• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.61-66
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• 2024

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of action observation training (AOT) on the balance and cognition of the elderly with dementia. Methods: Twenty-four participants were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (12 participants each). The 5-week intervention involved 45 minutes sessions, three times a week. Both groups did 30 minutes of general physical exercises, followed by the experimental group watching a 5 minutes video featuring functional movements and imitating them for 10 minutes. The control group watched a scenic video and did functional training for 10 minutes, mimicking the experimental group. All participants were evaluated using the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, Functional Reaching Test (FRT), Berg's Balance Scale (BBS), and Korean version of Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE) before and after the intervention. A paired t-test was conducted to compare the within-group change before and after the intervention. Two-way repeated measures ANOVA was performed to compare the between-group difference. The statistical significance level was set to p=0.05 for all variables. Results: The experimental group showed significant within-group changes in the TUG test, FRT, BBS, and K-MMSE (p<0.05). The control group showed a significant change in FRT and K-MMSE (p<0.05). A significant difference was observed between the experimental group and the control group regarding the change in the TUG test, BBS, and K-MMSE after the interventions (p<0.05). Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that the AOT and repetition of actual movements, led to more significant improvements in balance and cognitive abilities compared to the control group that observed scenic landscapes.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.11-20
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• 2007

The objective of this study was to discern the effects of a balance training program on the performance of lower extremities in order to improve strength (muscle power, flexibility, walking power), balance control and walking ability in the elderly. The subjects selected were aged 65 years and over, with no known relevant medical history that may disturb their balance, and have also been visiting the Gimhae Senior Welfare Center. The variable group consisted of 30 subjects, of whom were people who had been participating in balance training programs (One Leg Standing; OLS, Functional Reach; FR, Timed Get Up and Go; TUG) as an intervention for 8 weeks 3 times per a week. They were examined in order to identify their balance control before and after. The control group consisted of thirty subjects who preferred to exercise without any intervention relating to balance training program. The subjects were measured before and after balance training in order to determine the effectiveness of exercise and the effectiveness of exercise combined with the aid of a Balance Performance Monitor. 1. Mean time on OLS test with left and right sided extremities in the experimental group was 35.44 sec, 42.10 sec longer than control group respectively. In FR tests applied to the left and right side, mean reaching distance was increased up to 5.56 cm, 6.73 cm in experimental group respectively. Mean time on TUG test from a chair in experimental group was decreased to 2.33 sec. 2. Mean value of decline in the level balance control, both left and right side, decreased to 2.24% as examined by the Balance Performance Monitor. Mean scores for sway level after balance training decrease to .98% and for balance control both anterior and posterior directions decreased to mean 1.07% and 1.44%, respectively.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.119-127
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to show the effect of elastic band on balance and functional ability in chronic stroke patients living in community. Methods: The subjects who participated in the study were 9 patients with chronic stroke. One of them gave up during the study, finally 8 patients performed. The intervention was conducted once a week for 10 weeks. In this study functional reach test (FRT), timed up and go test (TUG), Tinetti performance oriented mobility assessment (Tinetti-POMA) were measured for balance. The coordination training of arms and legs using the elastic band was performed in three positions as supine, side lying, sitting. One arm performed flexion-adduction- external rotation with elbow flexion pattern and the opposite side(diagonal) leg was performed flexion-adduction-external rotation with knee flexion pattern, the other arm's pattern was extension-abduction-internal rotation with elbow extension and the opposite side (diagonal) leg was in extension-abduction-internal rotation with knee extension pattern. The training was performed in each position for 15 minutes in per position. The participants had a five minute break after each training. Results: The results are as follows. FRT and Tinetti-POMA showed significant increase statistically in each position. The TUG showed significant decrease statistically in each position. Conclusion: Even though the coordination training with elastic band had performed once a week, it showed positive effects on balance in chronic stroke patients. Therefore, if we can suggest the appropriate frequencies of coordination training of arms and legs using the elastic band, it can be a method to improve daily life and life quality to patients with chronic stroke.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.197-203
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• 2018

