• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.36-42
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• 2004

Evidence based physical therapy interventions for this patient was applied in 15 clinical sessions. Considering the patient's two main impairments, two physical therapy interventions were delivered with WOMAC index outcome measurement. From this case report, I observed that a combined physical therapy interventions consisting of manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, and TENS Unit in patients with knee osteoarthritis may result in decreased pain, stiffness and increased physical function.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.91-98
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• 2010

Neurostimulation approaches have been developed and explored to modulate neuroplastic changes of cortical function in human brain. As one of the most primary noninvasive tools, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) was extensively studied in the field of neuroscience. The alternation of cortical neurons depending on the polarity of the tDCS has been used for improving cognitive processing including working memory, learning, and language in normal individuals, as well as in patients with neurological or psychiatric diseases. In addition, tDCS has great advantages: it is a non-invasive, painless, safe, and cost-effective approach to enhance brain function in normal subjects and patients with neurological disorders. Numerous previous studies have confirmed the efficacy of tDCS. However, tDCS has not been considered for clinical applications and research in the field of physical therapy. Therefore, this review will focus on the general principles of tDCS and its related application parameters, and provide consideration of motor behavioral research and clinical applications in physical therapy.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Clinical Electrophysiology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.33-43
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• 2007

This study divided 35 hemiplegia patients into control group having standard physical therapy and gait training and functional electrical stimulation(FES) group using FES during gait training in order to examine the effects of applying FES to ankle joint dorsiflexor on motor unit action potential. Stimulation conditions of FES were pulse rate 35 pps, pulse width $250{\mu}s$, and on-time 0.3 second, treatment hour was 30 min. and treatment period was once a day for five days a week through six weeks. For functional evaluations before and after treatment, root mean square(RMS) were measured and the following conclusions were obtained. : In RMS analysis of motor unit action potential, gastrocnemius was significantly reduced in both weight bearing(p<.001) and bearing condition (p<.05). In conclusion, application of FES to hemiplegia patients in recovery stage during gait training decreased RMS and it was interpreted that it was caused by mitigation of muscular spasticity by reduction of motor unit.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.409-413
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• 2012

Purpose: Rehabilitative devices are used to enhance sensorimotor training protocols, for improvement of motor function in the hemiplegic limb of patients who have suffered a stroke. Sensorimotor integration feedback systems, included with these devices, are very good therapeutic frameworks. We applied this approach using electrical stimulation in stroke patients and examined whether a functional electric stimulation-assisted biofeedback therapy system could improve function of the upper extremity in chronic hemiplegia. Methods: A prototype biofeedback system was used by six subjects to perform a set of tasks with their affected upper extremity during a 30-minute session for 20 consecutive working days. When needed for a grasping or releasing movement of objects, the functional electrical stimulation (FES) stimulated the wrist and finger flexor or extensor and assisted the patients in grasping or releasing the objects. Kinematic data provided by the biofeedback system were acquired. In addition, clinical performance scales and activity of daily living skills were evaluated before and after application of a prototype biofeedback system. Results: Our findings revealed statistically significant gradual improvement in patients with stroke, in terms of kinematic and clinical performance during the treatment sessions, in terms of manual function test and the Purdue pegboard. However, no significant difference of the motor activity log was found. Conclusion: Hemiplegic upper extremity function of a small group of patients with chronic hemiparesis was improved through two weeks of training using the FES-assisted biofeedback system. Further research into the use of biofeedback systems for long-term clinical improvement will be needed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.487-498
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• 2010

Purpose : To investigate the immediate effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation(TENS) on the spasticity and the balance in the stroke patients. Methods : 26 subjects with spasticity over lower limbs were allocated randomly into two groups : (1) TENS group, (2) placebo-TENS group. TENS was applied on the both gastrocnemius for 60 minutes(100 Hz, 0.25 ms, 2 times sensory threshold). The modified Ashworth Scale(MAS) and Manual Muscle Tester were used to assess the spasticity of the ankle plantar flexors. Static balance under three conditions was measured by force-plate; in (1) the condition of standing with eyes opened, (2) with eyes closed and (3) the condition of standing on unstable surface with eyes opened. Results : When compared with the pre and post TENS application, TENS showed significant reduction of ankle spasticity in MAS and MMT measurement. Also, Application of high-frequency TENS improved the balance under three conditions. Conclusion : A single session of TENS to stroke patients could reduce spasticity and improve the balance.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.11-22
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• 2007

