• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.7-19
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• 2006

Falls are a major sources of death and injury in elderly people. Aged-related changes in the physiological systems which contribute to the maintenance of balance are well documented in older adults. These changes coupled with age-related changes in muscle and bone are likely to contribute to an increased risk of falls in this population. Regular exercise may be one way of preventing falls and fall-related fractures. However, the optimal exercise prescription to prevent falls has not yet been defined. On the literature review of exercise intervention for fall prevention in the elderly, exercise appeared to be a useful tool in fall prevention by improving fall risk factors. The optimum exercise prescription; moderate intensity frequency of 3-4 times per week, duration of 30-60minutes can contribute to decreased hazards and number of fall. Fall prevention protocol should include safety, falling effect, enjoyment, and easiness to follow for older people. Effective exercise programs suggested for fall prevention were such as weight-bearing exercise, resistance exercise, lower muscle strength with elastic band, swiss ball exercise walking, tai chi, and yoga.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.275-287
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• 2018

Purpose: This study examined the trends of socio-demographic and health factors affecting the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Korean elderly. Methods: Data were obtained from the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES V-1, 2007, KNHANES V-1, 2010, KNHANES V-2, 2014). The sample consisted of 3,668 Korean individuals aged 65 years and older. The data were analyzed using a t-test, Chi-square test and multiple linear regression using the SPSS/WIN 20.0 program. Results: The HRQoL is improving consistently and the affecting factors on the HRQoL were the education level, activity limitation, subjective health and walking days per week in the three data of 2007, 2010, and 2014. Conclusion: A health care program focusing on improving activity limitation and physical activity should be considered for the improvement of HRQoL for the elderly in the community.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.676-685
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• 2003

Purpose: To investigate the abilities to act and fear of falling in home-dwelling elderly. Methods: This study interviewed 351 home-dwelling elders residing in Seoul and Gyonggi-do using a Survey of Activities and Fear of Falling in the Elderly. Results: Of the 351 subjects, 203(57.8%) had activity restrictions. The main three activities that the subjects could not perform were going out when it is slippy, reaching something overhead and walking crowded places outside. According to general characteristics, performable activities were significantly fewer in subjects perceiving that their health status was low that those perceiving that their health status was high. On a scale of 3 points for fear of falling, the average score of the subjects was 1.46. The highest score of fear of falling was 2.62 for the activity of going out when it is slippery, next 1.87 for the activity of reaching something overhead. There was a significant inverse relationship between subjects' abilities to act and fear of falling. Conclusions: The significant variables associated with fear of falling were gender(female), educational background, economic status (low-income), and experience of falls during the last one year. Thus further study is necessary, focused on the vulnerable population in order to prevent falls and to reduce fear of falling.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.41-48
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• 2009

Purpose: The examine the Reliability and Validity of the modified Emory Functional Ambulation Profile (mEFAP), Tinetti. Gait (TG), Timed Up & Go Tes t (TUG), Comfortable Gait Speed (CGS), Berg Balance Scale (BBS) in assessing gait function and balance in elderly person. Methods: The 45 community-dwelling subjects were participated in this study. Reliability was determined by intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC$_{3,1}$), Bland and Altman method (Standard Error of Measurement (SEM), Smallest Real Difference (SRD)). Results: Validity was examined by correlation the mEFAP, TG, TUG, CGS, BBS. The intra-rater reliability were High (ICC$_{3,1}$ : mEFAP=0.95, TG=0.96, TUG=0.94, CGS=0.96, BBS=0.92) and Absolute reliability were excellent (SEM: mEFAP=1.90, TG=0.21, TUG=0.28 CGS=0.25, BBS=0.52), (SRD: mEFAP=5.26, TG=0.58, TUG=0.77, CGS=0.69, BBS=1.44). There were significant correlations between assessment tool (r=.0.58$\sim$0.78, p<0.01) indicating good validity. Our results provide strong evidence that the assessment tool has good reliability, validity for assessing elderly person undergoing rehabilitation. Conclusion: The gait assessment tool is a useful scale for measuring walking function and recovery in elderly person.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.259-267
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• 2014

The purpose of this study was to find the relationship between standing posture biomechanics and physical fitness in the elderly. Physical fitness variables and postural variables for 227 (140 women and 87 men) elderly individuals were tested. Physical fitness tests (Korean Institute of Sports Science, 2012) included 3m sit, walk, and return, grip test, 30 second chair sit and stand, sit and reach, figure 8 walks, and 2 minute stationary march. Postural biomechanics variables included resting calcaneal stance position (RCSP), shoulder slope, pelvic slope, knee flexion angle, leg length difference, thoracic angle, and upper body slope. In statistical analysis, multiple regression was conducted by using stepwise selection method via SAS (version 9.2). Analysis for both men and women revealed significant relationships between physical fitness and age, upper body slope, knee flexion angle, leg length difference. Pelvic and thoracic angle were only related to figure 8 walking and sit and reach in women, while RCSP and shoulder slope had no relationship with any physical fitness variables.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.79-90
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• 2015

