• 대한인간공학회지
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• 제35권5호
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• pp.425-437
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• 2016

Objective:The objective of this study is to develop an ergonomic toilet system along with constituent facilities that can be used with the front-entry sitting method when transferring from wheelchair to the toilet stool, instead of using the back-entry sitting method which is currently used. This system can offer more ease, convenience and safety for wheelchair users when using the restroom. Background: For users with disabilities, even a dedicated handicapped toilet requires maneuvering, especially when in a wheelchair. To transfer from wheelchair to the current back-entry sitting toilet, users need to get closer to the toilet and then turn or twist after erecting their body to get onto the toilet. This method induces inconvenience as well as secondary injury by falling when transferring to/from toilet. Method: To design a front-entry sitting toilet system, an ergonomics approach was applied which introduces a new design concept for people using wheelchairs. Using this toilet system, the wheelchair users don't need to turn or twist but can simply slide forward off the wheelchair directly onto the toilet stool in an easier and safer way. Results: The newly developed front-entry sitting toilet system is easier and safer for wheelchair users, and also space efficient requiring only two-thirds of the space of existing handicapped toilet. It is also usable by both individuals with disabilities and the general population. Conclusion: With the spread of the front-entry sitting toilet system developed in this study, wheelchair users can benefit from enhanced convenience and safety as well as significant restroom space savings. Additional effects can also be achieved such as improved self-esteem of people with disabilities by enabling to use the toilet on their own. Application: The newly developed front-entry sitting toilet system should enhance toilet accessibility to wheelchair users and the elderly. Introduction is needed with efforts at the national policy level and a macroscopic objective to promote the health and safety of the handicapped.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• 제23권3호
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• pp.43-47
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• 2011

Purpose: This study determined the best adjustable height supporter for stroke patients in wheelchairs for the maintenance of a symmetric sitting posture. Methods: Thirty-one stroke participants and 20 age-matched control participants were recruited. The enrolled participants were evaluated by the Force Sensitive Application (FSA) System that was used to assess weight shift and symmetry in wheelchair sitting and assess the symmetric index (SI) of subjects according to 1, 2 and 3 cm height supporters. Results: When a 1 cm height supporter was applied to the paretic side of stroke survivors, sitting postures of stroke patients were significantly more symmetrical (p<0.01). Cross tabulation between the SI of wheelchair sitting and that of the paretic side of stroke patients caused? by a 1 cm supporter showed that 21 SIs of 26 stroke patients were improved by a 1 cm supporter to the paretic side (k=0.26, p<0.01). Conclusion: The findings of the present study demonstrate that stroke patients can maintain a more symmetrical sitting posture (than is possible when simply sitting in a wheelchair seat) if a 1 cm supporter is applied to the paretic side of stroke patients.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• 제3권1호
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• pp.27-32
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• 2014

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the radial bone strength, sitting balance ability and global self-esteem of wheelchair martial arts practitioners and healthy control participants. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Nine wheelchair martial art practitioners with physical disabilities and 28 able-bodied healthy individuals participated in the study. The bone strength of the distal radius was assessed using the Sunlight Mini-Omni Ultrasound Bone Sonometer; sitting balance was quantified using the modified functional reach test (with reference to a scale marked on the wall); and the self-administered Rosenberg self-esteem (RSE) scale was used to measure the global self-esteem of the participants. The velocity of the ultrasound wave (speed of sound, m/s) traveling through the outer surface of the radial bone was measured and was then converted into a T-score and a Z-score. These ultrasound T-score and Z-score that represent bone strength; the maximum forward reaching distance in sitting (cm) that represents sitting balance; and the RSE total self-esteem score that indicates global self-esteem were used for analysis. Results: The results revealed that there were no statistically significant between-group differences for radial bone-strength, maximum forward reaching distance, or self-esteem outcomes. Conclusions: The wheelchair martial arts practitioners had similar radial bone strength, sitting balance performance and self-esteem to able-bodied healthy persons. Our results imply that wheelchair martial arts might improve bone strength, postural control and self-esteem in adult wheelchair users. This new sport-wheelchair martial arts-might be an exercise option for people with physical disabilities.

• 대한인간공학회지
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• 제29권3호
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• pp.331-336
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of the craniocervical posture on swallowing and hyoid bone movement with sitting posture in wheelchair, and to provide basic data for developing a treatment program for dysphagia. A total of sixty healthy adults without a history of dysphagia who were guardians or care assistants of inpatients at Hospital K underwent video fluoroscopy performed by physiatrists from April to July 2009. The results of the fluoroscopy were analyzed based on the measurement of hyoid bone movements. The hyoid bone movement(horizontal, vertical, and diagonal) was significantly high in the neutral craniocervical, chin-tuck, and sixty degrees extension postures, in descending order(p<.05). It was found that the neutral craniocervical posture is the most effective posture for hyoid bone movement with sitting posture in wheelchair.

