• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.177-183
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• 2008

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate characteristics of the muscle activities during level walking and stairs ascending in young adults. Methods : Fifteen young adult were recruited this study. Muscle activity (BIOPAC System Inc., Santa Barbara, U.SA). Statistical analysis was difference between level and stair walking. Results : In stance phase, muscle activity of low extremity generally more increased during ramp ascent both young adults. In swing phase, muscle activity of low extremity generally more increased during stairs ascent in young adults. Conclusion : These results indicate that stair and ramp ascent is more difficult task than level walking in young adults. Muscle activity was more changed at ramp ascent. In the future, we suggest that studies of stair and ramp gait pattern regarding ambulatory patient with disabilities be further studied and an appropriate stairs and ramp inclination will be indicated.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.33-40
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of multi joint-joint position sense (MJ-JPS) training on joint position sense, balance, and gait ability in stroke patients. A total of 18 stroke patients participated in the study. The subjects were allocated randomly into two groups: an experimental group and a control group. Participants in the experimental group received MJ-JPS training (10 min) and conventional treatment (20 min), but participants in the control group only received conventional treatment (30 min). Both groups received training for five times per week for six weeks. MJ-JPS is a training method used to increase proprioception in the lower extremities; as such, it is used, to position the lower extremities in a given space. MJ-JPS measurement was captured via video using a Image J program to calculate the error distance. Balance ability was measured using Timed Up and Go (TUG) and the Berg Balance Scale (BBS). Gait ability was measured with a 10 m walking test (10MWT) and by climbing four flights of stairs. The Shapiro-Wilk test was used to assess normalization. Within-group differences were analyzed using the paired t-test. Between-group differences were analyzed using the independent t-test. The experimental group showed a significant decrease in error distance (MJ-JPS) compared to the control group (p<.05). Both groups showed a significant difference in their BBS and 10MWT results (p<.05). The experimental group showed a significant decrease in their TUG and climbing results (p<.05), but the control group results for those two tasks were not found to be significant (p>.05). There was significant difference in MJ-JPS and by climbing four flights of stairs on variation of pre and post test in between groups (p<.05), but TUG and BBS and 10MWT was no significantly (p>.05). We suggest that the MJ-JPS training proposed in this study be used as an intervention to help improve the functional activity of the lower extremities in stroke patients.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.807-819
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• 1997

The purpose of the study was to identify the effects of a 12-week low-intensity exercise program on muscle strength, flexibility, balance, and cognitive characteristics related to the performance of activity of daily living(ADL). A total of 16 patients who were admitted to the medical unit of a general hospital in ChoongChung province were recruited, eight for the exercise group and eight for the comparison group. Four levels of low-intensity exercise from 'ROM on bed' to 'exercise while walking' were then applied to the exercise group according to their physical condition. During hospitalization, patients in the exercise group performed each level of the prescribed exercise with the researchers until they felt comfortable doing it independently. The researchers also visited the patients' homes after discharge to make sure they could perform the exercise with Theraband in their living environment. The exercise group was contacted by phone once a week to assess the frequency and intensity in which they performed the exercise as well as their physical condition. The subjects in the comparison group participated in measurements for the study without performing the exercise and were contacted by phone after discharge, in a matched time frame with the exercise group, to assess physical condition. Muscle strength, flexibility, balance, cognitive characteristics, and performance of ADL for the two groups were compared at the pretest and the posttest after the low-intensity exercise program by utilizing SPSSWIN and the results are as follows : 1) At the postest, measurements of muscle strengths showed that the strength of the dorsal flexor in the exercise group was significantly higher than in the comparison group. 2) Objective balance for the exercise group was significantly better than for the comparison group as measured by 'standing on one foot' and Tinetti gait and balance control. 3) The exercise group showed significantly higher task self-efficacy than the comparison group. 4) Perceived exertion for ADL for the exercise group was significantly lower than for the comparison group. 5) Improvement of performance of ADL without assistance was significantly higher for the exercise group than the comparison group. The findings suggest that a low-intensity exercise program would be useful for the elderly who show decline in their physical functioning due to hospitalization by partly improving physical strength, task self-efficacy, and performance of ADL. Directions for further research on issues of motivating people to exercise as well as of standardizing various types of exercise were discussed.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.413-418
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• 2015

