• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.97-110
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• 2009

Objective : The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of Hominis Placenta Pharmacopuncture(HPP) on lower limb spasticity control in stroke patients. Methods : Twenty stroke patients with Leg spasticity were randomly divided into two groups, a Distilled water Pharmacopuncture(group I) and a HPP(group II). The number of Pharmacopuncture was 5 times a week and acupuncture treatment was 3 times a week for 3 weeks. Modified Ashworth Scale(MAS), H-reflex/M-response ratio(H/M ratio), Berg Balance Scale(BBS) and Time Up & Go(TUG) were used for evaluation of spasticity control before experiment, after 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks. Results : Group I showed significant improvement(p$<$.05) in BBS but no significant improvement in MAS, H/M ratio, and TUG. Group II showed significant improvement(p$<$.05) in MAS, BBS, and TUG, but no significant improvement in H/M ratio. The results showed significant difference in TUG, but no significant difference in MAS, H/M ratio and BBS between 2 groups. Conclusion : These results showed that HPP might decrease lower limb spasticity and increase leg motor function in stroke patients. Further studies will be required to examine more cases in the long period for the effect on lower limb in spasticity by HPP.

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 2008

Periodic leg movements during sleep (PLMS) are best described as repetitive stereotypical movements of the lower extremities characterized by dorsiflexion of the ankle, dorsiflexion of the toes and a partial flexion of the knee and sometimes the hip. The prevalence of PLMS is about 5-11% in adults and is predicted much higher than previously surveyed. They are also frequently found in various sleep disorders, several disorders not primarily affecting sleep, and patients taking psychiatric medications. Although they are rarely found in children, they are common findings in children referred to a pediatric sleep laboratory. The pathophysiology is strongly associated with decline of central dopaminergic function and closely related to arousal system during sleep. Benzodiazepines, levodopa, dopamine agonists and opioids are generally recommended for treatment but more controlled studies on the effectiveness are needed.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.687-693
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• 2011

Spring-mass models have been widely accepted to explain the basic dynamics of human gait. Researchers found that the leg stiffness increased with gait speed to increase energy efficiency. However, the difference of leg stiffness change with gait speed between the young and the elderly has not been verified yet. In this study, we calculated the lower limb stiffness of the elderly using walking model with an axial spring. Vertical stiffness was defined as the ratio of the vertical force change to the vertical displacement change. Seven young and eight elderly subjects participated to the test. The subjects walked on a 12 meter long, 1 meter wide walkway at four different gait speeds, ranging from their self-selected speed to maximum speed randomly. Kinetic and kinematic data were collected using three force plates and motion capture cameras, respectively. The vertical stiffness of the two groups increased as a function of walking speed. Maximum walking speed of the elderly was slower than that of the young, yet the walking speed correlated well with the optimal stiffness that maximizes propulsion energy in both groups. The results may imply that human may use apparent limb stiffness to optimize energy based on spring-like leg mechanics.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.87-96
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the convergence effectiveness of treadmill training in patients with chronic stroke through a meta-analysis. After searching the literature based on the patients, intervention, comparison, outcome criteria, and study desigan, a total of 22 studies related to "stroke" and "treadmill" were eligible for inclusion. Effect size was calculated using the comprehensive meta-analysis program for the meta-analysis. Based on the forest plot results, the overall effect size of treadmill training was 0.661 (95% confidence interval: 0.456-0.865), which was statistically significant with a medium effect size (p < 0.05). The effects of treadmill training on patients with stroke were separated by dependent variables of interest-plantar pressure (1.147), lower limb muscle function (0.875), and balance (0.664). The effect sizes were evaluated for the subdomains of timed up and go test (0.553), Berg Balance Scale (0.760), and static balance index (0.654) for balance. Therefore, treadmill training can be expected to have a positive impact on improving the quality of life of patients with chronic stroke. This meta-analysis of treadmill training may the lead to an industry paradigm shift toward healthcare convergence of information, communication, and medical technology.

• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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• v.14 no.8
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• pp.391-396
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• 2020

This study was to examined the effect of chain types exercise of lower limbs on the motor performance differences for the life-carement. For this, twenty normal adult women participated and they were examined the differences of exercise effects about abdominal muscle activity and balance ability by applying two types of chain exercise. In order to identify the differences we let them conduct exercise for 4 weeks with each type of exercise. And we used paired t-test and Independent sample t-test for comparing the differences in the group and inter groups. There was a significant difference in the value of 0.05 to verify statistical significance. As a result of this research, it was found that closed chain exercise is more effective than open chain exercise in muscle activity and balance function. Therefore, in the clinical therapeutic environment, if you apply chain exercise for patient to improve lower limb motor performance, we would recommend the close kinematic chain exercise.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.93-101
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• 2020

Background: For performing various movements well, cooperation between the muscles around the scapula and shoulder has been emphasized. Taping has been widely used clinically as a helpful adjunct to other physiotherapy methods for shoulder pathology and dysfunction treatment. Previous studies have evaluated the effect of taping techniques using dynamic tapes on shoulder function and pain. However, no study investigated the electromyographic (EMG) changes in the shoulder muscles. Objects: This study aimed to investigate the effect of the upper limb offload taping technique using a dynamic tape on EMG activities of the upper trapezius (UT), lower trapezius, serratus anterior (SA), and middle deltoid (MD) muscles during scaption plane elevation. Methods: A total of 26 healthy subjects (19.85 ± 6.40 years, male = 20) volunteered to participate in this study. The subjects were instructed to perform scaption elevation with and without dynamic taping on the shoulder. Shoulder elevation strength tests were performed at 100%, 75%, 50%, and 25%, for the maximal isometric contraction force. Results: There were statistically significant interaction effects between the taping application and shoulder scaption elevation force in EMG activities in the UT (p < 0.05) and MD (p < 0.05). EMG activities in the UT showed significant increases in 50%RVC (reference voluntary contraction, p < 0.05) and 25%RVC (p < 0.01). Furthermore, the EMG activity of the SA significantly increased in 50%RVC (p < 0.01) and 25%RVC (p < 0.01) after dynamic taping. For the MD, the EMG activity level significantly decreased in 100%RVC (p < 0.05). Conclusion: These results indicated that upper limb offload dynamic taping application affects the muscle activities of some shoulder muscles depending on different scaption elevation strength levels. Therefore, we suggest that the upper limb offload dynamic taping can be applied to the shoulders when patients need middle deltoid inhibition or upper trapezius facilitation, such as patients with shoulder impingement syndrome.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.1312-1326
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• 2019

The purpose of this study is to examine whether the 12-week Nordic walking can improve the physical function and arthritis pain of elderly women with osteoarthritis This study were divided into randomly assigned Nordic Walking Exercise Group (n=9) and Control Group (n=7) for 16 Elderly women diagnosed with Osteoarthritis (age: 73±3.79 year, height: 154.3±4.09 cm). The exercise group used Nordic sticks to carry out 30 minutes of Nordic walking exercise three times a week for 12 weeks, and the kinetic intensity was set at 40-60% of HRR. The control group maintained daily life for the same period. Body composition (weight, percentage body fat, skeletal muscle mass), muscular strength, Flexibility (muscular strength of upper and lower limbs, flexibility of upper and lower limbs), balance ability (static balance, dynamic balance) and pain level were measured as subordinate variables. These indicators were measured twice before and after the exercise program. The study shows that percentage body fat and skeletal muscle mass in the body composition function over 12 weeks of Nordic walking exercise have significant effects after the exercise than before (p=004)(p=.003), and it also shows significant interaction effects between the groups and timings(p=.018)(p=.005). In muscular strength, Flexibility factors, there were significant effects between the groups and timings in the upper limb muscular strength and the lower limb flexibility (p=.009)(p=.036), and a significant difference between the exercise group and the control group(p=.006) in the lower limb muscular strength. In addition, in the upper limb flexibility, there was a more significant difference after the exercise than before(p=.020). There were improvement effects after the exercise than before in the balance ability and the static balance(p=.016), but no difference in the dynamic balance(p>.05). In pain, there was a significant improvement after the exercise than before(p=.022), and a significant difference between the exercise group and the control group(p=.013). In conclusion, the 12-week Nordic walking exercise has positive effects on the body composition functions of the elderly women with Osteoarthritis, and has a positive effect on the improvement of upper limb muscular strength and lower limb flexibility in the health fitness factors. These effects are believed to have contributed effectively to the improvement of the level of pain by contributing to the improvement of physical and motor functions of the elderly women with Osteoarthritis. Therefore, it is considered that Nordic walking exercise, which enhances stability and balance of the patients with Osteoarthritis by using poles, is an effective exercise method for the improvement of the body and motor functions by lowering the pain of the joints and reducing the muscular strength and percentage body fat.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.459-466
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• 2016

