• Proceedings of the KSME Conference
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• 2008.11a
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• pp.1505-1508
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• 2008

One of the important functions of prosthetic foot is the foot inversion-eversion which is so important when walking on uneven surfaces. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of foot eversion angle especially on knee and ankle joint for transtibial amputees by motion analysis. The experimental data were collected from three transtibial amputees and then ten healthy individuals. To simulate walking on side sloping ground, we used custom-made slope (5, 10, 15 degrees). Motion analysis was performed by 3-dimensional motion analyzer for 6 dynamic prosthetic feet. The results showed that knee abduction moments of amputated leg were decreased but those of sound leg were mainly increased as foot eversion angle increased. And ankle abduction moments of sound leg were inconsistent in magnitude and tendency between control and experimental group. Therefore foot eversioncharacteristics should be considered to develop advanced prosthetic foot.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.81-94
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• 2024

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the effect of a progressive balance training program with whole-body vibration stimulation on knee joint pain, dysfunction, psychosocial status, and balance ability in individuals aged ≥ 65 years with knee osteoarthritis. METHODS: A total of 40 individuals aged ≥ 65 years with osteoarthritis of the knees participated in the study. Using a randomization program, participants were assigned to an experimental group (n = 20) or a control group (n = 20). Both groups were assigned a knee strength training program, and a progressive balance training program with whole-body vibration stimulation was assigned to the experimental group. All interventions were conducted three times a week for four weeks. Participants were evaluated for the following: pain (numeric rating scale, NRS), knee dysfunction (Korean version of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index, K-WOMAC), fall efficacy (Korean Version Falls Efficacy Scale, K-FES), quality of life (Euro Quality of life 5 Dimension, EQ-5D), and advanced balance scale score (Fullerton advanced balance scale, FAB) before and after the intervention, and the effects of the intervention were compared accordingly between groups. RESULTS: Both groups showed significant differences in the results of the NRS, K-WOMAC, K-FES, and EQ-5D assessments before and after the intervention, and there was a significant difference in the amount of change between the two groups (p < .05). There was a significant improvement in FAB in all but items FAB 8 and FAB 9 after the intervention in the experimental group. In the control group, there was a significant improvement in FAB 1, FAB 2, FAB 7, and FAB total after the intervention (p < .05). In addition, there was a significant difference in the amount of change between the two groups in all items except FAB 8 and FAB 9 (p < .05). CONCLUSION: The progressive balance training program with whole body vibration stimulation is an effective intervention method with clinical significance in improving knee joint pain, knee disability index, psychosocial level, and balance ability in adults aged ≥ 65 with osteoarthritis of the knees.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.9-14
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate how different knee alignments (genu varum and genu valgum) affected activations of quadriceps muscles with measurements of onset-time differences between vastus medialis and vastus lateralis during isometric contractions at both 30 and 60 degree knee flexion. Methods: Fifty-two adults (20 genu varum, 12 genu valgum, and 20 control) were enrolled in this study. Subjects with over 4cm distance between knee medial epicondyles were assigned to Genu varum, while subjects with over 4cm distance between ankles medial malleolus were considered as genu valgum group. Surface EMG was used to measure onset time of both vastus medialis and vastus lateralis during isometric contraction at 30 and 60 degree knee flexion. Results: The onset time of vastus lateralis was delayed in genu varum group, and that of vastus medialis was delayed in genu valgum group at both 30 and 60 degree knee flexions. Moreover, onset time difference at $30^{\circ}$ knee flexion between muscles was larger in genu valgum group than genu varum group. Conclusion: Subjects with genu varum or valgum activated quadriceps muscles with different orders pending on flexion degrees. Therefore, when quadriceps training program were planned to prevent pain or deformities, the findings that quadriceps were activated with different orders affected by knee alignments and joint degree at which trainings were performed, must be considered. If the selective training programs of quadriceps femoris are planned to prevent pain or deformities due to poor knee alignments, these should consider the subject's knee alignment condition.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.9-15
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• 2016

