• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.409-420
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• 2004

Purpose: This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of Tai chi exercise for improving balance and its tendency and helps to identify directions for future research. Method: 19 articles from Medline search of foreign journals(1981-2003) and 5 from Korean nursing journals (1981-2003) were surveyed. The contents analyses were focused on outcome measures and relative factors regarding balance. Result: Variable measures for balance were used in Tai Chi studies relating to balance. They included the functional measures such as 14 single-leg stance, 7 walking in physiological measures and 7 laboratory-based balance measures were done with platform stability test. The measure of effective Tai Chi exercise depended on the health status of subjects and the methods. Health status of subjects were only on physically inactive older adults in 17 articles and arthritis patients in 7 articles in the Tai Chi study. The significant effects of Tai Chi exercise on balance was revealed after 10weeks duration. Conclusion: Considering the results, Tai Chi exercise is more effective than any other studies for walking balance. But the reports on the outcome are inconsistent with wide variations in the choice of balance measures. It is suggested that future studies analyze systemic change through meta analysis and have a wide variety of subjects who need postural control and balance control. The methods of measures should be distinct from the balance state of subjects for the effectiveness of Tai chi exercise.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.77-83
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• 2018

Background: The purpose of this study is to investigate that effect of manual therapy using pelvic compression belt on hip abductor strength and balance ability in total knee replacement (TKR) patients. Methods: The subjects consisted of twenty two post-TKR patients. Participants were randomly assigned to a pelvic belt group (n=11) and a placebo group (n=11). All participants underwent manual therapy including range of motion exercise, soft tissue mobilization around knee joint, strengthening exercise (Quad set, SLR, sidelying hip abduction, standing hamstring curls, sitting knee extension, step-up, wall slide to $45^{\circ}$ knee flexion). Manual therapy was executed five times a week for 2 weeks. Outcome measures included hip abductor strength by using Biodex system 4 pro, anterior to posterior balance, medial to lateral balance, total balance by using Biodex balance system SD. Results: After the completion of the manual therapy, hip abductor strength was showed statistically significant improvements in pelvic belt group (p<.05). Anterior to posterior balance, medial to lateral balance, total balance were showed statistically significant improvements in pelvic belt group and placebo group (p<.05). There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups in hip abductor strength and there was no statistically significant difference in balance. Conclusions: This results suggest that manual therapy using pelvic compression belt has could be used for selective muscle activation of the hip abductor muscle and has useful in hip abductor strength and balance ability in TKR patients.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.178-183
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• 2020

Objective: This study conducted in order to investigate the correlations between fall experience, balance, mobility, and confidence. We examined the difference between fall experience, and Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed-Up-and-Go test (TUG), Tinetti balance assessment (Tinetti balance [TiB], Tinetti gait [TiG]), and Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale scores to see how fall experience, balance, mobility, and confidence of the persons with stroke affects their balance. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Forty-one subjects participated in this study. The BBS includes 14 items, consisting of a 5-point scale from 0 to 4, totaling up to 56 points. The Timed Up and Go-Alone (TUGA) was used to measure the average time to take a 3 m round-trip by getting up and down from a 46-cm high chair with an armrest on a flat floor. The Timed-Up-and-Go-Cognitive (TUGC) was performed by counting backwards and the Timed Up and Go-Manual (TUGM) is performed by holding a cup full of water. The total score for the TiB is 16 points, and the TiG is 12 points, making a total of 28 points. There are 16 items total for the ABC scale. Results: According to the fall experience, BBS, the TUGA and TUGC values were significantly higher in the inexperienced group compared to the experienced group (p<0.05). The number of falls was significantly correlated with BBS, TUGA, TUGC, TUGM, TiB, TiG, TiB+TiG (p<0.05). Conclusions: This study supports that falls experience is strongly related to balance, mobility, and confidence. Optimal balance training programs for fall prevention is still insufficient and must be developed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.57-65
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• 2015

