• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.386-390
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• 2014

Purpose: We aimed to investigate whether visuomotor function would be modulated, when healthy subjects performed tracking task after tDCS application over the primary sensorimotor cortex (SM1) in the non-dominant hemisphere. Methods: Thirty four right-handed healthy participants were enrolled, who randomly and evenly divided into two groups, real tDCS group and sham control group. Direct current with intensity of 1 mA was delivered over SM1 for 15 minutes. After tDCS, tracking task was measured, and their performance was calculated by an accuracy index (AI). Results: No significant difference in AI at the baseline between the two groups was observed. The AI of the real tDCS group was significantly increased after electrical stimulation, compared to the sham control group. Two way ANOVA with repeated measurement showed a significant finding in a large main effects of time and group-by-repeated test interaction. Conclusion: This study indicated that application of the anodal tDCS over the SM1 could facilitate higher visuomotor coordination, compared to sham tDCS group. These findings suggest possibility that tDCS can be used as adjuvant brain modulator for improvement of motor accuracy in healthy individuals as well as patients with brain injury.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.43-51
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• 2010

Purpose: This study examined the influence of visuomotor congruency on learning a relative phase relationship between a single joint movement and an external signal. Methods: Participants (N=5) were required to rhythmically coordinate elbow flexion-extension movements with a continuous sinusoidal wave (0.375 Hz) at a $90^{\circ}$ relative phase relationship. The congruent group was provided online feedback in which the elbow angle decreased (corresponding to elbow flexion) as the angle trajectory was movingup, and vice versa. The incongruent group was provided online feedback in which the elbow angle decreased as the angle trajectory was moving down, and vice versa. There were two practice sessions (day 1 and 2) and each session consisted of 6 trials per block (5 blocks per session). Retention tests were performed 24 hours after session 2, and only the external sinusoidal wave was provided. Repeated ANOVAs were used for statistical analysis. Results: During practice, the congruent group was significantly less variable than the incongruent group. Phase variability in the incongruent group did not significantly change across blocks, while variability decreased significantly in the congruent group. In retention, the congruent group produced the required $90^{\circ}$ relative phase pattern with significantly less phase variability than the incongruent group. Conclusions: Congruent visual feedback facilitates learning. Moreover, the deprivation of online feedback does not affect the congruent group but does affect the incongruent group in retention.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.212-215
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• 2019

Purpose: This study examined whether there is a difference in motor learning through short-term repetitive movement practice in stroke survivors with a unilateral brain injury compared to normal elderly participants. Methods: Twenty-six subjects who were divided into a stroke group (n=13) or sex-aged matched normal elder group (n=13) participated in this study. To evaluate the effects of motor learning, the participants conducted a tracking task for visuomotor coordination. The accuracy index was calculated for each trial. Both groups received repetitive tracking task training of metacarpophalangeal joint for 50 trials. The stroke group performed a tracking task in the upper extremity insi-lesional to the damaged hemisphere, and the normal elder group performed the upper extremity matched for the same side. Results: Two-way repetitive ANOVA revealed a significant difference in the interactions ($time{\times}group$) and time effects. These results indicated that the motor skill improved in both the stroke and normal elder group with a tracking task. On the other hand, the stroke group showed lesser motor learning skill than the normal elder group, in comparison with the amount of motor learning improvement. Conclusion: These results provide novel evidence that stroke survivors with unilateral brain damage might have difficulty in performing ipsilateral movement as well as in motor learning with the ipsilateral upper limb, compared to normal elderly participants.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.151-156
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the adverse effects of sensorimotor function at the shoulder joint according to long-term cane usage in stroke patients without apraxic behavior, in terms of the presence of shoulder joint pain, accuracy of tracking task, proprioceptive joint position sense, and nine-hole pegboard. Methods: Nineteen stroke patients with long-term cane usage (cane usage group) and nineteen stroke patients without cane usage (non-cane usage group) were recruited. All subjects were tested in pain presence, a tracking task for visuomotor function, joint reposition, and nine-hole pegboard in the shoulder joint regarding the non-affected side. Results: In the accuracy index for tracking task and the nine-hole pegboard test, significant differences were observed between the cane usage group and the non-cane usage group. However, although a higher emergence of shoulder pain and a lower accuracy for joint reposition sense were detected in the cane usage group in comparison to the non-cane usage group, there were no significant differences between the two groups. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that long-term cane usage could induce to decrease in delicate movement and coordination in the non-affected upper arm in stroke patients. In addition, they could experience high frequency of shoulder pain and poor joint reposition sense. Therefore, careful evaluation and observation will be required concerning stroke patients with long-term cane usage.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.7-12
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• 2011