• 한국전문물리치료학회지
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.11-19
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to investigate the activity of the transverse abdominal muscle resulting from changed posture by measuring the thickness of the transverse abdominal muscle in a supine posture, a slouched sitting posture, and an erect sitting posture. The subjects of the study were 28 patients with cerebral palsy. All their transverse abdominal muscles at the end of inhalation were measured at supine, slouched sitting (S sitting) and erect sitting (E sitting) postures by using ultrasonography, and then their dynamic sitting balance was measured at S sitting and E sitting postures by using BioRescue. For the statistical analysis, the Kruskal-Wallis test and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used to compare the differences among each the postures. The results were as follows. The thickness of the transverse abdominal muscle when comparing the supine posture and the S sitting posture showed no statistically significant difference. But the E sitting posture showed a statistically significant difference as compared with the others. In addition, the dynamic sitting balance in comparing the S sitting and E sitting postures showed a significant difference. In conclusion, the E sitting posture has a more positive effect on postural control and balance than generally taking the S sitting posture, for the sitting posture of a patient with cerebral palsy. It is suggested that patients with cerebral palsy mainly experiencing a sedentary life or being in a wheelchair should be seated in the E sitting posture during their daily life, and it may be necessary to continue to monitor and manage the proper E sitting posture.

• 대한작업치료학회지
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.73-84
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• 2018

목적 : 전면진입착석 화장실을 구현하고 실제 사용자에게 적용한 후 평가해봄으로써 휠체어 사용자들에게 신체적인 부담이 적으며 사용상 만족도가 높은 화장실로서의 적용 가능성을 타진해 보는 것이 본 연구의 목적이다. 연구방법 : 휠체어 사용자 40명에게 일반적 특성과 현재 사용하고 있는 휠체어에 관한 정보에 대한 설문조사를 실시한 후 기존에 사용하고 있는 화장실과 전면진입착석 화장실에서 화장실 용무를 시연하는 과제를 수행하도록 하였다. Rapid Entire Body Assessment(REBA)를 적용한 근골격계질환 위험성 평가, Quebec Evaluation of Satisfaction with assistive Technology 2.0(QUEST 2.0)을 활용한 사용자 만족도 조사, 사용 후 주관적 의견을 평가하였다. 결과 : REBA 평가 결과 기존의 화장실을 이용했을 때 점수($6.53{\pm}1.15$)와 전면진입착석 화장실을 이용한 후 점수($3.18{\pm}.38$)는 통계학적으로 유의한 차이(z=-5.930, p<.001)를 보였다. 사용자 만족도 조사결과 내구성($4.48{\pm}.62$)이 가장 좋은 점수로 평가되었고 안전성($4.38{\pm}.63$), 필요성($4.33{\pm}.73$), 범용성($4.6{\pm}.61$) 순서로 점수가 높았고 크기 적절성($3.93{\pm}.67$)이 가장 낮은 점수를 받았다. 사용 후 주관적 의견 조사에서 '몸을 회전하지 않아도 되니 편하다(30.8%)'가 가장 많았다. 결론 : 본 연구결과 전면진입착석 화장실이 근골격계질환의 위험성을 낮출 수 있다는 가능성과 사용자들의 만족도가 높다는 것을 확인하였다. 본 연구를 통해 작업치료사가 환경수정 중재 방법을 고려할 경우 응용할 수 있는 참고자료로 활용하길 바라며 추후 연구에서 개인적 화장실 뿐만아니라 공공화장실에서도 활용할 수 있는 작업치료학의 발전에 기초자료로 활용되길 기대한다.

• 재활복지공학회논문지
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• 제8권3호
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• pp.205-211
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• 2014

