• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.274-279
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• 2014

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the change of static and dynamic foot pressure on trunk stabilization exercise in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy. Methods: This study examined five male children participants ages 10~14 years old with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy. All subjects participated in a 6-week sling exercise program for trunk stabilization; the exercise was performed three times per week and each session lasted 50 minutes. The subjects were measured for static and dynamic foot pressure and bilateral symmetry of both feet before and after the trunk stabilization exercise. Results: The static foot pressure increased significantly before and after the trunk stabilization exercise (left foot: before $0.41{\pm}0.02%BW/cm^2$ after $0.79{\pm}0.02%BW/cm^2$, right foot: before $0.14{\pm}0.03%BW/cm^2$, after $0.43{\pm}0.44%BW/cm^2$) (p<0.05) and bilateral symmetry of both feet increased (before $0.27{\pm}0.18%BW/cm^2$, after $0.37{\pm}0.05%BW/cm^2$) with more weight shift on left foot than right foot, but was not statistically significant (p>0.05). The dynamic foot pressure increased (left foot: before $2.58{\pm}0.44%BW/cm^2$, after $3.40{\pm}0.31%BW/cm^2$, right foot: before $2.75{\pm}0.19%BW/cm^2$, after $3.26{\pm}0.18%BW/cm^2$) with more weight shift on right foot than left foot, but was not statistically significant (p>0.05), and bilateral symmetry of both feet decreased (before $0.31{\pm}0.36%BW/cm^2$, after $0.13{\pm}0.20%BW/cm^2$) (p<0.05). Conclusion: The findings of this study indicated that the trunk stabilization exercise has a positive impact on static and dynamic foot pressure in children with spastic diplegic cerebral palsy.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.9-14
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• 2019

Background: Pes planus, or flat foot, causes lower limb malalignment and foot pain during walking or exercise. Therefore, a highly reliable evaluation method to accurately diagnose flat feet is necessary. This study investigated the intra-and inter-rater reliability of the navicular drop test in different postures. Design: Cross sectional study. Methods: Forty healthy volunteers performed the navicular drop test in three different combinations of non-weight-bearing and weight-bearing postures (standing/standing, sitting/sitting, and sitting/standing). Two examiners alternately performed the measurements five times in each subject, and in each posture. Significant differences in measurements were obtained among the three postures, with the highest navicular drop being observed in the sitting/standing posture. Results: Inter-rater reliability was high in the sitting/standing and sitting/sitting postures. Intra-rater reliability was high in all three postures. In the sitting/sitting and sitting/standing postures, large navicular drop values and high inter- and intra-rater reliability were observed. Conclusion: Therefore, the sitting/standing and sitting/sitting postures are recommended for use in navicular drop tests to diagnose flat feet.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.61-70
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• 2023

PURPOSE: This study evaluated an intrinsic foot strengthening exercise method for flat feet by comparing the effects of intrinsic exercises on a stable surface and intrinsic exercises on an unstable surface. METHODS: Twenty-four people with flat feet were divided into two groups. The control group performed short foot exercises and toe towel curl exercises on the stable support surface. The experimental group performed short foot exercises and toe towel curl exercises on an unstable support surface using Aerostep. The navicular drop test, and the static and dynamic balance were measured before and after the intervention. RESULTS: In the experimental and control groups, there was a significant difference in the navicular drop test and static balance before and after the intervention (p < .05). On the other hand, there was no significant difference between the two groups (p > .05). In the dynamic balance, the experimental group showed significant differences in all directions after the intervention (p < .05). The control group showed significant differences in the postero-lateral direction and posteromedial direction (p < .05). In particular, in the forward direction, the experimental group had a more significant change than the control group (p < .05). CONCLUSION: Intrinsic foot muscle strengthening exercises performed on unstable surfaces can be an effective clinical exercise method to improve the dynamic balance ability of people with flat feet.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2020