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of balance training on different support surface (affected and non-affected sides) on the balance and gait function of chronic stroke patients. METHODS: The patients were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 groups. Group 1 received balance training on the stable surface, group 2 received balance training on the unstable surface, group 3 received balance training on different support surface (affected side: stable surface, non-affected side: unstable surface), and group 4 received balance training on different support surface (affected side: unstable, non-affected side: stable). Twelve sessions (30 min/d, 3 times/wk for 4 wk) were applied. There were assessed before and after the intervention with Balancia, functional reach test (FRT), lateral reach test (LRT), timed up-and-go (TUG), and 10-meter walking test (10MWT). RESULTS: After the training, all of the groups improved significantly than before training in Balancia, FRT, LRT, TUG, and 10MWT. There were significantly variable in sway distance, FRT, LRT, TUG, and 10MWT among the 4 groups. Post hoc analysis revealed that the group 3 had significantly higher results than other 3 groups in sway distance, and FRT, LRT, TUG, and 10MWT. CONCLUSION: Balance training on different support surface (affected side: stable surface, non-affected side: unstable surface) could facilitate a stronger beneficial effect on balance and walking ability than other balance trainings on different support surface in patients with stroke.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of a handrail (presence and position) on treadmill gait and balance in stroke patients during gait training. Methods: 39 patients with stroke (male 31, female 8) participated in this study. The training groups were classified into a no-handrail group (NHG), front handrail group (FHG), and bilateral handrail group (BHG). Each group comprised 13 subjects. The subjects were trained to walk in a straight path 30 minutes per day for 8 weeks. The Good Balance System was used to measure static balance and dynamic balance. To measure walking ability, timed up and go (TUG) was also assessed. Results: The NHG showed no significant differences in static balance, dynamic balance, and TUG. The FHG was significantly different in their medial-lateral speed of static balance, dynamic balance, and TUG. The BHG was significantly different in their static balance, dynamic balance, and TUG. Conclusion: These findings consider the effects of holding handrails concomitantly with changes in postural stability. We conclude that for training stroke patients, treadmill walking while holding handrails improves balance and gait more than treadmill walking without holding handrails. The resulting changes in muscle activity patterns may facilitate the transfer to a gait pattern. The results of this study suggest methods for training treadmill walking in stroke patients.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.109-121
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to test the difference of sitting balance control between a normal group and a group of patients with low back pain when their eyes were opened or closed. The 30 subjects of the control group had been chosen from healthy individuals who fit into the pre-designed criteria, and the 30 subjects of the experimental group were composed of the patients with LBP who had their treatment from S hospital from september 1, 2002, to October 30, 2002, and the subjects were measured by static balance test by using a balance performance monitor(BPM). Static balance test was done twice for each subject with his or her eyes opened and closed. Collected data were statistically analyzed by SPSS/PC using unpaired T-Test, Pained T-Test and multiple regression. The results were as follows: 1. In static balance test, normal group did not show statistical significance in sway angle(Anterior, Posterior, left and Right), sway path, sway area and maximal sway velocity, but showed statistical significance in mean balance with eyes opened and eyes dosed(P<.05) 2. In static balance test, LBP group did not show statistical significance in sway angle(Anterior, Posterior, left and Right), mean balance, sway path, sway area and maximal sway velocity with eyes opened and eyes dosed 3. With eyes opened, the comparison between the normal group and the LBP group showed statistical significance in sway angle(Anterior, Posterior, left and Right), mean valance, sway path, sway area and maximal sway velocity(p<.05). With eyes closed, normal group and LBP group did not show statistical significance in sway angle(Anterior and Right), sway area, but showed statistical significance in sway angle(Posterior and Left), mean balance, sway path, sway area and maximal sway velocity(p<.05) In conclusion, there was a significant difference in static sitting balance between normal group and LBP patients group. For future studies, I strongly suggest that researches be done on the treatment with LBP by predicting changes of postures and manipulating them.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.265-273
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to investigate the effects of HMD (head mounted display)-based virtual reality balance training on static balance in young adults, and whether appropriate balance training can help healthy adults to improve balance ability in daily living. Methods: The study subjects were 14 healthy adults. Subjects received 20 minutes of HMD-based virtual reality balance training 3 times per week for 4 weeks. Static balance was measured before, during, and after training and after one month. Static balance was measured in a total of 8 conditions, and the results were classified as visual (F1), somatosensory (F5-6), vestibular (F2-4), and central nervous system (F7-8). Results: The test results showed no significant difference in pre-training, post-training, and follow-up results under all conditions at Fourier index F1, F5-6, and F7-8 frequencies. For the F2-4 frequency, there was a significant difference before and after training under NC (neutral head position, eyes closed, firm surface) and PC (neutral head position, eyes closed, elastic surface) conditions. The NC condition returned a significant decrease of F2-4 frequency in post-training testing as compared to pre-training, and the PC condition showed a significant decrease of F2-4 frequency between the pre-training and mid-training tests, and between the pre-training and post-training tests. Conclusion: These results indicate that HMD-based balance training can improve balance ability, even in normal adults, and seems especially effective for vestibular function training.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.73-85
