• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.725-728
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• 2008

An elbow orthosis with a pneumatic rubber actuator has been developed to assist and enhance upper limbs movements and has been examined for the effectiveness. The effectiveness of the elbow orthosis was examined by comparing muscular activities during alternate dumbbell curl motion wearing and not wearing the orthosis. The subjects participated in the experiment were younger adults in their twenties. The subjects were instructed to perform dumbbell curl motion in a sitting position wearing and not wearing orthosis in turn and a dynamometer was used to measure elbow joint torque outputs in an isokinetic mode. Orthosis was controlled using contractile muscle force that is measured from force sensor through cDAQ-9172 board. The air pressure of the pneumatic actuator was 0.3MPa the most suitable air pressure. For the analysis of muscular activities, Electromyography of the subjects was measured during alternate dumbbell curl motion. The experiment results showed that the muscular activities wearing the elbow orthosis were reduced. With this, we confirmed the effectiveness of the developed elbow orthosis.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.33-39
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• 2011

Background : The purpose of this study was to apply cervical orthosis for temporal parameters of gait was to evaluate the effect. Methods : Seven normal adults participated in this study. Before and after applying a cervical orthosis compared to gait. Outcome measure were: general characteristics, temporal parameters of gait. General chacteristics included age, gender, height, weight. Temporal parameters included the Velocity cycle, Stride length, Step length, Cadence cycle, Initial double support time. Temporal parameters of gait, using the motion analysis system for cervical orthosis were evaluated before and after applying. The data was analyzed using SPSS 12.0 software and the Wilcoxon's signed-ranks test. Results : Velocity cycle and Step length were no significant differences(p>0.05). But Stride length, Cadence cycle, Initial double support time were significant(p<0.05). After apply Cervical orthosis in gait, Stride length and Initial double support time was decreased and Cadence cycle was increased. Conclusion : Changes in temporal of temporal parameters of gait was apply a cervical orthosis with the limitations of vision due to take effect. Therefore, Cervical orthosis does not interfere with the normal gait pattern by limiting the Range of Motion so that we consider to apply.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.825-831
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• 2007

An elbow orthosis with a pneumatic rubber actuator has been developed to assist and enhance upper limb movements and has been examined for the effectiveness. The effectiveness of the elbow orthosis was examined by comparing muscular activities during alternate dumbbell curl exercises with and without the orthosis. The subjects participated in the experiment were younger adults in their twenties. The subjects were instructed to perform dumbbell curl motion in a sitting position with and without orthosis in turn and a dynamometer was used to measure elbow joint torque outputs in an isovelocity mode. The measurements were done with four various dumbbell loads: 0 kg, 1 kg, 3 kg, and 5 kg. The orthosis was pneumatically actuated and controlled in a passive mode. The most comfortable air pressure to the pneumatic actuator was determined to be 0.294MPa. Electromyography(EMG) was also measured during curl exercises. The muscles of interest were biceps brachii(BB), triceps brachii(TB), brachioradialis(Bo), and flexor carpi ulnaris(FCU) in the upper limbs. The experimental results showed that the muscular activities themselves significantly reduced with elbow orthosis on in performing similar activities without orthosis. As a result of this experiment, the effectiveness of the developed upper limb orthosis was confirmed and the level of assistance was quantified.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.29-36
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to investigate the immediate effect of fabric ankle-foot orthosis on spatiotemporal gait parameters, compared to a barefoot condition in children with spastic cerebral palsy. Eleven children with spastic cerebral palsy participated in this study. Spatiotemporal gait parameters were measured with the GAITRite system. Fabric ankle-foot orthosis significantly improved Timed Up and Go test time and gait velocity. There was no significant difference in cadence. The step time significantly improved in both the more and less affected foot compared to the barefoot condition. The step length of the affected foot also significantly improved, but there was no significant difference in the step length of the less affected foot. There was significant improvement in the stride length of both the affected and less affected foot, but no significant difference in single stance or double stance. The fabric ankle-foot orthosis could improve stability, and selective control of the joint and promote better walking in children with cerebral palsy. Consequently, the fabric ankle-foot orthosis might be an alternative assistive device for neurological populations as a primary role instead of the typical ankle-foot orthosis.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.355-372
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of multiaxial lower extremity orthosis on correction of genu valgum. 20 volunteers among people visited department of Rehabilitation Medicine, chungnam national university hospital, who had been diagnosed as genu valgum without other musculoskeletal problems were included. 10 individuals(mean age: 9.gyrs) who had been taken multiaxial lower extremity orthosis at least 12month were included in experimental group and the other 10 individuals(mean age: 11.7yrs) refused taking this orthosis in the control group. We measured the Q-angle & femorotibial angle using plain roentgenogram images at visiting day and repeat same test after 1year follow up. Multiaxial lower extremity orthosis consist of proximal horizontal bar with both thigh cuff, central vertical bar and distal horizontal bar with both shoes. we narrowed inter-shoes distance from start to 6th month and inter-thigh cuff distance together with above correction for next 6month in the frontal plane and from 10th month, dorsiflexed both shoes in sagittal plane. Also, we rotate the both shoes externally and retract the proximal vertical bar every month. This orthosis have to be taken at least 4 hours during sleep. The result were as follows 1. There were no statistical significant difference in each parameter between the right and left Q-angle before multiaxial lower extremity orthosis. 2. The left Q angle reduced $-11^{\circ}$ between 1st day and after 1year follow up showed statistical significant difference between multiaxial lower extremity orthosis taking group and non-taking(p<0.001). 3. The right Q angle reduced $-13^{\circ}$ between 1st day and after 1year follow up showed statistical significant difference between multiaxial lower extremity orthosis taking group and non-taking(p<0.001). 4. There were no statistical significant difference in each parameter between the right and left femorotibial angle before multiaxial lower extremity orthosis. 5. The left femorotibial angle reduced $-10.1^{\circ}$ between 1st day and after lyear follow up showed statistical significant difference between multiaxial lower extremity orthosis taking group and non-taking(p<0.001). 6. The right femorotibial angle reduced $-11.2^{\circ}$ between 1st day and after 1year follow up showed statistical significant difference between multiaxial lower extremity orthosis taking group and non-taking(p<0.001).