Purpose: The cane is one of the most popular assistive devices for stroke patients. Clinical complaints of sensorimotor functions on the ipsilateral upper limb were appealed in stroke patients who had used a cane for a long period. Therefore, we investigated whether cane usage for a long-term period affected sensoriomotor dysfunctions on the non-affected upper limb, in terms of pain presence, shoulder joint sense, a nine-hole pegboard test, and a tracking task. Methods: We recruited 12 stroke patients, who were divided into the cane-using (CU) group or the non-cane using (NCU) group, according to cane usage experience. We evaluated joint position sense for the integrity of proprioceptive reposition sense in the shoulder joint, used a nine-hole pegboard test for upper limb dexterity evaluation, and a tracking task for visuomotor coordination. Results: Four patients in the CU group had complained of shoulder pain none did in the NCU group. In addition, the CU group showed more reposition errors on the shoulder joint than the NCU group did. In addition, the CU group had more difficulty in proprioceptive sense perception and in performance of the nine-hole pegboard teat and tracking task, compared with the NCU group. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that cane usage for a long period in stroke patients could give rise to trigger joint pain and decrease proprioceptive sense. In addition, complex motor performance in the ipsilateral upper limb could deteriorate. In stroke patients who had used acane for long period, careful observation and proper intervention will be necessary.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.163-168
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether ipsilateral shoulder pain affects the sensorimotor function of the same side shoulder in patients with stroke. Methods: Thirty stroke patients, who were divided into the ipsilateral shoulder pain group (n=15) and the ipsilateral shoulder non-pain group (n=15). Subjects were evaluated on performance of a tracking task, joint reposition test and 9-Hole pegboard test for sensorimotor functions, and Fugl-Meyer test and Motricity Index for functional ability of the contralateral side. Results: In comparison of the two groups, significant differences in performance on functional ability, including the Fugl-Meyer test(both upper and lower limb) and Motricity Index(only lower limb) were observed (p<0.05). With regard to sensorimotor functions, the ipsilateral shoulder pain group were observed significantly poor scores on the Accuracy Index, joint reposition score and 9-Hole pegboard test, when compared with the ipsilateral shoulder non-pain group (p<0.05). Conclusion: We found that ipsilateral shoulder pain could impede accurate performance of a movement and result in deteriorated proprioception of the ipsilateral shoulder. Therefore, careful evaluation and appropriate therapeutic intervention are essential for stroke patients who suffer from ipsilateral shoulder pain.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.67-87
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• 2005

Impaired sensorimotor function of the hand ipsilateral to a unilateral brain damage has been reported in a variety of motor task. however, it is still the controversial issue because of the difficulty of detection in clinical situation, patients' variability(time after onset, contralateral upper extremity severity, other cognitive functions including apraxia), and the performed various motor task. The purpose of this study is to determine the presence of ipsilateral motor deficit following unilateral brain damage in three different specific tasks(hand tapping, visual tracking and coin rotation) compared with healthy age-sex matched control group using the same hand and to investigate the lateralized motor control in each hemispheric function. Findings revealed that stroke patients with unilateral brain damage experienced difficulties with rapid-simple repetitive movement, visuomotor coordination, complex sequencing movement on ipsilateral side. Also, Comparison of the left-hemispheric stroke groups and the right-hemispheric stroke groups revealed that patients with a left-hemisphere damage tended to be more variable in performing all of the three tasks. These results show that stroke patient with left hemisphere damage has more ipsilateral motor deficit, and the left hemisphere contributes to the processing of motor control that necessary for the executing actions with ipsilateral hand.