• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.11 no.11
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• pp.4418-4426
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• 2010

Muscle fatigue often induces deterioration of postural balance and muscle contraction, such as strength or maximal voluntary contraction(MVC). This study was to investigate the effects of transcutaneous electrical stimulation(TENS) applied to the fatigued muscles on postural imbalance and decline in muscle strength following fatigue of triceps surae. For the 4 months from March, 2010, twenty healthy subjects without vestibular disease and visual disturbance were recruited and induced muscle fatigue of triceps surea performed by repeated voluntary contraction. TENS was applied to gastocnemius immediately after development of muscle fatigue. Postural sway length, velocity and MVC were recorded under these conditions: pre-fatigue, post-fatigue, and TENS application to fatigued muscle during post-fatigue. Muscle fatigue increased postural imbalance as expressed by sway length and velocity and decreased muscle contraction(p<.05), while TENS improved the postural imbalance and MVC following muscle fatigue during stance(p<.05). The results suggested that fatigue on plantar flexor is associated with postural balance and muscle contraction, and TENS application to fatigued muscle was effective in improving postural imbalance and decline in muscle strength following muscle fatigue. TENS will be an effective method in exercise, working environment and daily life.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.334-339
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• 2012

Purpose: This study was conducted in order to compare the ability to control postural sway during perturbation when stroke patients received postural sway induced by head rotation. Methods: This study included 15 stroke patients and 15 healthy adults. Each group was measured by 3D motion analysis for determination of the angle of the neck in static position and by balance performance monitor for estimation of swaying angle in both neutral posture and head rotation position. These results were then analyzed in order to compare the healthy control group and the stroke patients group. Results: In both static posture ($60.7{\pm}4.81$) and dynamic posture ($51.46{\pm}6.87$, $70.8{\pm}6.55$), significant decreases were observed in the angle of head rotation of the patient group, compared to the healthy group (p<0.05), and significant decreases were observed in the sway angle of the patient group when in the neutral position ($3.62{\pm}7$, $24{\pm}0.60$) and head rotation ($3.04{\pm}0.80$, $51.46{\pm}6.87$), compared to the healthy group (p<0.05). Conclusion: According to these findings, patients with stroke tend to restrict the ROM of head rotation and swaying angle in dynamic posture and maintain their posture instability using limitation of head movement relative to the trunk and sway angle of area which is larger than that of affected side in unaffected side.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.149-154
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• 1998

This study was designed 1) to quantitatively observe changes in static platform and 2) to observe balance performance using vision. Seventy-five subjects participated in the study. Subjects comprised 39 males and 36 females(mean ages=23.8 years) without neurologic and orthopaedic impairments. Static balance was measured with eyes open and closed. Subjects was required to move the cneter of balance curser in a counterclockwise for 30 sec. The effect for the COBx(-) suggests that subjects tended to maintain their weight slightly In the left. The time taken and the accuracy to move the center of balance from target to target was 14 sec, $49.47\%$. The body sway upon reaching the target was 7.3 AP sway and 11.88 LR sway distance. In this study, the data developed could be appropriate to use for sine comparisons when balance training patients with neurologic or orthopaedic impairments.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.247-254
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• 2009

We studied the postural response induced by plantar sole vibration with various frequencies(20, 60, 100Hz) and vibration zone(the anterior and posterior foot zone) of both soles during standing. Eight healthy young adults were exposed to 15s periods of plantar sole vibration while blindfolded. Body sway(COM, center of mass), the angle of neck, trunk, hip, knee, ankle and EMG of four lower limb muscles(tibialis anterior, lateral and medial gastrocnemial, soleus muscle) were recorded during 15s plantar sole vibration using 3D motion analysis system. Simulating each zone separately resulted in spatially oriented body tilts; oppositely directed backward and forward, respectively, the amplitude of which was proportional to the vibration frequency. EMG activity of lower limb muscles also varied according to the direction of the vibration zone and linearly according to the frequency. These findings led us to consider the plantar sole vibration as useful method of postural balance control and adjustment.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.169-177
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of aging and dual tasking to the postural control during quiet standing. It was hypothesized that the center of pressure (COP) dynamics would be differently affected by aging and characteristics of the task. Total 60 adults (35 young adults and 25 older adults) participated in this study. They conducted two different standing tasks (dual vs. Nondual) twice in a random order. Variability, complexity, coupling and symmetric index from the left, right and overall COPs were measured by various parameters in nonlinear, linear and frequency analyses methods. Results demonstrated that older adults had worse performance in postural control with decreased complexity in overall sway movement, and increased coupling between left and right limb COP movement, even though there was no significant difference in symmetric index. These tendencies are generally clearer in nonlinear measures at the dual task condition. Results implied that older adults had compensatory strategy in dual tasking which results in simple and combined postural movement patterns.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.1211-1214
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• 2004

