• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
• /
• v.41 no.2
• /
• pp.16-23
• /
• 2018

Postural instability can increase the likelihood of hazardous slip and fall accidents in workplaces. The present study intended to extend understanding of the effect of abnormal neck posture on postural control during quiet standing. The effect of body fatigue on the postural control was also of primary concern. Twelve healthy undergraduate students volunteered to participate in the experiment. Standing on a force platform with the neck neutral, flexed, extended, or rotated, subjects' center of pressures (COP) were measured under the two levels of body fatigue. For the fatigue condition, Subjects exercised in a treadmill to meet the predetermined level of body fatigue. Analyzing the position coordinates of COPs, the length of postural sway path was assessed in both medio-lateral (ML) axis and anterior-posterior (AP) axis. Results showed that, in AP direction, neck extension or rotation significantly increased the sway length as compared with neck neutral. Neck extension led to greater sway length compared to neck rotation. Neck flexion did not differ from neck neutral. The sway length in the AP direction also became significantly larger as the body fatigue accumulated after treadmill exercise. In ML direction, as compared to neutral posture, the neck extension, flexion, or rotation did not significantly affect the length of postural sway path. However, the sway length seemed to increase marginally with the neck extended during the fatigued condition. This study demonstrates that abnormal neck posture may interfere with postural control during standing. The ability to maintain postural stability decreases significantly with the neck extended or rotated. Body fatigue leads to postural instability further.

• PNF and Movement
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.481-486
• /
• 2019

Purpose: This study examined the effect of calf muscle fatigue on postural sway according to foot posture (a pes cavus, a normal foot, and a pes planus). Methods: The subjects of this study were 12, 11, and 9 students of U University with a pes cavus, a normal foot, and a pes planus, respectively, according to a Navicular Drop Test. Postural sway was measured with a balance instrument (BioRescue, RM Ingenierie, France) while the subjects stood static on two legs as well as during one-leg standing using the dominant leg in two conditions (with the eyes open and with the eyes closed for 30 seconds). Muscle fatigue was then induced in the calf muscle of the dominant leg, and both muscle fatigue and postural sway were measured using an EMG. To compare the degree of postural sway between the three groups after muscle fatigue was induced, the change values were calculated. The results were analyzed using a Kruskal-Wallis test, and a post-hoc test was conducted using the Bonferroni correction. Results: Significant inter-group differences were detected for postural sway during two-leg standing with the eyes closed and during one-leg standing with the eyes open and with the eyes closed (p<0.05). The post-hoc test showed significant differences between the pes cavus and normal foot groups and between the pes planus and normal foot groups for all three variables (p<0.05). However, no significant difference was detected between the pes cavus and pes planus groups (p>0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study show that the pes cavus and pes planus cause more fatigue and postural sway than a normal foot. Therefore, attention should be paid to changes in balance caused by muscle fatigue.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
• /
• v.33 no.4
• /
• pp.38-44
• /
• 2010

We investigated the effects of trunk twist on postural stability during manually handling flat ties. Ten male subjects participated in this study. While handling 5kgf and 10kgf bundles of flat ties respectively, their centers of pressure (COPs) were measured under two levels of body position (twisted and fixed), two levels of direction (left and right), and three levels of object position ($30^{\circ}$, $45^{\circ}$, and $60^{\circ}$). Subjects' postural stability was quantified by calculating the sway length. Results showed that the effect of different object position was significant on postural sway length in subject's medio-lateral axis. Post-hoc multiple comparions revealed that, under the 5kgf load condition, the sway length was increased significantly as the object position increased to $45^{\circ}$. Under the 10kgf load condition, however, the sway length was increased significantly at the object position of $60^{\circ}$. Actual or potential applications of this research include guidelines for the design of working posture evaluation techniques.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.56-62
• /
• 2022

