• PNF and Movement
• /
• v.16 no.3
• /
• pp.433-439
• /
• 2018

Purpose: Visual information is one of the most important factors for postural balance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of visual deprivation on the lower extremities and trunk muscle activity on an unstable surface during quiet standing. Methods: Fifteen healthy males from a university population participated in this study. Surface electromyography of the rectus abdominis, the erector spinalis, the vastus femoris oblique, the semitendinosis, the tibialis anterior, and the medial gastrocnemius was measured using EMG equipment (Telemyo 2400, Noraxon, USA). The participants were asked to maintain postural balance on an unstable surface (Balance pad, Airex, USA) for 30 seconds with eyes open and with eyes closed during quiet standing. The Wilcoxon test was used to compare the muscle activity of the lower extremities and the trunk between open and closed eyes on an unstable surface. Results: The muscle activity of the trunk and the lower extremities was increased more with eyes closed than with eyes open on the unstable surface during quiet standing. Conclusion: The findings from this study suggest that visual information could alter lower extremity and trunk muscle activity. Therefore, visual deprivation can be used as a method to improve postural balance.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
• /
• v.28 no.1
• /
• pp.29-38
• /
• 2022

Background: Task-oriented training on an unstable support surface is an effective intervention for improving the ankle joint stability and muscle strength in patients with ankle instability. This study examined the effects of balance training on an unstable support surface in patients with ankle sprains with ankle instability. Methods: Forty-four patients with ankle sprains participated in this study. Screening tests were performed and assigned to an experimental group, who performed task-oriented training on an unstable support surface (n=22), and a control group, who performed task-oriented training on a support surface (n=22) using a randomization program. All interventions were applied 3 times per week for 4 weeks. The numeric rating scale (NRS), cumberland ankle instability tool (CAIT), balance ability, muscle activity, and muscle thickness were compared to evaluate the effects of the intervention. Results: Both groups showed significant differences in the NRS, CAIT, balance ability, and muscle activity between before and after the intervention (p<.05). In addition, there were significant differences in balance ability, muscle activity, and muscle thickness between the experimental and control groups (p<.05). Conclusion: Task-oriented training on an unstable support surface is an effective intervention for improving the balance ability, muscle activity, and muscle thickness during contraction.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
• /
• v.7 no.3
• /
• pp.251-258
• /
• 2012

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to provide an efficient and basis for muscle activity of Quadriceps muscles and balance in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction patients through unstable surface exercise and stable surface exercise. Methods : This study included 30 anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction patients belonging to A hospital and D orthopedic surgery clinic of province who attended the program for 30 minutes at a time and three times a week for 4 weeks. Of these 15 attended the unstable surface exercise program and 15 the stable surface exercise program. To increase muscle activity (%MVIC) and balance (WPL), the unstable surface exercise. Results : The %MVIC of lower extrmity muscle(RF, VL, VM) increased from before training to after training in the case of the participants who performed the unstable surface exercise, and the whole path length (WPL) decreased from before the training to after the training(p<.05). Conclusion : In conclusion, unstable surface exercise program helps to improve the balancing ability and musle activity in a anterior cruciate ligament recunstruction patients who requires both muscle activity and balance than stable surface exercise program.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.113-121
• /
• 2002

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of home exercise program on the improvement of balance in the elderly. Subjects were twenty members living in Daegu (10 males, 10 females), between 65 and 81 years of age. The subjects for the experimental group were participated in the home exercise program for 8 weeks, between April 2001 and June 2001. The results of this study were as follows: After the exercise program, balance ability by CTSIB in the experiment group improved with no statistical significance. On the other hand, balance ability by OLST was significantly improved in the condition with open eyes than dosed eyes. Balance ability by OLSTR was improved 37.2% (p<0.001) on the hard surface with open eyes and improved 41.1% (p<0.01) on the soft surface with open eyes. Balance ability by OLSTL improved 37.1% (p<0.001) on the hard surface with open eyes and improved 72.5% (p<0.001) on the soft surface with open eyes. Balance ability by BBT also improved 1.7% (p<0.05).

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
• /
• v.12 no.1
• /
• pp.62-71
• /
• 2023

Objective: Stroke patients need the training to adjust their posture and maintain balance is necessary to restore movement function, and unstable support training is one of the appropriate training. In this study, a systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to find out the effects of unstable surface training on balance and gait in stroke patients. Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis Methods: After creating a search expression referring to MeSH and EMTREE, the literature from 1976 to February 2022 was searched in the databases of PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library CENTRAL. A total of 331 studies were searched from three databases, and 11 studies were finally selected according to the inclusion criteria. Unstable surface training included studies using balance trainer, Whole-body vibration, and sand surfaces. Results: The results were found to be d=2.28 (p=0.02) and the effect size was 0.36 (95% CI: 0.05, 0.67) on the Berg Balance Scale. In the Kinesthetic Ability Trainer static balance, d=2.59 (p=0.01) and the effect size was 1.01 (95% CI: 0.24, 1.78). Timed Up and Go test showed that d=2.18 (p=0.03) and the effect size was 0.38 (95% CI: 0.04, 0.72). At the gait speed, d=0.99 (p=0.32) and the effect size was 0.15 (95% CI: -0.15, 0.45). In the 6-minute walk test, d=0.14 (p=0.89) and the effect size was 0.04 (95% CI: -0.47, 0.55). Conclusions: In this study was found that training was effective in balance if it became unstable in standing posture. Therefore, unstable surface training can be used to improve the balance of stroke patients in clinical practice.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.30 no.6
• /
• pp.211-217
• /
• 2018