This study examined the effects of robot-assisted therapy on the motor and functional recovery of the lower limbs in 53 subacute stroke patients. Robot-assisted therapy was performed using Lokomat? (Hocoma AG, Zurich, Switzerland) for thirty minutes per day, five times a week for four weeks. The outcome measures used were the Fugl-Meyer assessment, Motricity index(MI), Functional ambulation category(FAC), Berg balance scale(BBS) for gait function and balance ability, 10m walking test, K-Modified Barthel Index(K-MBI) for the activities of daily living and Mini mental state examination (MMSE), and Beck's depression inventory(BDI) for depression. All patients recruited underwent these evaluations before and after the four week robot-assisted therapy. For the evaluation, the somatosensory evoked potentials were used to assess the functional recovery. Robot-assisted therapy on the lower limb after subacute stroke showed improvement in motor strength, gait function, and the activities of daily living. All changes in terms of MI, FAC, BBS, and K-MBI exhibited a statistically significant difference after the four weeks robot-assisted therapy. The somatosensory evoked potential result showed a correlation with the MI and K-MBI. Robot-assisted therapy is believed to facilitate the motor and functional recovery of the lower limb in subacute stroke patients.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.17-28
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• 2003

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of treadmill gait training on the functional characteristics and the temporal-distance parameters of gait in hemiplegic patients, as compared with conventional gait training. The subjects of this study were 32 hemiplegic patients who had been admitted or were visited out-patients at Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University, from March 3 through April 25, 2003. These subjects were randomly divided into treadmill gait training group or conventional gait training group. We evaluated the gait ability, motor functions, muscle strength, spasticity, physiological cost index, and temporal-distance parameters. We analyzed the changes between pre and post training in each groups, and the difference between two groups. Temporal-distance parameters were obtained using the ink footprint method and then energy consumption using physiological cost index. The results were as follows: 1. After a six-week training, treadmill gait training group significantly improved, as. compared to pre-training, in gait ability, motor functions for the leg and trunk and gross function, muscle strength of the lower limb, gait speed, cadence, step length both on the affected and on the unaffected side, step length symmetry, and energy consumption(p<0.05). 2. After a six-week training, conventional gait training group significantly improved, as compared to pretraining, in gait ability, motor functions for the leg and trunk, muscle strength of the lower limb, spasticity the upper limb, gait speed, cadence, step length both on the affected and on the unaffected side, and energy consumption(p<0.05). 3. After a six-week training, the treadmill gait training group significantly improved, as compared to the conventional gait, training, in gait speed and step length on the unaffected side. These results show that treadmill gait training was improved gait speed and step length on the unaffected side of hemiplegic patients, as compared with conventional gait training. Further research is needed to confirm the generalization of these findings and to identify which hemiplegic patients might benefit from treadmill gait training.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.29-35
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• 2008

Purpose : To describes the important aspects of the foot and ankle movement and function used when git and balance strategy. Method : The foot and ankle was a very important roles in the lower limb movement and gait. This study summarizes the physiologic movement of knee to the PNF lower extremity patterns. Result : The ankle joint composed of the talocural joint, the subtalarl joint, transverse tarsal joint, talocalcaneonavicular joint. The onset of dorsiflexion muscle activity starts in pre swing gait patterns. First contract muscle is the extensor hallucis. Activity of tibialis anterior and extensor digitorum longus quickly follows in mid swing gait phase. During stance phase, the soleus and gastrocnemius muscle provided plantar flexor torque, which muscle reacts quickly to restrain ankle dorsiflexion, and contributes modulated control of the ankle motion in gait patterns. Conclusions : The understanding of ankle kinematics, could provide a good therapeutic approach for improving gait patterns in patients with various pathological condition.