본 연구는 휠체어 좌석의 재질 중 하나로 국내에서 주로 사용되는 폴리우레탄 폼의 경도에 따른 압력 분석을 통하여 압력 분산이 적절하게 이루어지는 재질을 제시하는 것에 목적이 있다. 이러한 연구의 목적을 달성하기 위해 폴리우레탄 폼의 경도 $13kg/cm^2$, $18kg/cm^2$, $25kg/cm^2$, $45kg/cm^2$로 구성된 전방웨지 6cm 시트를 총 4개를 설계 및 제작하였다. 실험에는 비장애인 10명이 참여하였으며, 측정도구로는 XSENSOR를 사용하였고 휠체어 시뮬레이션에 시트를 올려 실험하였다. 각 시트마다 착석압력 측정은 5분간 실시하였으며 획득한 데이터 중 평균압력, 최대압력, 접촉면적 분석을 통해 경도에 따른 영향을 살펴보았다. 이에 본 실험을 통해 얻은 결과는 다음과 같다. 폴리우레탄 재질의 경도에 따라 평균압력, 최대압력 및 접촉면적은 경도 $45kg/cm^2$에서 높게 나타났고, 13, $18kg/cm^2$에서 낮게 나타났다(p< .05). 이러한 결과를 통해 폴리우레탄 재질의 경도는 착석 시 압력변화에 영향이 있음을 알 수 있었으며, 향후 자세유지기구의 시트 재질로 폴리우레탄 폼을 사용한다면 경도 $18kg/cm^2$가 체압을 분산하기에 적절한 재질로 파악되었다.

• 한국의류학회지
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• 제16권3호
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• pp.325-333
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• 1992

The objectives of this study were 1) to investigate the clothing needs of physically han- dicapped children, 2) to present the basic data to make the slacks patterns which meet the specific needs of physically handicapped children under study. Questionnaires were administered to 38 mothers of handicapped children and the subjects for the wear test were five handicapped children using wheelchair. The fabrics used for slacks wear test were: muslin woven with cotton, stretchable jean woven and double jersey knitted with cotton and polyester fabrics. The results obtained from this study were as follows: 1) The majority of the handicapped children were wearing ready·made-garments and their mothers considered the fabric elasticity first. 2) The slacks wear test indicated that the slacks ease of 8 cm should be added above the natural waist line in the back for the wheelchair bound children. 3) In a sitting posture on the wheelchair, $3\~4$ cm should be cut below the natural waist line in the front but in a standing posture, $1\~2$ cm should be cut below the natural waist line in the front. 4) The double jersey (cotton/polyester) slacks was highly estimated of ease ana length of slacks in a sitting posture. The stretchable jean (cotton/spandex) slacks was estimated high of appearance but muslin slacks (cotton) was less estimated of ease and appearance of slacks.

• 대한물리의학회지
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• 제11권3호
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• pp.55-58
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• 2016

PURPOSE: This study was measured the differences in the flexor and extensor muscle activities of the elbow joints based on the tire pressure of wheelchairs during propulsion, investigating the optimal tire pressure for improving occupants' propulsion and avoiding related injury. METHODS: Ten healthy volunteers (10 men aged $23.1{\pm}1.9years$, weight: $67.9{\pm}3.4kg$, height: $175.1{\pm}2.7cm$) took part in the study. The mean values used in the statistical process were obtained from values measured while a subject sitting on a wheelchair propelled himself forward for 10 meters on a flat floor at maximum speed. The tire pressure of the wheelchairs was set at 100 psi, 50 psi, and 25 psi. All of the subjects performed wheelchair propulsion for each pressure. This study was measured the activation of the biceps brachii and triceps brachii muscles on the dominant side during wheelchair propulsion. The measured data was analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) via the statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) version 12.0 for Windows to compare the muscle activity. RESULTS: The muscle activities of the biceps brachii and triceps brachii were significant differences between each pressure group. The post hoc test found statistically significant differences between 100 psi and 50 psi and 100 psi and 25 psi for the biceps brachii and triceps brachii muscles, respectively. CONCLUSION: The maintaining proper tire pressure in a wheelchair may help to prevent overuse syndrome in the occupant's elbow joints.

• 대한임베디드공학회논문지
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• 제6권4호
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• pp.209-214
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• 2011

This study suggests a Healthcare System for elderly and disabled who have mobility impairment and use a wheelchair for long time. Seating long time in a wheelchair without reducing pressure causes high risk of developing pressure sores. Pressure sores come with great deal of pain and often lead to develop complication. Not only it takes time and effort to treat pressure sores but also increases medical expenses. Therefore, we will develop a device to help to prevent pressure sores by measuring pressure distribution while seating in a wheelchair and wirelessly send information to user device to check pressure distribution in real time. The equipment to measure body pressure is composed of FSR sitting mat which is a sensor measuring part and an user terminal which is a monitoring part. The designed mat is matrix formed FSR sensor to measure pressure. The sensor send measured data to the controller which is connected to the end of the mat, and then the collected data are sent to an user terminal through a bluetooth. Developing a pressure monitoring system will help to prevent those who have mobility impairment to manage pressure sores and furthermore relieve their burden of medical expenses.