• PNF and Movement
• /
• 제15권3호
• /
• pp.333-341
• /
• 2017

Purpose: This study was to explore the effects of trunk exercise using PNF combined with treadmill training on balance and walking ability in patients with Parkinson's disease. Methods: This study included 16 patients with Parkinson's disease. Participants were randomly assigned to 2 groups: an experimental group (n=8) and a control group (n=8). All participants underwent treadmill training for 30 minutes. In addition, the experimental group (trunk exercise using PNF) and control group (conventional training) participated in a 30-minute exercise program. Both groups performed the training 5 times per week for 4 weeks. Disease severity (determined using the unified Parkinson's disease rating scale motor subscale, UPDRS-3), balance (determined using the Berg balance scale, BBS), walking speed (determined using the 10-meter walking test, 10MWT), and walking endurance (determined using the 6-minute walking test, 6MWT) were measured at baseline and after 4 weeks. Results: Pre- to post-intervention improvement was noted on all outcome measures for both groups (p<0.05). Post-intervention, there was a significant improvement in the experimental group as compared to the control group for the following measured outcomes (p<0.05): UPDRS-3 (p=0.03; 95% CI, -5.52 to -0.24), BBS (p=0.04; 95% CI, 0.59 to 6.45), 10MWT (p=0.01; 95% CI, -2.19 to -0.42), and 6MWT (p=0.04; 95% CI, 1.81 to 96.72) Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that trunk exercise using PNF plus treadmill training improves balance and walking ability as compared to conventional training plus treadmill training in patients with Parkinson's disease.

• 한국전문물리치료학회지
• /
• 제23권3호
• /
• pp.1-10
• /
• 2016

Background: Gait problems appear in most stroke patients. Commonly, stroke patients show the typical abnormal gait patterns, such as circumduction, genu recurvatum, and spastic paretic stiff-legged gait. An inclined treadmill gait exercise is good for gait problems of stroke patients. In addition, the backward walking training has been recommended in order to improve the component of the movement for the forward walking. Objects: The purpose of this study to investigated the effects of backward walking with inclined treadmill training on the gait in chronic stroke patients. Methods: A total of 30 volunteers were randomly allocated to two groups that walked on an inclined treadmill: the experimental group ($n_1=15$), which walked backward, and the control group ($n_2=15$), which walked forward. To measure the improvement of the patients' gait, a Figure of Eight Walking Test (F8W), Four Square Step Test (FSST), and Functional Gait Assessment (FGA) were performed. We also measured spatio-temporal gait variables, including gait speed, cadence, stride length, and single limb support using a three-axial wireless accelerometer. The measurements were taken before and after the experiment. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare both groups before and after the interventions. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for the comparisons after the interventions. The statistical significance was set at ${\alpha}=.05$. Results: Before and after experiment, all dependent variables were significantly different between the two groups (p<.05). As compared to the control group, the experimental group showed more significant improvements in F8W, FSST, speed, cadence, stride length, and single limb support (p<.05); however, FGA in this group was not significantly different from the control (p>.05). Conclusion: Our results suggest that backward walking on an inclined treadmill is more effective for improving the gait of stroke patients than forward walking.

• 한국지능시스템학회논문지
• /
• 제19권5호
• /
• pp.622-628
• /
• 2009

다족로봇이 보행하기 위해서는 기본적으로 어떤 보행 패턴의 설정이 필요하다. 이러한 관점에서 어떤 보행 패턴이 효과적인 다족 보행을 가능하게 할 것인지를 분석하기 위하여 본 논문은 네 개의 다리를 이용하는 4족 보행 로봇 모델을 고려하며, 보행 순간마다 지지판에 의해 형성되는 지시다각형의 중심경로를 기반으로 보행 밸런스를 분석한다. 또한, 다족 로봇의 보행 밸런스를 평가하기 위한 성능지수를 제안한다. 시뮬레이션을 통하여, 4족 로봇의 보행에서 지지다각형의 중심 경로와 보행 밸런스는 사용된 보행 패턴에 따라 다르다는 사실을 보인다. 결과적으로, 보행 밸런스 지수와 생체모방 관점으로부터 4족 로봇의 보행을 위하여 유용한 보행 패턴을 제시한다.

• 한국정밀공학회지
• /
• 제17권12호
• /
• pp.169-175
• /
• 2000

Stable and comfortable walking supports, which can reduce the body weight load partially, are needed for the recovering patients from neurologic disease and orthopedic procedures. In this paper, the development of a manipulator of rehabilitation robot for the patients with walking disabilities are studied. A force controller using pneumatic actuators is designed and implemented to the human friendly rehabilitation robot considering the safety of patients, reliability of the system, effectiveness of the unloading control and economic maintenance of the system. The mechanism of the unloading manipulator is devised to improve the sensibility for the movement of the patients such as direction and velocity. For the unloading force control, fuzzy control algorithm is adopted to reduce the partial body weight and suppress the unwanted fluctuation of the body weight load to the weak legs due to the unnatural working of the patients with walking disabilities. The effectiveness of the force control is experimentally demonstrated.

