• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.16-23
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• 2018

Postural instability can increase the likelihood of hazardous slip and fall accidents in workplaces. The present study intended to extend understanding of the effect of abnormal neck posture on postural control during quiet standing. The effect of body fatigue on the postural control was also of primary concern. Twelve healthy undergraduate students volunteered to participate in the experiment. Standing on a force platform with the neck neutral, flexed, extended, or rotated, subjects' center of pressures (COP) were measured under the two levels of body fatigue. For the fatigue condition, Subjects exercised in a treadmill to meet the predetermined level of body fatigue. Analyzing the position coordinates of COPs, the length of postural sway path was assessed in both medio-lateral (ML) axis and anterior-posterior (AP) axis. Results showed that, in AP direction, neck extension or rotation significantly increased the sway length as compared with neck neutral. Neck extension led to greater sway length compared to neck rotation. Neck flexion did not differ from neck neutral. The sway length in the AP direction also became significantly larger as the body fatigue accumulated after treadmill exercise. In ML direction, as compared to neutral posture, the neck extension, flexion, or rotation did not significantly affect the length of postural sway path. However, the sway length seemed to increase marginally with the neck extended during the fatigued condition. This study demonstrates that abnormal neck posture may interfere with postural control during standing. The ability to maintain postural stability decreases significantly with the neck extended or rotated. Body fatigue leads to postural instability further.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.1160-1165
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to calculate three dimensional angular displacements, moments and joint reaction forces of the ankle joint during the waist pulling, and to assess the ankle joint reaction forces according to different perturbation modes and different levels of perturbation magnitude. Ankle joint model was assumed 3-D ball and socket joint which is capable of three rotational movements. We used 6 cameras, force plate and waist pulling system. Two different waist pulling systems were adopted for forward sway with three magnitudes each. From motion data and ground reaction forces, we could calculate 3-D angular displacements, moments and joint reaction forces during the recovery of postural balance control. From the experiment using falling mass perturbation, joint moments were larger than those from the experiment using air cylinder pulling system with milder perturbation. However, JRF were similar nevertheless the difference in joint moment. From this finding, we could conjecture that the human body employs different strategies to protect joints by decreasing joint reaction forces, like using the joint movement of flexion or extension or compensating joint reaction force with surrounding soft tissues. Therefore, biomechanical analysis of human ankle joint presented in this study is considered useful for understanding balance control and ankle injury mechanism.

• Journal of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
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• v.43 no.1 s.145
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• pp.50-58
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• 2006

Free running model tests gives us only maneuvering indices not hydrodynamic derivatives. For this reason, system identification method has been applied to the measured data to identify mathematical model describing hydrodynamic force. However It is difficult to obtain complete set of maneuvering derivatives because of strong correlation of sway velocity and yaw rate. Therefore, in this paper, we assumed that sway velocity related coefficients would be obtained by oblique towing test. and then proposed new procedure to estimate yaw related coefficients. To do this, correlation and regression analyses were carried out to establish modified model and estimate maneuvering derivatives. Also D-optimal rudder input scenario was found based on the modified model and confirmed the validity of its sufficient richness as a input scenario.

• 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 Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.157-166
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• 1997

Postural balancing in human is known to be maintained by the complex mechanism coupled with cerebellum, equilibrium organ of ear, proprioception and other various organs. We developed a Computerized Balance Evaluation and Training system(COBET system) to evaluate postural control and to rehabilitate geriatrics and disabled patient. In addition, 55 normal adult were tested to investigate the influencing factors on balancing posture. For the analysis of static postural sway, areas of the moving center of pressure were calculated under 8 different positions of subjects. And subjects were also asked to follow the visual targets on monitor for the evaluation of the dynamic postural sway. In comparison of the first and the second sets of tests, there was test-retest reliability($\textit{p}$< 0.05). The controllability of the static pmtwn sway was decreased as the ages of subjects increase. When the ages of subject are over 60, the controllability was significantly decrease4 The dynamic postural sway was significantly greater in the age groups of 7th and 8th decade than the younger groups. It is concluded that COBET system is a reliable system in the evaluation of postural sway. The COBET system is considered to be a valuable training modality for the disabled patients as well as the elderly.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.430-437
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• 2018

