• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.1-8
• /
• 2006

The main purposes of this study were to find the correlation between walking ability assessment tools using the Modified Barthel Index (MBI), Functional Independence Measure (FIM), Spinal Cord Injury Measurement II (SCIM II), Walking Index for Spinal Cord Injury (WISCI), walking velocity, and walking endurance. The study population consisted of 56 patients with spinal cord injury referred to the department of Rehabilitative Medicine in the National Rehabilitation Hospital. All subjects were ambulatory with or without an assistive device. All participants were assessed by MBI, FIM, SCIM II, WISCI, walking velocity, and walking endurance. The data were analyzed using Pearson correlation analysis and X2. There was significant correlation between the MBI, FIM, SCIM II, WISCI, walking velocity, and walking endurance (p<.01). In particular, WISCI has a significant correlation with SCIM II(p<.001). Therefore the WISCI scale is an appropriate assessment tool to predict the gait ability of patients with spinal cord injury. Further study about MBI, FIM, SCIM II, WISCI, walking velocity, and walking endurance is needed using a longitudinal study design.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
• /
• v.24 no.4
• /
• pp.99-114
• /
• 2007

Object: To analyze the effect of a media-campaign for "walking exercise participation improvement", which impacted walking-related awareness and behavior change of residents in Seoul. Method: This study used three campaign media including printing information, walking exercise indication board and a public advertisement of cable TV to lead a walking-related awareness change and practice frequency(number of days per week walking) and time(minutes per day walking) of walking exercise. To evaluate the exposure and message-recall levels of a campaign and effects of awareness change and walking practice, this study used a questionnaire survey(N=377). Result: 1) Group of exposure to campaign more participate and had the higher frequency(p=.015) and time(p=.023) in walking exercise and in comparison with group of nonexposure. 2) Group of changed awareness to campaign more participate and had the higher frequency and time in walking exercise and in comparison with group of no changed perception(p <.05). 3) Level of message recall of ${\ulcorner}$printing information${\lrcorner}$ was associated with number of days per week walking, and level of message recall of ${\ulcorner}$public advertisement of cable TV${\lrcorner}$ was associated with minutes per day walking at a statistically significant level(p <.05). Conclusion: These results suggest that media campaign can enhance the success of community-based efforts to promote awareness change and walking practice.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
• /
• v.10 no.4
• /
• pp.1873-1878
• /
• 2019

Background: Walking is a complex activity. The main components of walking include balance, coordination, and symmetrical posture. The characteristics of walking patterns of stroke patients include slow walking, measured by gait cycle and walking speed. This is an important factor that reflects post-stroke quality of life and walking ability. Objective: This study aimed to examine the effect of deep lumbar muscle stabilization exercise on the spatiotemporal walking ability of stroke patients. Design: Quasi-experial study Methods: The experiment was conducted 5 times per week for 4 weeks, with 30 minutes per session, on 10 subjects in the experimental group who performed the deep lumbar muscle stabilization exercise and 10 subjects in the control group who performed a regular exercise. Variables that represent the spatiotemporal walking ability (step length, stride length, step rate, and walking speed) were measured using GAITRrite before and after the experiment and were analyzed. Results: There was a significant difference in the pre- and post-exercise spatiotemporal walking ability between the two groups (p<.05). Furthermore, there was a significant difference in the step rate and walking speed between the two groups (p<.05). Conclusions: Deep lumbar muscle stabilization exercise is effective in improving the walking ability of stroke patients. Therefore, its application will help improve the spatiotemporal walking ability of stroke patients.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
• /
• v.7 no.2
• /
• pp.49-53
• /
• 2018

Objective: This study was performed to examine differences in the association between straight and curved walking abilities of inpatients in the subacute phase and walking independence level. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Subjects were divided into an independent group and a supervised group (n=10 each) by walking independence level within the ward decided by physical therapists. Inclusion criteria comprised the ability to ambulate independently within the ward, regardless of the use of walking aids. Straight walking abilities (walking velocity, stride length, and cadence) were evaluated using the 5-meter walk test. Curved walking abilities were evaluated using the Figure-of-8 Walk Test (F8W) and the 3-meter zigzag walk test (3ZW). Differences in associations between straight and curved walking abilities of inpatients were examined by calculating correlation coefficients between straight and curved walking abilities. Results: Age, walking velocity, stride length, F8W and 3ZW varied markedly between independent and supervised groups. In the independent group, F8W and 3ZW correlated significantly with walking velocity and cadence (p<0.05). In the supervised group, F8W correlated significantly with walking velocity and stride length (p<0.05), but 3ZW did not correlate significantly with straight walking abilities. Conclusions: The association between straight and curved walking abilities varied between inpatients who could ambulate independently and inpatients requiring supervision for ambulating. These differences may depend on skill on straight and curved walking abilities. There is a possibility that curved walking exercise is necessary for supervised group.

• Journal of Korean Association for Spatial Structures
• /
• v.5 no.1 s.15
• /
• pp.81-89
• /
• 2005

Walking loads are influenced by various parameters so that they need to be measured considering such parameters. Walking frequency(rate) is experimentally investigated as the most important parameter in determining the walking load expressed with dynamic load factor. This study focuses on the derivation of continuous walking load-time functions at any walking frequency ranging from 1.30Hz to 2.70Hz. Experiments were conducted to obtain time-histories of walking loads at the increment of 0.1Hz, which are decomposed into harmonic loads by the Fourier transformation. The polynomial load-time functions are proposed representing the relationship between harmonic coefficients and walking frequencies, thereby easily formulating walking load-time histories for dynamic load factor with various walking frequencies.

• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers P
• /
• v.56 no.4
• /
• pp.161-167
• /
• 2007

This paper introduces a dynamic walking control of biped walking robot using intelligent sensor interface and shows an intelligent control method for biped walking robot. For the dynamic walking control of biped walking robot, serious motion controllers are used. They are main controller(using INTEL80C296SA MPU), sub controller(using TMS320LF2406 DSP), sensor controller(using Atmega128 MPU) etc. The used sensors are gyro sensor, tilt sensor, infrared sensor, FSR sensor etc. For the feasibility of a dynamic walking control of biped walking robot, we use the biped walking robot which has twenty-five degrees of freedom(D.O.F.) in total. Our biped robot is composed of two legs of six D.O.F. each, two arms of five D.O.F. each, a waist of two D.O.F., a head of one D.O.F.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.159-166
• /
• 2019

Recently, the advanced development of smart devices has increased the interest in health-care, and many people are paying more attentions to disease prevention than disease treatment. Among these prevention methods, the bare body movement has received much attention, and especially walking exercise is attracting much attention because it is enjoyable without any restrictions on place and time. Walking exercise is generally divided into two types: walking on the ground and climbing the stairs. Walking up the stairs consumes much more calories compared to walking on the ground. These walking exercises have the advantage that they can be easily performed by male and female without special equipments or economic considerations. However, there is a lack of applications and systems that accurately determine such walking and stair walking and measure momentum according to stair walking. In this paper, we designed and implemented a real-time walking status analysis system using smartwatch's, pedometer, smartphone's barometer and beacons.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
• /
• v.21 no.1
• /
• pp.67-76
• /
• 2015

Purpose : The current tactile walking surface indicators have not been easily accessible to blind and vision-impaired people due to unexpected variation of walking environment and walking behavior of transportation poor. Moreover, those indicators frequently cause the inconvenience to transportation users' walking. Thus, this study aims to investigate the improvement of tactile walking surface indicators, by comparing and analyzing findings from the relevant research. Results from this study contribute to suggest the better standard criteria of tactile walking surface indicators for transportation users, especially blind and vision-impaired people, the handicapped, the child and the elderly and weak, providing the secure and convenient circumstance for walking. Method : This study presents the problems about the standard criteria of tactile walking surface indicators via the examination of finding from the past studies. For example, we examine all standard criteria, focusing on shapes, colors and qualities of materials used for Tactile Walking Surface Indicators. Then, the present study suggests the improvement of standard, which apply to the current walking environment practically and reasonably. Results : To improve the current condition of tactile walking surface indicators, the analysis on international and domestic standard criteria need to be conducted. Findings from these analyses helps to suggest the better criteria for the interval between projecting points of tactile walking surface indicators, effective perceived range of walking road, and the brightness contrast between tactile walking surface indicators and finishing materials. Implication : The suggested standard criteria of tactile walking surface indicators need to be tested by transportation users, and the practical instructions of establishing tactile walking surface indicators should also be developed.

• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.26 no.2
• /
• pp.16-23
• /
• 2019

Background: High-heeled shoes can change spinal alignment and feet movement, which leads to muscle fatigue and discomfort in lumbopelvic region, legs, and feet while walking. Objects: This study aimed to identify the effects of different shoe heel heights on the walking velocity and electromyographic (EMG) activities of the lower leg muscles during short- and long-distance walking in young females. Methods: Fifteen young females were recruited in this study. The experiments were performed with the following two different shoe heel heights: 0 cm and 7 cm. All participants underwent an electromyographic procedure to measure the activities and fatigue levels of the tibialis anterior (TA), medial gastrocnemius (MG), rectus femoris (RF), and hamstring muscles with each heel height during both short- and long-distance walking. The walking velocities were measured using the short-distance (10-m walk) and long-distance (6-min walk) walking tests. Results: Significant interaction effects were found between heel height and walking distance conditions for the EMG activities and fatigue levels of TA and MG muscles, and walking velocity (p<.05). The walking velocity and activities of the TA, MG, and RF muscles appeared to be significantly different between the 0 cm and 7 cm heel heights during both short- and long-distance walking (p<.05). Significant difference in the fatigue level of the MG muscle were found between the 0 cm and 7 cm heel heights during long-distance walking. In addition, walking velocity and the fatigue level of the MG muscle at the 7 cm heel height revealed significant differences in the comparison of short- and long-distance walking (p<.05). Conclusion: These findings indicate that higher shoe heel height leads to a decrease in the walking velocity and an increase in the activity and fatigue level of the lower leg muscles, particularly during long-distance walking.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.28 no.12
• /
• pp.1111-1121
• /
• 2019

The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of perceived walking environment around neighborhood on satisfaction for old adults in Daegu. The study was conducted using 407 questionnaires were collected through the survey. The walking environment was categorized into accessibility to neighborhood walking facilities and walking environment around path. Regarding perception of walking accessibility, access to 'public transit stops' and to 'medical facilities' was relatively high. For walking environment, 'pavement condition', 'continuity of sidewalk', and 'slope of sidewalk' were rated relatively high. Multiple regression analysis after factor analysis of walking environment variables showed that religious and convenient facilities, park and leisure facilities, and medical and welfare facilities had a significant effect on satisfaction in walking accessibility. For walking environment the convenience for walking, safety for walking, and amenities for walking had a significant effect on satisfaction. The findings from this study can be used for improving the walking environment for old adults.