Background: Squatting is one of the best functional exercises to strengthen the quadriceps muscle in independent gait and activities of daily living. Although the use of a gym ball during squat exercise is the most common way of strengthening the vastus medialis oblique (VMO) muscle, published data on this subject are limited. Objects: The purpose of this study was to compare the sequential muscle activation of the VMO and vastus lateralis (VL) muscles during squat exercise using a gym ball at different knee flexion angles. Methods: Forty healthy adults were randomly divided into experimental (squat exercise using a gym ball) and control (squat exercise alone) groups, in which squats were performed at $45^{\circ}$ and $90^{\circ}$ knee flexion. Electromyographic (EMG) activity data were collected over 10 seconds under the 2 angles of knee flexion ($45^{\circ}$ and $90^{\circ}$). Results: There was significant group and time interaction effect for VMO and VL muscle activation at $45^{\circ}$ knee flexion. This was similarly demonstrated at $90^{\circ}$ knee flexion. No significant group main effect and time main effect for VMO and VL muscle activation were noted at $45^{\circ}$ knee flexion, respectively. In contrast, there was significant group main effect and time main effect for VMO and VL muscle activation at $90^{\circ}$ knee flexion. These significant differences were demonstrated through two-way analysis of variance over repeated measurements, suggesting that the EMG activity of the VMO muscle during squatting with a gym ball showed remarkable improvement compared to that of the VL muscle. Conclusion: This research suggests that squat exercise using a gym ball may be more beneficial in improving the activity of VMO than of the VL muscle at both $45^{\circ}$ and $90^{\circ}$ of knee flexion, respectively. We highly recommend squat exercises with a gym ball for selective strengthening of the VMO muscle in knee rehabilitation.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.151-179
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of total knee replacement to arthritis patients in pain intensity and functional impairment. For this study, over 50-year-old 30 patients who had osteoarthritis and 69 patients who got total knee replacement at the one of the departments of orthopedics in Daegu were interviewed from June, 2002 to March, 2003. The results of this study were as follows : First, pain intensity was decreased to experimental group after operation than control group(P<.01) And the presence of crepitation was also decreased to them(P<.05). On the other hand there's no significant difference was noted in the presence of stiffness, degree of flexion contracture and extension contracture between two groups. Second, over 91 days group after operation and visitor's group of physiotherapy unit were better than others in Level of knee function(P<.01). Third, over 91 days group after operation and visitor's group of physiotherapy unit were higher than others in Barthel Index of knee function(P<.01). Forth, over 91 days group after operation and visitor's group of physiotherapy unit were higher than others in Level of IADL(P<.05). Fifth, over 91 days group after operation and visitor‘s group of physiotherapy unit were higher than others in Katz Index of knee function(P<.01). Sixth, although Old Ages' Activity Index seemed to get better as time goes by, there's no statistical difference. Seventh, over 91 days group after operation and visitor's group of physiotherapy unit were higher than admission group and under 30 days group after operation in Social Activity Index(P<.05). Eighth, the function of the knee was connected with the abilities in the activity of the old and the social skill. The Barthel index was connected with the function of the knee joint and the activities of the old and Katz index. IADL function was connected with the activities of the old and the social activity. The Katz index was connected with the Barthel index. The activity of the old was connected with the Barthel index, the functional score of the knee joint andthe IADL score. The ability of social skill was connected with the activity of the old, IADL score and the function of the knee.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.124-131
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• 2017

This paper present a novel approach to control the lower body power assistive exoskeleton system of a HEXAR-CR35 aimed at improving a muscular strength. More specifically the control of based on the human intention is crucial of importance to ensure intuitive and dexterous motion with the human. In this contribution, we proposed the detection algorithm of the human intention using the MCRS which are developed to measure the contraction of the muscle with variation of the circumference. The proposed algorithm provides a joint motion of exoskeleton corresponding the relate muscles. The main advantages of the algorithm are its simplicity, computational efficiency to control one joint of the HEXAR-CR35 which are consisted knee-active type exoskeleton (the other joints are consisted with the passive or quasi-passive joints that can be arranged by analyzing of the human joint functions). As a consequence, the motion of exoskeleton is generated according to the gait phase: swing and stance phase which are determined by the foot insole sensors. The experimental evaluation of the proposed algorithm is achieved in walking with the exoskeleton while carrying the external mass in the back side.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.153-162
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• 2019

