• 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.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.387-395
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• 2013

PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of the training using Pedalo equipment on balance function in post-stroke patients. METHODS: The present study was case-series. Ten post-stroke patients participated in the study. Participants performed the training using Pedalo equipment. The training using four Pedalo equipment lasted 30 minutes, 3 times a week for 6 weeks. Force platform, Berg Balance Scale(BBS), and Timed Up and Go(TUG) test were used to assess balance ability before and after training. RESULTS: After training using Pedalo equipment, there were significantly improved on path length and sway velocity of post-stroke patients in the both of eye open and - close conditions comparing with baseline. Also, on the BBS and TUG, there were significant improvements after training. CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that the training using Pedalo equipment may be effective on improving the balance ability in the post-stroke patients. Through this study, we were able to confirm the potential of training using Pedalo equipment as an intervention in the rehabilitation of post-stroke patients.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.185-194
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to prove the effects of the PNF patterns combined with whole-body vibration (PWBV) training on muscle strength, balance, walking speed, and endurance in stroke patients. Methods: Sixteen subjects were randomly assigned to the PWBV group (n=8) and the whole-body vibration (WBV) group (n=8). The PWBV group performed PNF pattern exercises using sprinter combined with WBV, while the WBV group performed using squatting for 30 minutes. Both groups performed therapeutic interventions five days per week over a period of four weeks. The manual muscle test, timed up and go test (TUG), 10-meter walk test (10MWT), and six-minute walk test (6MWT) were used to assess the muscle strength, balance, and gait of the participants. The SPSS Ver. 19.0 statistical program was used for data processing. Statistical analysis included a pared t-test to compare the pre- and post-intervention, and an independent t-test was used to compare groups. The significance level was set as 0.05. Results: The PWBV group and WBV group showed significant improvements in the TUG, 10MWT, and 6MWT (P<0.05). Significant differences between the PWBV and WBV groups were found (P<0.05). Conclusion: The PWBV improved muscle strength, balance, gait speed, and endurance in stroke patients. Thus, PWBV may be suggested as a therapeutic intervention in patients with stroke hemiplegia.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.446-452
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• 2012

This study aims to examine the effects of taping of the ankle joint on the static and dynamic balance and gait ability of stroke patients. Twenty-six stroke patients receiving physical therapy at a hospital located in Gyeonggi-do were divided equally into a group that had taping in physical therapy and an ordinary physical therapy group. They exercised for 30 minutes each, 3 times per week for 8 weeks from June to August 2011. Romberg's eye open and eye closed tests, limits of stability(LOS), forward and back test, timed up and go test(TUG) and 10-meter gait velocity test were performed to evaluate static balance, dynamic balance, and gait ability, respectively, prior to and 8 weeks after the intervention. Differences within each group in relation to the lapse of time were compared by a paired t-test. Differences between the two groups were compared by an independent t-test. Regarding comparison of differences within each group, all tests resulted in significant changes in both groups after the intervention (p<.05). Comparison of differences between the two groups showed that taping in the physical therapy group had significantly better test results than the ordinary physical therapy group in all measured items(p<.05). The after effects of ankle taping on stroke patients are more efficient and effective than ordinary physical therapy alone in improving balance and gait ability.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.413-418
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• 2015

Purpose: This study was performed to examine the effect of action observation training on sit to-walk times in chronic stroke patients. Methods: Twelve stroke patients were randomly allocated to two groups, as follows: an action observation training (AOT) group and a scenery picture observation (SPO) group. The AOT group was engaged in video observation for 2 minutes 30 seconds with 12 ADL functional activities related to the sit-to-walk task: physical training was carried out in two repetitions lasting 2 minutes 30 seconds. The landscape imagery control group observed landscape picture for 2 minutes 30 seconds and then carried out the same physical training. The intervention involved a total of 12 sessions over 4 weeks, and each session lasted 30 minutes. The pre and post-tests measured the timed up and go test (TUG), Sit to stand test (STS), and Dynamic gait index (DGI). The Wilcoxon signed ranks test was used to compare pre-test and post-test result, and the Mann-Whitney U test was employed for comparison between groups. Results: The TUG time was significantly different between the AOT group and the SPO group. According to the findings, the experimental group's TUG was significantly decreased (p<0.05). In comparison of the two groups, there was no significant in STS or DGI between the AOT group and SPO group. Conclusion: This study showed that the intervention can be used to decrease TUG time. Our research suggests that action observation training has a positive effect on sit-to-walk times in patients with chronic stroke.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.37-46
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• 2020