Purpose: This study was performed to examine the effect of action observation training on sit to-walk times in chronic stroke patients. Methods: Twelve stroke patients were randomly allocated to two groups, as follows: an action observation training (AOT) group and a scenery picture observation (SPO) group. The AOT group was engaged in video observation for 2 minutes 30 seconds with 12 ADL functional activities related to the sit-to-walk task: physical training was carried out in two repetitions lasting 2 minutes 30 seconds. The landscape imagery control group observed landscape picture for 2 minutes 30 seconds and then carried out the same physical training. The intervention involved a total of 12 sessions over 4 weeks, and each session lasted 30 minutes. The pre and post-tests measured the timed up and go test (TUG), Sit to stand test (STS), and Dynamic gait index (DGI). The Wilcoxon signed ranks test was used to compare pre-test and post-test result, and the Mann-Whitney U test was employed for comparison between groups. Results: The TUG time was significantly different between the AOT group and the SPO group. According to the findings, the experimental group's TUG was significantly decreased (p<0.05). In comparison of the two groups, there was no significant in STS or DGI between the AOT group and SPO group. Conclusion: This study showed that the intervention can be used to decrease TUG time. Our research suggests that action observation training has a positive effect on sit-to-walk times in patients with chronic stroke.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.129-136
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• 2019

Purpose: This study is a comparison of spatiotemporal parameters between straight and curved walking in individuals with chronic hemiparetic stroke, investigating whether those patients can adapt their walking according to task demands and environmental changes. Methods: Twenty-eight patients who diagnosed with their first stroke at least six months prior to this study were recruited. They were measured for spatiotemporal parameters in three different walking conditions: straight walking, walking with an inner curve to the more-affected leg, and walking with an inner curve to the less-affected leg. This study also measured secondary clinical factors, such as the timed up-and-go test, the trunk impairment scale, and the dynamic gait index. The statistical methods for the three different walking conditions, using the averaged value of each condition, was repeated measures ANOVA. Results: The difference in cadence was statistically significant when comparing straight walking, walking with an inner curve to the more-affected leg, and walking with an inner curve to the less-affected leg. Swing duration (%) was also a statistically significant difference between straight walking and walking with an inner curve to the more-affected leg. However, differences in other spatiotemporal parameters were not statistically significant among the three conditions. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that stroke survivors could adapt their walking according to straight and curved walking conditions, although cadence and swing duration were different between straight and curved walking groups.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.29-38
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• 2012

This study aimed to identify the asymmetry observed in the electromyography (EMG) activity patterns of selected trunk and thigh muscles between the affected and unaffected sides during the sit-to-stand movement in ambulatory patients with post-stroke hemiparesis. This study included 20 patients with post-stroke hemiparesis. The differences between stroke fast walkers (${\geq}8m/s$, 11 subjects) and stroke slow walkers (<8 m/s, 9 subjects) were compared. The activation magnitude and onset time of the multifidus, lumbar erector spinae, hamstrings, and quadriceps during the sit-to-stand movement were recorded through surface EMG. Moreover, the EMG activation magnitude and onset time ratios of each bilateral corresponding muscle from the trunk and leg were measured by dividing the relevant values of the unaffected side by those of the affected side. In all the subjects, the activation magnitudes of the multifidus, hamstring, and quadriceps on the affected side significantly decreased compared to those on the unaffected side (p<.05). The onset time of muscle activity in the affected side was markedly delayed for the multifidus and quadriceps during the task (p<.05). The activation magnitude ratios of the quadriceps were markedly decreased in the stroke slow walkers as compared to those in the stroke fast walkers. These findings indicate that the asymmetry in the multifidus, hamstring, and quadriceps muscle activation patterns in patients with post-stroke hemiparesis may be due to the excessive muscle activation in the unaffected side to compensate for the weakened muscle activity in the affected side. Our findings may provide researchers and clinicians with information that can be useful in rehabilitation therapy.