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of ankle joint immobilization on postural balance during quiet standing. Design: Cross-sectional study Methods: Twenty-seven healthy subject participated in this study. The subjects performed to stand quietly for 30s in eyes open on the platform with three different conditions. The sway length, sway area and sway velocity of center of gravity (COG) displacement and limit of stability (LOS) was measured using the balance platform. Repeated measured ANOVA was used to compare the postural balance parameters depending on three different ankle immobilized conditions. Results: Sway length, sway area and sway velocity of the COG displacement with bilateral ankle immobilized condition was significantly increased compared to those of the other two conditions(p<0.05). All directions of LOS with bilateral ankle immobilized condition were significantly decreased compared to those of the other two conditions. Conclusion: These findings suggest that ankle joint immobilization could be one of the factors that interfere the maintaining of the postural balance in quiet standing.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.146-152
• /
• 2008

This study was aimed to understand the effects of perturbed floor surface on human postural stability while standing. Ten subjects were asked to stand quietly on the surface with two angles of inclination ($0^{\circ}$ and $5^{\circ}$), two contamination conditions (dry and oil-contaminated), and three commercial floor materials (ceramic tile, coated wood, and vinyl tile). During each trial, a force plate with data acquisition systems was used to collect subject's center of pressure (COP) position. Measured COPs were then converted into the length of postural sway path in both subject's anterior-posterior (AP) and medio-lateral (ML) axis. Results showed that the length of sway path in ML axis was significantly affected by the angle of inclination and the type of floor material. The sway length was increased significantly at the inclination angle of $5^{\circ}$ and on the vinyl tile, respectively. The contamination condition, however, did not significantly affect the postural sway length in both AP and ML axis. The results imply that a proper treatment of floor surface and material is critical to preserving postural balance while standing.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.53-67
• /
• 1996

Since Romberg's test in 1953, the analysis of postural sway during upright stance has been widely used as a tool for evaluating balance and disorders of the postural control system. This review describes the methods that have been used to evaluste the static and dynamic performance of the postural control system. Various identification methods of postural control system based on standing balance are discussed and measures of postural sway are described. The application areas of standign balance research, with an emphasis on postural control evaluations, are also briefly described. This review can be used to gain an understanding of the dynamics of human standing balance.

• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.20-30
• /
• 2010

This study examined whether any changes by mental task types on postural control in chronic stroke persons. Sixteen chronic stroke persons (mean age=53.75 yr) and sixteen age-and gender-matched healthy controls (mean age=54.44 yr) took part in this study. Participants randomly performed three different tasks on the stable and unstable surfaces. The no mental task was to stand while holding a 100 g weight in each hand, the arithmetic task (mental task) was to perform a silent 1-backwards counting while standing and holding a 100 g weight in each hand, and the simple task (mental task) was to stand and hold with both hands a tray (200 g) on which a glass filled with water has been placed. Sway path and sway velocity of the center of pressure (COP) were measured to assess standing postural control by task performance using the force platform. According to the results, in stroke group, total sway path and total sway velocity of COP was significantly decreased during arithmetic and simple task compared to no mental task on the stable surface (p<.05), and sway path (anteroposterior AP, mediolateral ML) of COP, total and sway velocity (AP, ML, total) of COP was significantly decreased during arithmetic and simple task compared to no mental task on the unstable surface (p<.05). Especially, sway path (AP, total) of COP and sway velocity (AP, ML, total) of COP was significantly decreased under the simple task when compared to the arithmetic task on the unstable surface (p<.05). In healthy control group, sway path (AP, ML, total) of COP and sway velocity (AP, ML, total) of COP was significantly decreased during arithmetic and simple task compared to no mental task on the stable and unstable surface (p<.05), and sway path (AP, total) of COP and sway velocity (AP, ML, total) of COP was significantly decreased under the simple task when compared to the arithmetic task on the unstable surface (p<.05). In conclusion, the findings of this study showed that arithmetic and simple task improved standing postural control for chronic stroke patients and the type of arithmetic and simple tasks were critical factor that reduced standing postural sway in dual-task conditions. Future research should determine whether dual-task conditions, including simple task, would be effective as a training program for standing postural control of stroke patients.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.157-166
• /
• 1997