Purpose: The purpose of this study were to analysis the effect on change of spinal neuron excitability during gait training of hemiplegia patients by the functional electrical stimulation. Methods: Thirty six hemiplegia patients participated in this study. Stimulation conditions of FES were pulse rate 35pps, pulse width $250{\mu}s$, and on-time 0.3 second, treatment hour was 30 min. and treatment period was once a day for five days a week through six weeks. For functional evaluations before and after treatment, Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), active range of motion (AROM), Hmax threshold, H/Mmax ratio were measured and the following conclusions were obtained. Results: Functional evaluation showed significant changes in experimental group as MAS(p<0.01), AROM(p<0.001), compared to control group. In spinal neuron excitability evaluation, change of Hmax threshold was significantly reduced in both non weight bearing (p<0.001) and bearing condition (p<0.05), H/Mmax ratio was significantly reduced in non weight bearing (p<0.05) and bearing condition (p<0.05). Conclusion: In conclusion, application of FES to hemiplegia patients in recovery stage during gait training improved mitigation of muscular spasticity, balance adjustment and moving ability and it was interpreted that it was caused by mitigation of muscular spasticity by the spinal neuron excitability.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.33-42
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of rehabilitation exercise and neuromuscular electrical stimulation on a visual analysis scale and functional visual analysis scale regarding functional capacity. A total of 7 consecutive patients with the complaint of patellofemoral pain syndrome who received this diagnosis from a sports medicine physician were recruited to assess the effect of rehabilitation exercise and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and Functional Visual Analog Scale (FVAS), functional capacity patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome. The exercise rehabilitation consisted of a complex training program requiring five treatments a week for eight weeks. The training program consisted of four phases, and each lasted for two weeks. Statistical analyses were one-way ANOVA with repeated measures. The results were as follows: (1) There were significant differences in the VAS and FVAS during 8-weeks of rehabilitation exercise and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (p<.01). (2) There were no significant differences in the functional capacity during 8-weeks of rehabilitation exercise and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (p<.05). In conclusion, at the end of the eight weeks of this rehabilitation program and neuromuscular electrical stimulation, a significant reduction was found in VAS and FVAS, but there was no significant difference in functional capacity at the end of the treatment.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.339-343
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to see the effect of functional electrical stimulation on forced vital capacity and alternating motion rate in children with spastic cerebral palsy. This study divided 20 children with spastic cerebral palsy into two groups; functional electrical stimulation treatment group and control group. Functional electrical stimulation treatment group had 20min per day treatment three times a week for four weeks and the control group did not have any treatment. Before and after intervention, this study measured forced vital capacity and alternate motion rate(/peo/,/teo/) for all children. Forced vital capacity showed statistically significant increase for the group with functional electrical stimulation(p<.05) while the control group did not show any significant increase(p>.05). Alternate motion rate showed statistically significant increase for the group with functional electrical stimulation(p<.05) while the control group did not show any significant increase(p>.05). This result shows that functional electrical stimulation affected the ability of the children with spastic cerebral palsy who have decreased breathing and phonation capability.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.123-132
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• 2020

PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of both lower extremities proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation training with functional electrical stimulation on the balance and gait of stroke patients. METHODS: Ten patients with stroke were divided randomly into two groups of five patients each who met the selection criteria. The training was conducted five times a week, for 60 minutes. The experimental group received both lower extremities proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation training with functional electrical stimulation while the control group received general physical therapy with functional electrical stimulation. RESULTS: The timed Up-and-Go (TUG) test result was statistically significant after the intervention in the experimental group (p<.041). Berg Balance Scale (BBS) assessment was statistically significant after the intervention in the experimental group (p<.047) and between the experimental and control groups (p<.012). The cadence assessment was statistically significant after intervention in the experimental group (p<.031) and between the experimental and control groups (p<.015). The stride length assessment was not statistically significant after intervention in the experimental group and between the experimental and control groups. Gait velocity assessment was statistically significant after the intervention in the experimental group (p<.031) and between the experimental and control groups (p<.015). CONCLUSION: Both lower extremities proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation training with functional electrical stimulation had positive effects on the balance and gait of stroke patients.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.288-293
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of gait training using functional electrical stimulation on the improvement of hemiplegic patients' functions for balance and gait velocity. The subjects of the experiment were determined to be 10 each hemiplegic patients who had been diagnosed with stroke or brain damage six months or longer earlier assigned to an experimental group and a control group respectively. The subjects were evaluated before the experiment using Tetrax and 10M gait tests, received gait training five times a week for four weeks using functional electrical stimulation and were evaluated after the experiment in the same method as used in the evaluation before the experiment. In order to examine differences between the experimental group that received gait training using functional electrical stimulation and the control group that was treated by functional electrical stimulation and received gait training thereafter, differences between before and after the experiment were analyzed using paired sample t-tests and differences in changes after the experiment between the experimental group and the control group were analyzed using independent sample t-tests in order to compare the two groups with each other. Experimental results showed significant differences in weight bearing, balance and gait velocity between before and after the experiment in the experimental group(p<.05). In the control group, whereas weight bearing and gait velocity did not show any significant difference between before and after the experiment(p>.05), balance showed significant differences(p<.05). Weight bearing, balance and gait velocity change rates showed significant differences between the experimental group and the control group(p<.05). In conclusion, it was indicated that gait training using functional electrical stimulation is effective for enhancing stroke patients' weight bearing rates, balance abilities and gait velocity.