High-heeled women have been identified with balance control problems. The purposes of this study were to objectively quantify the displacements and velocities of center-of-pressure (COP) of body during waist pulling and to compare the differences between barefooted and high-heeled situations. We used a waist pulling system which has three different magnitudes to sway the subjects. We found that the kinematic information of barefooted and high-heeled women's COP is very important in understanding the mechanism of postural balance control of women in every-day life. In the high-heeled's case, the displacement of COP increases in 200％ as against bare footed. Also the velocity variation of COP grows three times than the bare footed. COP analysis in postural balance study of high-heeled women is also considered useful in development of the safety systems that prevent high-heeled women from falling

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.12-19
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to investigate the possibility of virtual moving surround (VMS) on static balance in the patients with balance dysfunction. Eighty three subjects who were admitted or treated as an outpatient, or a family member, at the department of rehabilitation unit of university hospital were recruited to participate. Subjects were three groups based on their overall medical status: healthy, diabetic neuropathy and stroke. Each group was tested for static balance with a forceplate during static standing with VMS. The virtual movement was simulated with a head mounted display. The parameters for static balance were total sway path. In this study, the parameters of postural control for patients with diabetic neuropathy and stroke subjects were significantly increased in conditions elicited with the VMS. In the healthy elderly participants, the total sway path was not significantly different under virtual movement conditions. Therefore, VMS could be used in the evaluation and treatment of the patients with balance dysfunction.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.789-795
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• 2010

This study aimed to investigate the effect of differing heel height on static balance and muscle activation of ankle joint during standing. Twenty-one young females volunteered to participate in this study. To measure balance function and EMG activity of tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius muscles, the subjects were asked to perform 1-min standing with eyes open and closed state under 3 different heel heights: barefoot, 3cm, and 7cm each. During the standing, postural sway distance and area, and EMG activity of tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius muscles were significantly augmented with increasing heel height (p<0.05). For comparison between eyes open and closed in terms of postural sway area and EMG activity of tibialis anterior muscle, barefoot and 7cm height conditions respectively showed significant differences as well. The findings indicate that high-heeled shoes may have disadvantages in maintaining balance function because of extra-muscular effort of ankle joint. This study provides useful information that will inform future studies on how heel height affects muscle activity around the ankle joint in aspects of static and dynamic balance.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.1160-1165
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to calculate three dimensional angular displacements, moments and joint reaction forces of the ankle joint during the waist pulling, and to assess the ankle joint reaction forces according to different perturbation modes and different levels of perturbation magnitude. Ankle joint model was assumed 3-D ball and socket joint which is capable of three rotational movements. We used 6 cameras, force plate and waist pulling system. Two different waist pulling systems were adopted for forward sway with three magnitudes each. From motion data and ground reaction forces, we could calculate 3-D angular displacements, moments and joint reaction forces during the recovery of postural balance control. From the experiment using falling mass perturbation, joint moments were larger than those from the experiment using air cylinder pulling system with milder perturbation. However, JRF were similar nevertheless the difference in joint moment. From this finding, we could conjecture that the human body employs different strategies to protect joints by decreasing joint reaction forces, like using the joint movement of flexion or extension or compensating joint reaction force with surrounding soft tissues. Therefore, biomechanical analysis of human ankle joint presented in this study is considered useful for understanding balance control and ankle injury mechanism.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.17 no.3_4
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• pp.51-58
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine changes of postural sway between the normal group and treatment group of same people through COP movements. Methods: Fifty men with no history of sensory, neurological and orthopedic disorders were participated in this study. Participants were tested on single limb balance during 30 seconds on EMED system with bared foot. Each of them performed two methods and 5 trials totally each method: (1) non-treated group (2) treated group(with big toe flexion limitation). Data on the moving length, average velocity, instantaneous maximum velocity, mediolateral(x axis) maximum velocity, and anteroposterior(y axis) maximum velocity of COP were measured in single limb standing position. Results: The moving length and average velocity of COP were significant difference between normal and treatment group(p<0.05). On correlation of parameters, the faster average velocity of COP, the higher moving length, instantaneous maximum velocity, mediolateral maximum velocity, and anteroposterior maximum velocity of COP increase. The more Instantaneous maximum velocity of COP, the faster is anteroposterior maximum velocity of COP. Conclusions: Limitation of big toe flexors function affected single limb balance of the normal.