For a ship navigating in waves, added resistance, sway force and yaw moment due to waves differ from still water conditions, which affects the maneuverability of the ship. Therefore, it is important to estimate the sway force and yaw moment generated by waves. In this study, numerical simulations were carried out to calculate the hydrodynamic forces acting on a barge in still water and waves using CFD. Based on the results, the characteristics of course stability of a barge were investigated and analyzed. The hydrodynamic forces acting on the barge in waves were stronger than in still water, and it was confirmed that hydrodynamic forces become greater as wavelength becomes longer. In long wavelength regions, the (-) value of the yaw damping lever was larger than in still water. However, in short wavelength regions and when wavelength coincided with the length of the ship, values were smaller than in still water. In this region, it can be assumed that course stability improved. In other words, in long wavelength regions, the course stability of the barge was worse than in still water and short wavelength regions. Therefore, attention is required for safe navigation in long wavelength regions.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.70-74
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• 2013

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the impact of the application of whole body vibration training (WBV) on the balance ability of patients with an American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) type C or D spinal cord injury. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: Twelve patients with spinal cord injury were enrolled in this study. The participants were randomized to an experimental group (n=6) or control group (n=6). The subjects in the experimental group received WBV exercise and the control group received the sham exercise without vibration. The vibrations were adjusted vertically to the patient at a 30 Hz frequency and 3 mm amplitude. The whole body vibration lasted for 16 minutes in total including 5-minutes warm-up and cool-down at the beginning and end of the program, respectively. The static sitting balance ability was assessed by measuring the postural sway while sitting on the force plate with the eyes opened or closed. Postural sway length was measured for 30 seconds with a self-selected comfortable position. Results: In the static balance test, the anterio-posterior, medio-lateral, and total postural sway length with the eyes open and closed was improved significantly before and after the intervention in the experimental group (p<0.05). The experimental group showed significantly more improvement than the control group (p<0.05). Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that WBV training has a positive effect on improving static sitting balance and enhanced control of postural sway in patients with an ASIA-C or D type spinal cord injury.

• 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.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.19-25
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• 2009

Purpose: We investigated the changes that effects of load stimulation (LS) on static balance and muscle activities in normal healthy elders and chronic stroke patients. Methods: Subjects were instructed twenty normal healthy elders (8 men and 12 women) and ten chronic stroke patients (4 men and 6 women). They were tested while standing on a force platform under two conditions; LS, no LS were applied in random order. Prior to testing, adhesive surface EMG electrodes were fastened to the skin overlying the right (non-paralytic side in stroke patient) bellies of tibialis anterior (TA) and lateral gastrocnemius (LG) muscles. They were assessed on postural sway and %MVC (Maximum voluntary contraction) of TA and LG. Results: Participants showed that the application of LS brought about a decrease in postural sway as expressed by average sway path and velocity. %MVC of TA and LG were increased. The application of LS to normal and stroke patients decreases postural sway during quite stance. Conclusion: These findings the application of LS to normal and stroke patients improves static balance.

• Ocean Systems Engineering
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.233-244
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• 2016

Tension Leg Platform (TLP) is a floating structure that consists of four columns with large diameter. The diffraction theory is used to calculate the wave force of floating structures with large dimensions (TLP). In this study, the diffraction and Froude-Krylov wave forces of TLP for surge, sway and heave motions and wave force moment for roll, pitch degrees of freedom in different wave periods and three wave approach angles have been investigated. From the numerical results, it can be concluded that the wave force for different wave approach angle is different. There are some humps and hollows in the curve of wave forces and moment in different wave periods (different wavelengths). When wave incidents with angle 0 degree, the moment of diffraction force for pitch in high wave periods (low frequencies) is dominant. The diffraction force for heave in low wave periods (high wave frequencies) is dominant. The phase difference between Froude-Krylov and diffraction forces is important to obtain total wave force.