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Clinical Electrophysiology
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2012

Purpose : The objectives of this study were to examine changes in gait parameters related to the COP and gait velocity resulting from the use of ankle foot orthosis, and to provide information for the prescription of ankle foot orthosis and gait rehabilitation training. Methods : We sampled a control group of 14 normal children of the same age as the spastic diplegia (spastic diplegia used ankle foot orthosis) and measured their COP at barefoot gait and their gait parameters at three gait velocities. Change in the COP according to the use of ankle foot orthosis measured one-way ANOVA and Gait parameters according to gait velocity used repeated measures ANOVA. Results : As a result of analyzing change in the COP it became close to that of normal children, and changes in gait parameters such as step width, stride length and stride time also became close to those of normal children. Conclusion : In conclusion, when spastic diplegia used ankle foot orthosis, their balancing ability was improved as a result of decreased change in the COP, and their changes in gait parameters also became close to those of the control group. These results show that the use of ankle foot orthosis improves spastic diplegia gait functions.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.33-39
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• 2016

Purpose : The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of plastic ankle foot orthosis on adult post-stroke hemiplegic patients walking ability and balance. Method : The searched for the case controlled clinical trials about the effects of plastic ankle foot orthosis(pAFO) for walking ability and balance using quantitative gait analysis in adult post-stroke patients. Ten trials were selected from Riss4U databases published until June 2016 in Korea. The selected trials contained a control group with pre-test and post-test design, measured walking ability and balance as a dependent variable. Result : The selected ten trials involved a total of 180 patients. The walking speed, cadence, the portion of double limb supporting, stride length on affected side were improved by plastic ankle foot orthosis. Conclusion : The plastic ankle foot orthosis has some evidence to improve the walking ability and balance in post-stroke hemiplegic patients.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.222-229
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• 2020

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of treadmill exercise on the posture and walking speed of chronic stroke survivors with an ankle-foot orthosis. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: Twenty-four chronic persons with chronic stroke admitted to Bobath Memorial Hospital in Seongnam city were divided into two groups by random blind method. Treadmill exercise with an elastic ankle-foot orthosis was performed in the experimental group and treadmill exercise was performed in the control group. The experiment was carried out for 6 weeks, and the experiment was carried out three times a week for 20 minutes per session. To measure the effect, static balance was measured using the MTD system before and after training, and the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) was used to measure functional balance. Results: There was a statistically significant difference between the 2 groups in the BBS measurement results for confirming the functional balance (p<0.05). Also, there was a significant difference between the 2 groups in single limb support time, step time and step length (p<0.05). Conclusions: In this study, it was found that treadmill exercise with an elastic ankle-foot orthosis in persons with chronic stroke was effective in maintaining functional balance, walking ability, step length, and step time. Therefore, it is necessary to use a flexible ankle-foot orthosis with proper treadmill exercise as a method of improving balance and walking speed of chronic stroke survivors.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.217-226
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• 2010

The lower limb orthosis with a pneumatic rubber actuator, which is intended for the assistance and the enhancement of muscular activities of lower limbs was developed in this study. Compared to other knee extension assistive devices being developed by other researchers, our device is designed especially for the elderly people and intended only for slight assistance so that the subjects can keep their muscular strength. For the effectiveness of system, muscular activities of major muscles in lower limbs during sit-to-stand (STS) and squat motion were measured and analyzed. Subjects were performed the STS and squat motion with and without lower limb orthosis. We made comparison muscular activities between with and without lower limb orthosis. Lower limb orthosis was controlled using muscular stiffness force feedback that is controlled by muscular activities of the measured muscle from force sensor. For analysis of muscular activities, electromyography of the subjects was measured during STS and squat motion, and these were measured using MP 150(BIOPAC Systems, Inc.). Muscles of interest were rectus femoris(RF), vastus lateralis(VL), vastus medialis(VM) and vastus intermedius(VI) muscles in lower limbs of the right side. A biodex dynamometer was used to measure the maximal concentric isokinetic strength of the knee extensors of wearing and not wearing orthosis on right side. The test were performed using the concentric isokinetic mode of test with the velocity set at 60°/s for muscles around the knee joints. The experimental result showed that muscular activities in lower limbs wearing orthosis using muscular stiffness force of a vastus medialis muscle was reduced and knee extension torque of an knee joint wearing lower limb orthosis was increased. With this, we confirmed the effectiveness of the developed lower limb orthosis.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.131-141
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to test the change of study variables (knowledge, efficacy, and fatigue) related to using orthosis and fear of falling in fracture patients wearing the leg orthosis after fall prevention education in terms of educational method and frequency. Methods: Participants were 87 fracture patients wearing the leg orthosis. Experimental I group (n=30) and experimental II group (n=27) received the fall prevention education once and three times respectively with leaflets. Experimental III group (n=30) received video training once. Results: The level of the subjects' knowledge was significantly increased in experimental I and II groups rather than in experimental III group. In case of experimental I and experimental II group, fear of falling was decreased when compared to experimental III group. However, there were no significant changes in efficacy and fatigue related to using orthosis among three groups. Conclusion: The fall prevention education using leaflets was more effective than video training method. Only one education with leaflets was effective enough. Therefore, it is recommended that the education with leaflets or pamphlets should be developed systematically according to the characteristics of fracture patients wearing the leg orthosis.