moving length and velocity of COP were significant difference between control group and both feet treated group only(p<0.05). (2) The maximum velocity of COP was significant difference among control group and all experimental groups. (3) The changes of weight distribution were significant difference among control group and right/left foot treated groups. Conclusions: Cooling the foot led to increased postural sway and changed weight distribution patterns.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Technology Engineers
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.878-884
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• 2012

In this paper, we consider the sway suppression control problem for container cranes with the frictions between the trolley and the rail. If the friction effects in the system can be modelled, there is an improved potential to design controllers that can cancel the effects. The proposed control improves the trolley positioning and sway suppressing against various frictions. The proposed synthesis combines a variable structure control and the adaptive control to cope with various frictions including the unknown constants. First, the variable structure control with the simple switching action is designed, which is based on a class of feedback lineariztion methods for the fast stabilization of the under-actuated sway dynamics of container. Second, the adaptive control with a parameter estimation is designed, which is based on Lyapunov stability methods for suppressing the oscillation of the trolley travelling, especially due to Coulomb friction in the vicinity of the target position. The asymptotic stability of the overall closed-loop system is assured irrespective of variations of rope length. Simulation are shown under initial sway, external wind disturbances, and various frictions.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.211-216
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• 2014

In general, gantry robot is very useful handling of heavy objects. But rope-driven yard cranes must have a little of sway and skew motion because ropes are passive mechanical device. So many researches have been concentrated on anti-sway algorithm controlling trolley speed. These approaches require sway angle. But it is very difficult to know sway angle and its derivative. Therefore control algorithm of trolley speed is not practical in general. On the contrary, control strategy using auxiliary rope is very useful to sway control of yard crane because rope length is shorter than quay-side container cranes. In this paper, we derive equations of motion of trolley system which have anti-sway controller to use auxiliary rope. And we propose the control strategy and analyse the behavior of the proposed system.