Purpose: This study is to investigate influence of tDCS on lower limb muscle activity and balance ability in soccer player. Methods: Sessions were conducted with 15 subjects in tDCS group and 15 in action observation training group for 20 minutes, 5 sessions a week, for 8 weeks. All soccer players underwent 30 minutes of plyometric training before main exercise. To evaluate lower limb muscle activation, rectus femoris and biceps femoris were taken measure using surface electromyogram system and to evaluate balance ability, surface area, whole path length, limited of stability were measured using biorescue. Results: Regarding balance shown in surface area, whole path length, limited of stability and muscle activation in rectus femoris and biceps femoris, tDCS group showed more significant change than action bservation training group. Conclusion: Therefore, intervention using tDCS is more effective in improving lower limb muscle activation and balance ability than action observation training.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.34 no.5
• /
• pp.242-247
• /
• 2022

Purpose: This study investigates the effect of 60° semi-squat exercises according to three different types of support surfaces. The effects were examined on joint position sense and balancing ability using stable and unstable surfaces in patients afflicted with post-stroke hemiplegia. Methods: Subjects were instructed to perform three sets of 60° semi-squat exercises according to the characteristics of the support surface conditions. The three ground states were bilateral stable surface (BSS), nonaffected side unstable surface (NUS), and bilateral unstable surface (BUS). The joint position sense, characteristics of body sway, and dynamic balance were analyzed according to floor conditions before and after the experiment. A balance-pad (50 cm W×41 cm L×6 cm H; Alcan Airex AG, Sins, Switzerland) was used for the unstable floor. Results: The 60° semi-squat exercises applied to hemiplegic patients showed the highest statistical significance in joint position sense in the NUS group, and Timed Up and Go test (TUG) in the BUS group (p<0.05). Conclusion: Functional training using an unstable surface can be applied as a meaningful intervention method for improving the balance and joint position sense of stroke patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.45-52
• /
• 2016

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of balance training on balance pad and sand on balance and gait ability in stroke patients. METHODS: Sixty stroke patients were divided into a Balance Pad group(BPG, N = 20), a Sand group (SG, N = 20) and a Hard Ground group (HGG, N = 20) randomly. The subjects in the Hard Ground group stood in a comfortable position, faced a therapist, then threw a Swiss ball back and forth. They then performed balance training in which they raised and lowered their ankles while facing forward or moved objects from one table to another. The BPG performed same tasks in HGG, on an unstable surface using a balance pad. The SG performed same tasks on sand ground. All groups received training 30min per day, five times per week, for eight weeks. RESULTS: After intervention, all groups showed significant increases balance and gait components. And the BPG and the SG showed significant increase in weight distribution rate, Sway length and BBS compared with the HGG, but there was no significant difference in Cadence, Stride length among three groups. CONCLUSION: According to the results of this study, balance training on unstable surface using balance pad and sand was more effective in improving balance in stroke patients.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
• /
• 2018.05a
• /
• pp.580-583
• /
• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of ankle balance training on unstable and stable surfaces to discover on which surface the proprioception, balance and muscle strength of obese middle aged women improves more. Method: 30 obese middle-aged women were randomly recruited and divided into two groups (training on an unstable surface, training on a stable surface). The subjects in each group participated in the training for six weeks, three times per week for 30 minutes each session. Proprioception was measured using Dualer IQ digital inclinometer; sway length (SL) and sway area (SA) of center of pressure, and limit of stability (LOS) were measured for balance; muscle strength before and after the training was measured using manual muscle testing. Results: There were significant improvements in the subscales of the proprioception, balance and muscle strength in those who participated in ankle balance training on the unstable surface, and in those who participated on the stable surface. Therefore, the training of participants on unstable and stable surfaces did not identify which ankle balance training technique was more effective. Conclusion: Unstable and stable surface ankle balance training are both effective in improving the proprioception, balance and muscle strength of obese middle-aged woman.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
• /
• v.7 no.4
• /
• pp.172-178
• /
• 2018

Objective: The purpose of this study was to show the temporary effects of performing jumping lunges on a sand surface on static balance and dynamic balance. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: Twenty healthy subjects volunteered in the study and was randomly assigned into either the sand group (n=10) or the control group (n=10). The subjects in the sand group performed jumping lunges on a sand surface and the subjects in the control group performed jumping lunges on a firm surface. The intervention was performed for 3 sets of 8 repetitions by both groups. To measure static balance, the force plate was employed to measure the center of pressure (CoP) area, and the CoP velocity during one-legged standing. Anterior, postero-medial, postero-lateral movements was assessed using the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) to measure dynamic balance. Results: After the intervention, the sand group showed statistically significant improvements on all variables (CoP area, CoP velocity) in static balance (p<0.05). There were statistically significant changes in CoP area and CoP velocities between the two groups (p<0.05). In the sand group, there were significant improvements in the postero-medial and postero-lateral directions (p<0.05) except for anterior direction on dynamic balance. In the control group, there was a significant improvement in the postero-lateral and anterior directions (p<0.05). In comparison of the two groups, there was no statistically significant improvement in all variables. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that performing jumping lunges on a sand surface was effective in improving static and dynamic balance temporarily.