Postural balancing in human is known to be maintained by the complex mechanism coupled with cerebellum, equilibrium organ of ear, proprioception and other various organs. We developed a Computerized Balance Evaluation and Training system(COBET system) to evaluate postural control and to rehabilitate geriatrics and disabled patient. In addition, 55 normal adult were tested to investigate the influencing factors on balancing posture. For the analysis of static postural sway, areas of the moving center of pressure were calculated under 8 different positions of subjects. And subjects were also asked to follow the visual targets on monitor for the evaluation of the dynamic postural sway. In comparison of the first and the second sets of tests, there was test-retest reliability($\textit{p}$< 0.05). The controllability of the static pmtwn sway was decreased as the ages of subjects increase. When the ages of subject are over 60, the controllability was significantly decrease4 The dynamic postural sway was significantly greater in the age groups of 7th and 8th decade than the younger groups. It is concluded that COBET system is a reliable system in the evaluation of postural sway. The COBET system is considered to be a valuable training modality for the disabled patients as well as the elderly.

• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.124-130
• /
• 2022

Background: During postural control, older adults are more dependent on proprioception than are young adults. Ankle proprioception, which plays an important role in maintaining postural balance, decreases with age. Published studies are insufficient to establish a significant age difference in postural sway resulting from the known age-related decrease in ankle proprioception and do not examine various detailed test conditions. Objects: The present study aimed to compare ankle proprioception between older and younger groups along dimensions of position vs. force proprioception and dorsiflexion vs. plantarflexion. The present study also aimed to compare postural sway between young and older women during quiet standing under two sensory conditions. Methods: We recruited seven young women aged 21-24 and seven older women aged 60-63. Ankle proprioception was assessed as the accuracy of the joint position sense (JPS) and the force sense (FS). Postural sway was assessed using center-of-pressure measurements recorded during quiet standing under two sensory positions: eyes open and eyes closed with head tilted back. Results: Older women had lower JPS in dorsiflexion and lower FS in plantarflexion than did younger women. We found no significant age differences in JPS in plantarflexion or in FS in dorsiflexion. We observed a main effect of group on postural sway in two sway parameters out of three. We observed significant differences in JPS with dorsiflexion, and in FS with plantarflexion. Conclusion: Proprioception for ankle plantar flexor decreased more significantly with aging than did that for ankle dorsiflexor, accounting for the impaired postural balance observed in older women.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
• /
• v.7 no.4
• /
• pp.164-171
• /
• 2018

Objective: The purpose of this research was to determine the immediate effects of wearing a foot-pressure-based insole (FPBI) on ankle dorsiflexion range of motion (DFROM), postural sway, and muscle activation in healthy individuals with genu varum. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: This study was conducted on thirteen adults, with six male and seven females subjects. The mean age was 24.08 years. Foot pressure was measured to apply the FPBI and the weight bearing lunge test was performed with the application of a flat insole (FI) and FPBI. Examination was randomly performed in four conditions to measure both postural sway and muscle activation. All participants applied both the FI and FPBI with four conditions. The four conditions were as follows: 1) Romberg test posture with eyes closed, 2) Romberg test posture with eyes opened, 3) dominant single leg standing with eyes opened, and 4) non-dominant single leg standing with eyes opened. Results: For ankle DFROM between the FI and FPBI, a significant increase was observed in both the dominant and non-dominant leg (p<0.05). For postural sway between the FI and FPBI in the Romberg test posture with eyes closed and dominant single leg standing with eyes opened conditions, a significant decrease was observed (p<0.05). However, the postural sway between FI and FPBI in the Romberg test posture with eyes opened and non-dominant single leg standing with eyes opened, no significant decrease was observed. Also, there were no significant effects on muscle activation between the application of the FI and FPBI. Conclusions: The result showed that FPBI immediately improved ankle DFROM and postural sway. It seems that FPBI may improve genu varum in healthy individuals with genu varum.