Background: The present study aimed to investigate the immediate effects of Soft Tissue Mobilization (STM) before Mobilization with Movement (MWM) on ankle ROM, pennation angle, balance in stroke patients. Methods: A total of 22 subjects were randomly assigned to one of two groups: the experimental group and the control group. The experimental group received intervention STM before MWM. STM was applied for one minute, MWM was applied one set of six times, in a total 3 sets. The passive ankle joint range of motion (ROM) was measured using a goniometer, the pennation angle was measured using RUSI, and the balance was measured using Timed Up & Go Test. Results: The ROM of the ankle dorsi-flexion, muscle tissue (pennation angle) and balance were significantly increased. Conclusion: In this study, it was confirmed that the ankle dorsi-flexion ROM, pennation angle of the medial gastrocnemius muscle, and balance were significantly improved in the group where STM was performed before the MWM intervention. Therefore, the physiotherapists should consider these results in their intervention. If MWM is applied to stroke patients, applying STM first is a better intervention.

• Proceedings of the Korea Contents Association Conference
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• 2012.05a
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• pp.181-182
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• 2012

본 연구는 뇌졸중으로 인한 성인 편마비 환자의 계단 높이에 따른 보행 훈련을 통하여 균형과 근활성도 변화를 분석하는데 목적이 있다. 뇌졸중으로 진단받은 편마비 환자 30명을 대상으로 5cm, 10cm, 15cm 높이의 계단 보행 훈련군으로 나누어 계단 보행 훈련을 실시하였으며, 임상적 균형능력 측정도구인 Berg Balance Scale(BBS), Timed up and go(TUG), Functional Reach Test(FRT)와 근활성도를 측정하였다. 연구결과 균형변화에서는 세 군간 계단 보행 훈련 전과 후의 균형 변화량이 통계학적으로 유의한 차이가 나타나지 않았으나(p>.05), 10cm 높이 계단 보행 훈련군에서 가장 큰 변화량을 보였다. 근활성도변화에서는 계단 오르기시 10cm 높이 계단 보행 훈련군에서 넙다리곧은근, 넙다리두갈래근, 장딴지근, 15cm 높이 계단 보행 훈련군에서 모든 근육들이 통계학적으로 유의한 차이를 보였으며(p<.05), 계단 내리기시 근활성도 변화에서는 5cm 높이계단 보행 훈련군에서 앞정강근와 장딴지근, 10cm 높이 계단 보행 훈련군에서 모든 근육들이, 15cm 높이 계단 보행 훈련군에서 넙다리두갈래근, 앞정강근, 장딴지근이 통계학으로 유의한 차이를 나타내었다(p<.05). 따라서, 높이에 따른 계단 보행 훈련은 편마비 환자의 임상적 균형 능력과 근활성도를 변화시키는데 영향을 줄 수 있으며, 특히 10cm 높이 계단 보행 훈련군에서는 다른 높이의 계단 보행 훈련군에서 보다 약간 상대적인 증가를 보였다.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.9-16
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• 2015