Objective: Independent walking is the most essential prerequisite to maintain quality of life in older persons. The purpose of this review was to investigate the effect of fall prevention strategies on fall risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) within community-dwelling older adults aged 65 and over. Design: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: PubMed and three other databases were searched up to October 31st, 2018 and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating fall prevention strategies for fall risk in persons who were 65 years of age or above with T2DM were included. The review extracted the following information from each study selected: first author's surname, published year, country, study population, type of intervention, intensity of intervention, comparison, measurement variables, additional therapy, summary of results, and mean and standard deviation from selected studies. Results: This review selected fourteen RCTs with 460 older adults with diabetes mellitus. Of the 14 studies, the types of intervention used to improve the risk of falls were strengthening (5), aerobic exercises (2), multimodal exercises (4), one virtual reality exercise (1), whole body vibration with balance exercise (1), and Tai Chi exercise (1). Seven RCTs were eligible for the meta-analysis. Therapeutic interventions were more effective than the control group for the Timed Up-and-Go test (-1.11; 95% CI, -1.82 to -0.41) and the 6-minute Walk Test (-1.89; 95% CI, -8.33 to 4.54). Conclusions: The results of the review suggest that interventions to prevent fall risk in older adults with T2DM should focus on strengthening, balance, aerobic, and multimodal exercises.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.332-338
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of postural control and locomotion on improvement of two point discrimination (TPD), stereognosis (ST) through somatosensory training (SST) on the upper limb (UL). Methods: The subjects were 20 hemiplegia patients who have problems with unilateral neglect after stroke. The patients were divided into two groups, the experimental group (EG) and the control group (CG). In the EG, SST for TPD, ST was performed 18 times, three times a week for six weeks, together with physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT). In the CG conventional PT and OT without SST was performed for six weeks. Several assessment tools were used in comparison of groups; two point discrimination test (TPDT) on forearm (F), thenar (T), hypothenar (TH), thumb tip (TH-T), index finger tip (IN-T), stereognosis test (ST), postural assessment scale for stroke (PASS), and clinical test of sensory interaction on balance (CTSIB) and timed up and go test (TUG). Results: In the CG, conventional PT and OT resulted in statistically improved TPDT (F), ST, PASS, and TUG. In the EG, SST resulted in statistically improved TPDT (F, T, HT, TH-T, IN-T), ST, PASS, and TUG. TPDT-T, ST, and CTSIB with length of displacement with eye open (LDEO) also showed significant improvement between the groups. Conclusion: In both groups TPDT ST, PASS and TUG, and SST had effects on the UL and TPDT, ST and static postural control had greater effects compared with the PG. Therefore, we could assume that TPD and ST are very important in performing human activities including postural control and locomotion.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.109-113
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• 2018

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of fall experience and task complexity on gait performance in community-dwelling persons with chronic hemiparetic stroke. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Thirty-three persons who had a history of stroke participated in this study. The participants included 18 persons (aged mean 54.0, mean score of 24.6 points on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, MoCA) with fall experience (faller group) and 15 persons (aged mean 53.7, mean score of 24.7 points on the MoCA) without fall experience (non-faller group) in the previous six months. This study measured balance and gait performance at two different conditions (with/without 70% of water filled in a 200 cc cup). The participants were clinically assessed using the 10-meter walk test (10MWT), 6-minute walk test (6MWT), Berg Balance scale (BBS), Dynamic Gait Index (DGI), and Timed Up-and-Go (TUG) test. Results: After analyzation, persons in the faller group performed significantly better on the 10MWT, 6MWT, BBS, DGI, and the TUG test in the no-cup-carrying condition than those in the cup-carrying condition (p<0.05). The persons in the non-faller group also performed significantly better in all outcome measures with the no-cup-carrying condition than those in the cup-carrying condition (p<0.05). However, there was no interaction between fall experience and task complexity in the two groups. Conclusions: Our results showed that balance and gait performance depended on fall experience and task complexity but fall experience did not interact with task complexity. Clinicians should consider fall prevention and task complexity during therapeutic approaches in persons with hemiparetic stroke.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.63-70
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• 2016