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the standing balance could be influenced by the different foot positions. Seventeen patients with hemiplegia were tested for the static and dynamic balance under the different foot positions. In the balance test, subject stood by bearing weight on one foot, and the other foot was positioned in three different positions (symmetric, $45^{\circ}$ anterolateral, and anterior position). This study used the Kinesthetic ability trainer (KAT2000) to measure the standing balance. The results were as follows: 1) There were significant differences in the static standing balance in different foot positions with both weight-bearing on the paretic limb and on the nonparetic limb (p<.05). 2) There were also significant differences in the dynamic standing balance in different foot positions with both weight-bearing on the paretic limb and on the nonparetic limb (p<.05). 3) There was a significant difference when the paretic weight-bearing and the nonparetic weight-bearing were compared (p<.01). 4) when the paretic weight-bearing and the nonparetic weight-bearing were compared, anterior foot position showed a significant difference in the dynamic standing balance (p<.05), but $45^{\circ}$ anterolateral foot position did not show a significant difference (p>.05). In this study, the standing balance showed a significant difference according to different foot positions in hemiparetic patients, and standing balance was better when they stood by bearing weight on the nonparetic limb. These results indicate that it is a necessary to consider both weight-bearing limb and foot position not only in the rehabilitation program but also in achieving the stability in the independent life.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.176-183
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the short term effects of ASEJ (ankle strengthening with emphasis on jumping) for 3weeks on strength, mechanical properties, and balance and to compare the balance with and without HH(high-heel) condition. Methods: ASEJ (a combined exercise of squat, heel raise up, and jumping) were performed for the subjects in 11 female ankle instability young females ($21.7{\pm}2.0yrs$ Cumberland ankle instability score $19{\pm}6.5$). To investigate the effect of ASEJ, investigator used dynamometer for measuring strength, MyotonPRO for measuring mechanical properties(tone, stiffness, and elasticity of the muscles), I-Balance test for static balance, and Y-balance test for dynamic balance between the condition with and without HH condition. All data were normally distributed and analyzed using the SPSS 22.0 statistical program. Comparing pre- and post-intervention and the condition with and without HH conditions data were examined using the paired t-test. The level of significance was chosen as 0.05 for all the analyses. Results: 3wks of ASEJ would strengthen leg muscles and increasing muscle tone and stiffness in most muscles however there was decreasing muscle elasticity of gastrocnemious. In addition, the ASEJ improves the static balance for ankle instability young females and increases the dynamic balance when wearing the heels especially. Conclusions: the ASEJ could recommend to improve the strength and balance for ankle instability young females. Also, measuring the balance with HH conditions well represents the risk of ankle damage in female.

• Korean Medical Education Review
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.45-54
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• 2023

We investigated the work-life balance of clinical professors in charge of patient care, research, and education at medical schools and the demand for work-life balance support according to position (professor, associate professor, or assistant professor). In total, 163 clinical professors completed the consent form and participated in the study. They filled out an online survey consisting of questions about essential characteristics, a work-life balance test, stress, burnout, work-life satisfaction, and work-life balance support needs. We analyzed the results by analysis of variance and cross-tabulation using IBM SPSS ver. 23.0. Differences were found in work-life balance, stress, burnout, and satisfaction with life and work by position. The requirements for support for work-life balance also varied by professional status. Professors had a higher balance between life and work than associate professors or assistant professors. The specific requirements for work-life balance support were also slightly different for each position. Overall, there was a high demand for work process simplification and efficiency for work support, flexible working hours and sabbatical years for family and leisure, and career management consulting and training support for growth. Assistant professors and associate professors had a lower level of work-life balance than professors, as well as higher levels of stress and burnout. Professors' job satisfaction was also higher than that of the other groups. Based on the results of this study, we hope that a healthy work environment can be established through work-life balance support suitable for clinical professors' positions.