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate related factors contributing to subjective health state in elderly people with focus on comparison of gender differences. Method : From the database of the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(KNHNES) the year 2012 and 2013, the researchers selected 2,924 old adults aged over 65. Data were analyzed with SPSS 18.0 program. Result : Results indicated that education, occupation, restriction of activity, stress, drinking status were significant variables of subjective health state both men and women. But, age, DM, MI, arthritis, smoking status were significant variables of subjective health state of men. And insurance, suicide, HTN, walking exercise were significant variables of subjective health state of women. Conclusion : The development of health and quality of life for elderly people considers different approaches to the genders.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.9-19
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• 2010

Recently, Korea is constantly increasing its elderly care hospitals, and requires establishment of general evacuation plan considering old people's behavioral characteristics and physical states in emergency situations such as fire, and etc. In addition, because most of the facility users are patients under serious dementia and stroke, they feel difficulty evacuating by themselves, with differing evacuation time according to each walking status (bed, wheel chair, and various supplementary instruments), which is why it makes it difficult to have them all evacuate. This paper, in order to suggest data reference for designing on the basis of functionality, used various collected data utilizing Simulex to measure evacuation time through the model of elderly care hospital, a medical facility. During the study, several problems were found.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.472-481
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• 2006

Purpose: Hypertension tends to increase after the age of 65. Proper hypertension management requires physical activities such as habitual activities and exercise. However. it is reported that many elders do not have regular physical activities. This study was to identify physical activity patterns and blood pressure according to physical activity in the elderly with hypertension. Methods: This study assessed physical activity frequency, amount, type during the latest one week, and blood pressure and BMI. The subjects were 53 elders aged over 65 years. Collected data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, $x^2-test$, and logistic regression analysis using SPSS 12.0. Results: It was found that most of the subjects had not been participating in regular physical activities. The most frequent physical activity patterns were walking and home activity at a low or moderate intensity. The elderly who met the normal hypertension and pre-hypertension criteria involved significantly more regular physical activities. Conclusion: This study suggested that regular participation in physical activities should be recommended for elders in order to optimize the state of their blood pressure.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.157-165
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of recreation combined exercise program on body composition, physical fitness and depression in elderly women in rural district over a three-month follow-up period. Methods: Recreation combined exercise program (RCEP) was composed of resistance exercise, walking and recreation activity twice a week. The subjects were 52 divided in to experimental group (n=28) and control group (n=24). Arm curl, chair stand, 2 min step test, back scratch, chair sit and reach were measured as pre- or post-test data. Also, Depression was expressed using geriatric depression scale as pre- or post-test data. $X^2$ test, paired t-test and t-test were performed using SAS program. Results: Arm curl (p=.023), 2 minute step test (p<.001), back scratch (p=.004) and chair sit and reach (p=.024) showed the significant difference in the comparison between groups. Depression showed the significant difference in the comparison between groups (p=.008). Conclusion: These findings indicated the RCEP has positive influence upon increasing the physical fitness and improving the depression level. In conclusion, the regular RCEP will contribute to the improving physical and psychologic aspect in elderly women over the long period.

• 한국체육학회지인문사회과학편
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.345-356
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• 2018

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the local stability of the lower extremity joints and muscle activation patterns of the lower extremity during walking between falling and non-falling group in the elderly women. Method: Forty women, heel strikers, were recruited for this study. Twenty subjects (age:72.55±5.42yrs; height:154.40±4.26cm; mass:57.40±6.21kg; preference walking speed:0.52±0.17m/s; fall frequency=1.70±1.26 times) had a history falls(fall group) within two years and Twenty subjects (71.90±2..90yrs; height:155.28±4.73cm; mass:56.70±5.241kg; preference walking speed: 0.56±0.13m/s) had no history falls(non-fall group). While they were walking on a instrumented treadmill at their preference speed for a long while, kinematic and EMG signals were obtained using 3-D motion capture and wireless EMG electrodes, respectively. Local stability of the ankle and knee joint were calculated using Lyapunov Exponent (LyE) and muscles activation and their co-contraction index were also quantified. Hypotheses were tested using one-way ANOVA and Mann-Whitey. Spearman rank was also used to determine the correlation coefficients between variables. Level of significance was set at p<.05. Results: Local stability in the knee joint adduction-abduction was significantly greater in fall group than non-fall group(p<.05). Activation of anterior tibials that acts on the foot segment dorsal flexion was greater in non-fall group than fall group(p<.05). CI between gastrocnemius and anterior tibials was found to be significantly different between two groups(p<.05). In addition, there was significant correlation between CI of the leg and LyE of the ankle joint flexion-extention in the fall group(p<.05). Conclusion: In conclusion, muscles that act on the knee joint abduction-adduction as well as gastrocnemius and anterior tibials that act on the ankle joint flexion-extention need to be strengthened to prevent from potential fall during walking.