• 제어로봇시스템학회논문지
• /
• 제21권6호
• /
• pp.553-559
• /
• 2015

The purpose of this research is to develop a gait assistive device to enhance the gait stability and training efficiency of stroke patients. The configuration of this device is mainly composed of a motored wheel and a single cane whose lower end is attached to a motored wheel frame. A patient can feel haptic information from continuous ground contact from the wheel while walking through the grip handle. In addition, the wheeled cane can avoid using excessive use of the patient's upper limb for weight support and motivate the patient to use a paralyzed lower limb more actively. Moreover, the proposed device can provide intuitive and safe user interaction by integrating a force sensor and a tilt sensor equipped to the cane frame, and a switch sensor at the cane's handle. The admittance control has been implemented for the patient to change the walking speed intuitively by using the interaction forces at the handle. A hemi-paretic stroke patient participated in the walking assistive experiments as a pilot study to verify the effectiveness of the proposed haptic cane system. The results showed that the patient could improve walking speed and muscle activations during walking with a constant speed mode of the haptic cane. Moreover, the patient could maintain the preferred walking speeds and gait stability regardless of the magnitude of resistance forces with the admittance control mode of the haptic cane. The proposed robotic gait assistive device with a simple and intuitive mechanism can provide efficient gait training modes to stroke patients with high possibilities of widespread utilizations.

• 대한물리의학회지
• /
• 제12권2호
• /
• pp.59-66
• /
• 2017

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of postural control training on balance and walking ability in chronic stroke patients. METHODS: Eighteen chronic stroke patients were allocated equally and randomly to an experimental group (n=9) or a control group (n=9). All participants received 60 minutes of comprehensive rehabilitation treatment, the experimental group additionally received a postural control training for 30 minutes, while the control group additionally performed a treadmill training for 30 minutes. These 30-minute training sessions were held five times per week for three weeks. Balance was assessed using Berg balance scale (BBS) and walking ability (gait speed, cadence, step length, and double limb support) was assessed using the GAITRite system. RESULTS: Improvement on all outcome measures was identified from pre-to-post intervention for both groups (p<.05). Post-intervention, there was a significant between-group difference on measured outcomes (p<.05). The experimental group exhibited greater improvement in the gait speed (p=.01; 95% CI .08-.16), cadence (p=.04; 95% CI .34-4.79), step length (p=.02; 95% CI 1.50-5.17), double limb support period (p=.04; 95% CI -2.18 to -.14), and BBS (p=.01; 95% CI 1.04-6.74) compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest that postural control training may be beneficial for improving balance and walking ability of patients with chronic stroke.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 제어로봇시스템학회 2004년도 ICCAS
• /
• pp.46-51
• /
• 2004

This paper presents an adaptive control method based on parameter linearization for incompletely restrained wire-suspended mechanisms. The main purpose of this control method is utilizing it in a walking assist service robot for elderly people. This method is computationally simple and requires neither end-effector acceleration feedback nor inversion of estimated inertia matrix. In the proposed adaptive control law, mass, moment of inertia and external force and torque on the end-effector are considered as components of parameter adaptation vector. Nonlinear simulation for walking an elderly shows the effectiveness of the parameter adaptation law.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• 제26권2호
• /
• pp.62-67
• /
• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate tibialis anterior muscle fatigue through a Nordic walking when using pole. Methods: This study subject was 38 people who were twenties and randomly assigned to a control group with standard walking and Nordic walking group with Nordic walking. All subjects examined muscle fatigue with surface EMG and visual analogue scale for fatigue. The data were analyzed with SPSS window 18.0 program using ANCOVA. Results: The results were of a significant changes to the both tibialis anterior fatigue(p<0.01). The visual fatigue scales weren't significant difference. Conclusion: It was found that Dool-re-gil (Mt. Ji-Ri) was effective for muscle fatigue during walking, and it appears that it could be used clinically. So it is anticipated that improvement in clinical utilization for the people who's through a Nordic walking when using pole.

• 성인간호학회지
• /
• 제28권3호
• /
• pp.266-278
• /
• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of reinforced walking exercise on dyspnea-fatigue symptoms, daily activities, walking ability and health related quality of life (HRQoL) in heart failure patients. Methods: This study used a randomized controlled trial design. The participants (experimental group=16, control group=25) were recruited from a university hospital in Kyeong-nam area. Data were collected from March to September, 2015. The reinforced walking exercise included goal setting and feedback (telephone and text message) provided for 12 weeks. Dyspnea-Fatigue Index, Korean Activity Scale/Index (KASI), six-minute walking distance (6MWD) and HRQoL were measured. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, Fisher's exact test, $x^2$ test, and Kolmogrove-Smirnov test. Results: Prior to the intervention there were no differences in the research variables between two groups. The exercise compliance in the experimental group was 100% (walking for 50 minutes per day, 5 times per week). The experimental group had improved dyspnea-fatigue symptoms (t=8.63, p<.001), daily activities (t=-4.92, p<.001), longer 6MWD (t=-5.66, p<.001), and increased HRQoL (t=-9.05, p<.001) compared to the control group. Conclusion: The reinforced walking exercise could be a cost-effective intervention in heart failure patient, which could enhance patients' outcomes, such as improving dyspnea-fatigue symptoms, daily activities, walking ability, and quality of life.

• 센서학회지
• /
• 제26권2호
• /
• pp.114-121
• /
• 2017

This paper describes the design and fabrication of a three-axis force sensor with parallel plate beams (PPSs) for measuring the calf force while a patient with a walking assist robot is walking. Current walking assist robots can't measure the weight of the patient's leg and the robot's leg which required for robot control. So, the three-axis force sensor in the calf link is designed and manufactured, it is composed of a Fx force sensor, a Fy force sensor and a Fz force sensor. The three-axis force sensor was designed using by FEM(Finite Element Method), and fabricated using strain-gages. The characteristics experiment of the three-axis force sensor was carried out respectively. The test results indicated that the repeatability error and the non-linearity error of three-axis force sensor was less than 0.04% respectively. Therefore, the fabricated three-axis force sensor in the calf link can be used to measure the patient's calf force in the walking assist robot.