PURPOSE: Many patients with stroke have difficulties in walking with foot-drop. Various types of ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) have been developed, but their weight needs to be reduced with the assistance of the ankle dorsiflexor. Therefore, an elastic AFO (E-AFO) was devised that not only improves the stability and flexibility of the ankle but also assists with ankle dorsiflexion while walking. This study examined the effects of an E-AFO, on the walking patterns of foot-drop patients with stroke. METHODS: Fourteen patients walked with and without an E-AFO, and the gait parameters were assessed using the GAITRite system. The spatiotemporal data on the gait patterns of stroke patients with foot-drop were compared using paired t-tests; the level of statistical significance was set to α<.05. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed in the velocity (p=.066) and affecte+d step length (p=.980), but the affected and less-affected stance (p=.022, p=.002) and swing time (p=.012, p=.005) were significantly different. The E-AFO produced a significant difference in the less-affected step length (p=.032). CONCLUSION: The E-AFO has a significant effect on the walking patterns of individuals with foot-drop and stroke. The E-AFO could be a useful assistive device for gait training in stroke patients.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.35-42
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• 2012

The aim of the present study was to investigate effect of running speed conditions on the kinematic pattern of the metatarsus, mid-foot, calcaneus. Twenty-two healthy young adults were made to run on treadmill at three different running speeds(normal speed, 9.2; slow speed, 7.4; fast speed, 11.1km/hr.) and the trajectories of the 10 reflective markers for each subject were recorded by an eight-camera motion capture system at 200 Hz. Three-dimensional angles for the foot segment in the support phase during running were calculated according to Euler's technique. Results showed that running speed did not affect the peak of the dorsi/plantar flexion, inversion/eversion, and adduction/abduction or their range of motion for each foot segment. However, when the running speed was fast, significant differences were found in the peak of the plantar flexion, eversion, and adduction and ROM(range of motion) of the dorsi/plantar flexion, inversion/eversion, and adduction/abduction between the foot segments, metatarsus, mid-foot, and calcaneus. It was proposed that the foot segment should be analyzed from a multi-segment system point of view on the basis of anatomical reference during locomotion.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.1-10
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• 2017

Purpose : This study was aimed at investgating the effect of short foot exercise(SFE) using an imagery technique on chronic ankle instability(CAI). Methods : Twenty subjects with chronic ankle instability were selected by using the Cumberland ankle instability tool. They were randomly assigned to one of two groups(10 in each group) : namely the short foot exercise group and imagery technique group. The short foot exercise group performed short foot exercise for 6 weeks(3 times a week, 15 min per session). The imagery technique group performed short foot exercise(3 times a week, 15 min per session) and the imagery technique(3 times a week, 5 min per session) for 6 weeks. We measured chronic ankle instability, balance and threshold of vibration sensation before and after exercise by using the Cumberland ankle instability tool, Biodex Balance System and VSA-II, respectively. Results : We found statistically significant differences in cumberland ankle instability tool, balance and threshold of vibration sensation between the groups(p<.05). Conclusion : We confirmed the effect of short foot exercise using an imagery technique. Thus, we thought these results could be used as basic data and reference for musculoskeletal therapy or intervention using an imagery technique.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.401-412
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• 2015

Objective : The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of hip joint exercises and orthotics on RCSP, ankle's range of motion, and core muscle strength of middle school students with pes planus. Method : Out of the original pool of 200 students, 60 students with pes planus (RCSP < -2) were selected for the study. The selected 60 students were then divided into four groups. The first group was a combined orthotics and exercise group (12 students), the second was the orthotics-only group (9 students), the third was the exercise-only group (8 students), and the last was the control group (10 students). Exercise groups worked out twice a week for 60 minutes per session over 8 weeks. The independent variables were corrective hip joint exercises and orthotics. The dependant variables consisted of kinematic and kinetic variables. The kinematic variables were RCSP, and ankle's range of motion (dorsiflexion and plantarflexion). The kinetic variables were muscles forces that consist in core muscle strength, which are hip joint adduction, abduction, and flexion muscles forces. Statistical analysis was performed via SPSS 18.0 with multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) and a paired t-test was used. Results : The left foot was more responsive to the treatments, both exercise and orthotics, than the right foot. RCSP improved significantly in the left foot for the first and third groups. Only the first group significantly improved hip joint adduction, abduction, and flexion muscles' strengths. As for the ankle's range of motion of the left foot, plantarflexion showed improvement when treated with exercise, orthotics, or both. Conclusion : This study found that exercise is more effective in correcting RCSP and foot orthotics is more effective in reinforcing core muscle strength. Future studies should expand on these results to examine the relationship between the ankle, hip, and pelvis.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.184-192
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• 2015