Purpose: This study aimed to examined the effects of upper and lower limb coordinated exercise of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) on static and dynamic balance ability. Methods: The subjects of this study were 18 patients who had been diagnosed with a stroke and hospitalized and who had received rehabilitation treatment at D rehabilitation hospital located in J city. They were randomly and equally assigned to a PNF upper and lower limb coordinated exercise group and an ordinary central nervous system development and treatment group, and they conducted exercises for eight weeks. They carried out exercise three times per week, for 30 minutes per each time. After each four minutes of exercise, each participant was given a and rest for one minute after exercise for four minutes was given. In order to test the subjects' static and dynamic balance ability and their dynamic balance ability, frailty and injuries,: a cooperative studyies of intervention techniques (FICSIT-4) test, a four- step square test (FSST), a timed up and go test (TUG), and a TWT3M tests wasere conducted before and after the exercise. Descriptive statistics were taken for the general characteristics of the subjects, and an independent t-test was conducted both before and after the exercise in order to examine differences between the two groups before and after the exercise were conducted. The A statistical significance level was set at p= 0.05. Results: In all the tests (of FICSIT-4, FSST, TUG, and TWT3M), both the experimental group and the control group saw more improved results, but the experimental group's results were significantly higher than those of the control group, and the size of the effects was larger in the experimental group than in the control group, with statistically significant results. Conclusion: PNF upper and lower limb coordinated exercise applied to chronic stroke patients produced brought significant results in static and dynamic balance ability. PNF and is considered as an important intervention program to improve stroke patients' balance ability.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.71-76
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• 2016

Purpose: This study was conducted to assess the effects of robot-assisted gait training with visual feedback on gait, balance, and balance confidence in patients with chronic stroke. Methods: Thirty subjects with chronic stroke were randomly assigned to two groups: the experimental group (n=15) and the control group (n=15). The experimental group performed robot-assisted gait training for 30 minutes and the control group performed gait training with assisted devices training for 30 minutes after both groups performed conventional physical therapy for 30 minutes. Both groups performed the therapeutic interventions for 5 days per week, for a period of 4 weeks. For assessment of the 10 m walking test (10 MWT), Figure of 8 on the walk test (F8WT), Timed-Up and Go test (TUG), and Berg Balance Scale (BBS) were used to test the gait and balance, and the Korean version of the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale was used to test the balance confidence. Results: The experimental group showed significant improvement in the 10 MWT and the K-ABC (p<0.05), and the control group showed significant improvement in the BBS and the TUG (p<0.05). In four measurements, there were significant differences between the two groups (p<0.05), and the control group showed significant improvement in the F8WT at pre and post intervention (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that Robot-assisted gait training with visual feedback is an effective intervention for improving straight gait abilities and balance confidence, while the control group showed some improvement in curve gait and balance. Thus, we suggest both Robot-assisted gait training with visual feedback and gait training with assisted devices training exercise as a therapeutic intervention in chronic stroke rehabilitation.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.253-261
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• 2012

Purpose: In this study, the following experiment was conducted to see how to apply the sprinter pattern in proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) and functional weight bearing exercise affected balance capabilities and weight bearing among chronic stroke patients. Methods: The subjects included 27 subjects who had been diagnosed with hemiplegia due to stroke. A total of 12 sessions was held, 3 sessions a week over 4 weeks, were provided to the groups. The control group received general rehabilitation program, and the experimental group performed sprinter pattern in PNF or functional weight bearing exercise. The weight bearing capability and static balance capability test was implemented by using Good-Balance System and Frailty and Injuries Cooperative Studies of Intervention Techniques, while the dynamic balance capability test was carried out by using Four Square Step Test and Timed "Up and Go". Results: The paretic/nonparetic side weight bearing by application of each exercise showed that there were no significant differences in variation among each groups on before exercise, after exercise, 2 weeks after exercise. Static balance test by application of each exercise showed that there were significant differences after exercise and 2 weeks after exercise. Dynamic balance test by application of each exercise showed that there were significant differences after exercise and 2 weeks after exercise. Conclusion: To put the results together, the application of sprinter pattern and functional weight bearing exercise was effective in improving static and dynamic balance capabilities. Therefore, these exercises are helpful to improve balance in patients with stroke.