PURPOSE: This study compared ankle joint exercise and thigh exercise on the isometric strength of the lower limb and balance ability. METHODS: Twenty-seven subjects were divided into ankle joint exercise (AEG, n=9), tight exercise (TEG, n=9), and control group (CON, n=9). AEG and TEG performed ankle joint and tight exercises three times a week for four weeks. The following were measured before and four weeks after each exercise: isometric strength at knee flexion and extension of the lower limb; isometric strength at ankle plantar flexion and dorsiflexion of the lower limb; static balance of trace length and C90 area; and the dynamic forward, backward, leftward, and rightward balance for each region. RESULTS: The results showed that the isometric strength of plantar flexion (p<.05) was increased significantly in AEG compared to those in TEG and CON. The dynamic leftward (p<.05) and rightward balance (p<.05) were increased significantly in both AEG and TEG compared to that in CON. On the other hand, the static balance of the trace length and C90 area, isometric strength of ankle dorsiflexion, knee flexion and extension of the lower limb, and dynamic forward and backward balance did not show significant differences between the groups. CONCLUSION: Ankle joint exercise improves the isometric strength of plantar flexion compared to tight exercise.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.79-90
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• 2010

Objectives : Tai Chi for arthritis was developed in 1997 by Paul Lam, M.D. of family medicine in Australia. It is an exercise treatment program and a good approaching method for arthritis. However its application is limited to arthritis of knee joint only. Even there have been no clinical study in korean traditional medical society. The aim of this study is to investigate effect of the Tai Chi for arthritis on chronic pain of body. Methods : We designed this trial as objectives were (1) senior female over 60 years, (2) suffering for osteoarthritis and chronic body pain, (3) have no physical or mental dysfunctions (4) able to walk and exercise alone. Objectives mactched these criteria had been trained the Tai Chi for arthritis 2 hours a day for 21 weeks. Before and after training, pain of 8 joints (neck, shoulder, elbow, wrist, waist, hip, knee, ankle) were estimated with the VAS(Visual Analog Scale). Results : Training the Tai Chi for arthritis relieved multiple joint pain(especially neck, lower back, shoulder, wrist and knee) and these were statistically significant. Conclusions : This study is a pilot study to investigate effect of the Tai Chi for arthritis on chronic pain of whole body. Absence of control group, and other scale to test joint function except VAS were limitations of this study. It is the first clinical approach about Tai Chi in korean medicine field, also the first study of Tai Chi for pain of the whole body.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2013

Background: This study aims to examine the effects of sling exercise and common exercise on the pain level of various body parts. Methods: This study divided the subjects into a sling-exercise group and a common exercise group to for each group across the measurement times after practicing exercises twice per week for 8 weeks (total 16times). To compare the means of the experimental group and the control group on each variable, the ANOVA for repeated measure was used and if there was any significant difference across the measurement times, post-hoc comparisons were conducted for the difference. The T-tests for group difference according to exercise type on each of the variables showed the results as follows. Results: The results of this study suggest that there were significant difference in pain in shoulder pain, but no significant difference could be found in the Thoracic pain & Knee joint pain. There was no significant difference to distinguish between the sling exercise and the common exercise. Conclusions: Currently the sling exercise is not spread out widely in Korea, so that the recognition and studies of the sling exercise is still lacking. Hence, this study can hopefully facilitate popularity of the sling exercise and systematic prospect studies on it in the near future.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.151-159
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• 2007

Purpose : The purpose of the study was to investigate the effect of cold application on knee joint in rats induced by osteoarthritis. Methods : Osteoarthritis was induced in female Sprague-Dowley rats by injecting into articular cavity of knee joint with 4% Kaolin, 2% carrageenan. Rats were divided randomly into the control and MES applicated group. The Experimental group was applicated MES in rat knee joint for 30 minutes. Results : Recovery of articular cartilage surface and thickness of articular cartilage increased after MES application. And chondrocytes were distributed widely throughout the cartilage matrix. The physical effects of Microcurrent Electrical Stimulation. Decrease in blood flow. Delay of neurotransmitter velocity Decrease in metabolism activity and inhibit the progress of the infection. Decrease in pain and muscle rigidity, inhibition of circulation Conclusion : This study shows that MES application affects articular cartilage recovery in osteoarthritis.