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to conduct an Otago exercise program with stroke patients in a clinical setting and ascertain its effects on balance and walking ability. METHODS: The participating subjects were 45 people who had been diagnosed with stroke. They were assigned to two groups (Otago exercise; OE, n=22; balance exercise; BE, n=23), and the exercises were conducted for three sessions per week for eight weeks. The main balance outcomes were evaluated using the timed up and go test (TUG) and the four step square test (FSST), while walking ability was evaluated using the 10 m walk test (10MWT), direction change ability was measured using the figure 8 of walk test (F8WT), and the decrease of fear was evaluated using the modified falls efficacy scale (MFES). RESULTS: In the analysis results, the Otago exercise group showed significant increases in TUG, FSST, 10MWT, and F8WT within the both groups. There were significant differences in all variables between the OE group and the BE group at the post-intervention evaluation, but there was no significant difference between the groups with respect to the 10MWT. This study showed that conducting Otago exercise in stroke patients increased the main outcomes for TUG, FSST, F8WT scores, but not for 10MWT. CONCLUSION: The results of this study demonstrated that Otago exercise would be useful to improve balance and gait for stroke patients who want to improve their abilities and activities of daily living.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.23-32
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of mechanical traction applied to the knee joint on pain, knee range of motion (ROM), timed up and go (TUG) and Western Ontario and MacMaster Universities Osteoarthritis (WOMAC) in patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) of Kellgren-Lawrence radiological rating scale II or III. Twenty three patients participated in the experiment for a period of four weeks. After baseline assessment, the patients with KOA were randomized into two groups: the traction group ($n_1=12$), which received traction with general physical therapy; and the control group ($n_2=11$), which received general physical therapy only on unilateral knee joints. Patients received interventions once a day, three times a week, for four weeks. Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to analyze the change of dependent variances within the group during pre and post intervention. Mann-Whitney U test was used to analyze the change of dependent variances as TUG and passive ROM between the two groups. Analysis of covariance was used to analyze the change of dependent variances as numeric pain rating scale (NPRS) and WOMAC score between the two groups. In Wilcoxon signed-rank test, the traction group improved significantly with regard to NPRS (p<.01), passive knee flexion ROM (p<.01), passive knee extension (p<.05), TUG (p<.01) and WOMAC scores (p<.01) after intervention for four weeks, but not for the control group. In the Mann-Whitney U test and analysis of covariance, no significant difference was seen among all the dependent variances after intervention for four weeks between the two groups. These outcomes suggest that further studies should be carried out to determine the effects of mechanical traction prior to using it for the treatment of patients with knee osteoarthritis.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.96-102
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of a training program using virtual reality on the balance and lower muscular strength of Parkinson's disease patients. Methods: The study included 22 patients with Parkinson's disease who were arbitrarily classified into 2 groups: 11 patients in the experimental group and 11 patients in the control group. Balance was measured with the Berg balance scale (BBS), the functional reach test (FRT), one-leg stance test (OLST), and the timed up and go test (TUG); whereas, lower muscular strength was measured with the sit-to-stand test (STS). Ping-Pong, bowling, and tennis were selected for virtual reality training for the experimental group, and were performed for 30 minutes 3 times a week for 8 weeks. The control group did not undergo any of the virtual reality training programs. Results: A significant difference was observed in the BBS, FRT, OLST, TUG, and STS results within the experimental group that underwent the virtual reality training program. On the other hand, no significant difference was observed in the BBS, FRT, OLST, TUG, and STS values within the control groups. Conclusion: In conclusion, the virtual reality training program positively affects the balance and lower muscular strength in Parkinson's disease patients. This result indicates the possibility of application of the virtual reality training program to the management for Parkinson's disease patients, and highlights the need for the development and application of more efficient virtual reality training programs in the future.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.125-131
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• 2016

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of providing visual feedback and auditory stimulation using a robotic device on balance and gait abilities in stroke patients. Design: Randomized controlled pilot trial. Methods: Fifteen subjects were randomly divided into three groups where five subjects were in the visual feedback robotic device assist gait training (VRGT) group, five subjects in the auditory stimulation robotic device assist gait training (ARGT) group, and five subjects in the control group. Subjects received visual feedback and auditory stimulation while undergoing robotic gait training for 45 minutes, three times a week for 2 weeks, and all subjects had undergone general physical therapy for 30 minutes, five times a week for 2 weeks. All subjects were assessed with the Berg balance scale (BBS), timed up and go (TUG) test, and 10-meter walking test (10MWT) pre- and post-intervention. Results: All subjects showed that BBS, TUG test, and 10MWT scores significantly improved post-intervention (p<0.05), and the control group also had significantly improved post-treatment (p<0.05). The VRGT and the ARGT showed significant improvements in BBS, TUG, and 10MWT scores compared with the control group (p<0.05). The VRGT group showed a significant improvement in BBS, TUG, and 10MWT scores compared with the control group (p<0.05). In addition, it has been confirmed that VRGT had significantly improved in BBS, TUG test, and 10MWT scores compared with the auditory stimulation and control group (p<0.05). Conclusions: The results of this study showed improved balance and gait abilities after VRGT and ARGT groups compared with general physical therapy and was found to be effective in enhancing the functional activity of persons affected with stroke.