Korea has already entered into an aging society. In recent decades, the health problems for seniors has received considerable interest. We often see the elderly who have been struggled from discomfort or illness of the foot. Those foot related problems mainly cause from the use of improper shoes. Recently, shoe makers sell the shoes for seniors, so called comfort shoes, but the shoes are too expensive for seniors to buy easily. In this paper, we develop cheap insoles for seniors as an alternative of the comfort shoes and suggest the systematic process for the insoles development. This systematic process is as follows: 1) Survey the literature about the market of insole, 2) Investigate the standard size of body and foot for the seniors in Korea, 3) Analyze the customer needs by survey, 4) Study the walking pattern by experiments, and 5) Develop the novel insole for the seniors to relieve the inconveniences related with foot. From the newly developed insoles, the company B gains the sales increasing effect approximately 30% over through the increase in consumer satisfaction and company reputation and secures for intellectual property rights. Using the database from Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, the reliability of developing technology of the functional insole has been obtained. The seniors are also enable to choose an alternative of comfort shoes for foot health. In the future, the insoles developed from this study have wide applications in the medical, cosmetic fields, and leisure sports fields. Accordingly, it seems to require more systematic studies utilizing Walk Analyzer and Foot Pressure Meter.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.131-138
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• 2018

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to compare the muscle activity of the proximal muscles of the lower limb according to the distance between the front and rear foot during lunge and to determine the most effective foot position for activation of the proximal muscle in the limb. METHODS: A total of 49 young adults were enrolled in this study. All subjects performed lunge by positioning the big toe of the back foot and the heel of the front foot at intervals of 40%, 60%, and 80% of the subject's own leg length. Muscle activity of the vastus medialis oblique, rectus femoris (RF), vastus lateralis oblique (VLO), gluteus medius, biceps femoris, and semitendinosus (ST) was then measured during three intervals of lunge operation. Each operation was measured three times for 10 seconds each, after which the average value was calculated and analyzed. RESULTS: There were significant differences in muscle activities of RF, VLO, and ST among the three intervals of the foot (p<.05). Post hoc, comparisons revealed lunge at 40% intervals resulted in higher RF and VLO activity than at 60% and 80% intervals (p<.05). In the semitendinosus muscle, 80% leg length intervals showed higher muscle activity than 40% (p<.05). CONCLUSION: Strengthening of the proximal muscles of the lower extremities during lunge exercise is considered to be most effective when placing the fore- and rear foot at intervals corresponding to 40% of the leg length.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.489-496
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• 2011

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of an arch support taping on navicular drop height and plantar pressure in the subjects with excessive pronated foot for 6 weeks. Methods : The fifteen subjects with the pronated foot group and the fifteen subjects with the normal foot group volunteered for this study. Both groups were applied arch support taping at 3 times a week during 6 weeks. Subjects were assessed navicular drop test to evaluate pronation of subtalar joint and plantar pressure on treadmill for pressure measuring system during walking with a bare foot state at pre- taping, after 3 weeks, and after 6 weeks. A two-way repeated analysis of variance design was used to examine the difference of navicular drop height and plantar pressure in the pronation foot group and the normal foot group. Results : The pronated foot group had significantly decreased both the navicular drop height and the plantar pressure under the medial midfoot than the normal foot group after 6 weeks(p<.01). Conclusions : This study proposed that an arch support taping can be support to lift navicular bone as well as to transfer the foot pressure from medial midfoot to lateral midfoot in individuals with excessive pronated foot.