• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.94-102
• /
• 2015

Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of treadmill gait training with patellar taping on gait abilities in chronic stroke patients. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: Thirty chronic stroke patients who have been diagnosed at least six months or before were recruited in Gyeongin Rehabilitation Center Hospital, located in Incheon. Patients who were enrolled in this study were randomized to experimental group (n=15) or control group (n=15). Treadmill with patella taping training group patients were applied with patellar taping when they were being trained on a treadmill. Control group patients were being trained on a treadmill without any kind of taping. Gait parameters were measured with a GAITRite$^{(R)}$ system which evaluated gait performances. Gait trainings were done for 30 min/day, 5 days/week, for 4 weeks. Results: After treadmill training, treadmill with patella taping training group showed a significant improvement in gait abilities, including velocity, cadence, paretic and non-paretic step length, and double support period (p<0.05). However, in general treadmill group, there were no significant differences in gait parameters except velocity and cadence. There was a significant difference in gait performance in the experimental group compared with the control group, except for the gait symmetry ratio (p<0.05). Conclusions: According to this result of this study, it seems that application of patellar taping in treadmill gait training for chronic stroke patients significantly improved gait abilities of these patients. Also, we can conclude that patella taping is thought to be useful in real clinical settings where there are many chronic patients who are in need of improvement in their gait abilities.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.1-6
• /
• 2020

Purpose: This study examined the effects of action observational training to improve the gait function for patients with stroke. Methods: The participants were divided into two groups: right hemiplegia group (n=12) and left hemiplegia group (n=12). All groups received conventional therapy for five sessions for 30 minutes, each for three weeks. Left and right hemiplegia group practiced additional action observational training for five sessions for 20 minutes each for three weeks. They participated in three weeks of action observational training coupled with immediate physical practice (intervention), followed by a final assessment. The duration of each action observation video sequence was 10 minutes, followed immediately by practice of the observed motor skill (10 minutes). The gait velocity, cadence, swing time, step length, and BOS (base of support) were examined using the GAITRite system. Results: The results of this study showed significant improvement in the gait function. The outcomes of the gait abilities from gait velocity, cadence, swing time, step length of the affected side, and BOS (base of support) were improved significantly in the right hemiplegia group (p<0.05). In the left hemiplegia group, there was no significant improvement in the gait velocity, cadence, and BOS except for the swing time and step length of the affected side. The left and right group comparisons between the groups were not significant (p<0.05). Conclusion: Action observation training improves the gait function. These results suggest that action observational training is feasible and suitable for stroke patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
• /
• v.7 no.4
• /
• pp.471-480
• /
• 2012

PURPOSE: The object of the present study is to investigate the effects of the insole supporting medial longitudinal arch while walking in spastic cerebral palsy with pes planus. METHODS: Ten spastic bilateral cerebral palsy children with pes planus participated in this study. The insole were custom-made for the individual child. Muscle activity was measured by surface EMGs attached on tibialis anterior (TA), gastrocnemius (GA), vastus medialis oblique (VMO), biceps femoris long head (BF). temporal-spatial parameters such as velocity, step length, stride length, stance time, toe angle were collected while the subjects walked on the GAITRite system. RESULTS: The results of the present study were summarized as follows: 1. Muscle activities in mean EMGs while walking: Left VMO, Right TA, Left BF and GA revealed significant reductions after applying insole. 2. Muscle activities in peak EMGs while walking: Left TA and BF demonstrated reductions significantly after applying insole. 3. There were improvements in temporal-spatial gait parameters with insole: velocity, both step length, Right stride length and Right toe angle were increased(p<.05). CONCLUSION: Therefore the current study demonstrated that insole supporting the medial longitudinal arch would be effective on gait of the spastic cerebral palsy with pes planus.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.89-98
• /
• 2018

PURPOSE: While underwater, patients with hemiplegia experience unwanted limb flotation on their paretic side due to low muscle mass and high body fat. However, only a limited number of studies support the effectiveness of this practice. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine how the balance and walking abilities of patients with hemiplegia due to stroke were affected by wearing an aquatic cuff on their ankles during underwater treadmill walking. METHODS: Twenty stroke patients were divided into an experimental group comprised of 20 patients who would wear an aquatic cuff and a control group comprised of 10 patients without an aquatic cuff. Both groups underwent a six-week intervention for 30 minutes a day three times a week. To evaluate the groups' balance and walking abilities before and after the intervention, the 10 m walking test, timed up go test, Berg Balance Scale, functional reaching test, and the GAITRite system were used. RESULTS: The results of the 10 m walking test, timed up go test, differences between the left and right gait cycles, and functional reaching test showed statistically significant differences in the rates of change between the two groups (p<.05). CONCLUSION: The study results suggest that underwater treadmill training in stroke patients can be more effective when they wear an aquatic cuff on their ankles compared to wearing no aquatic cuff.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.59-66
• /
• 2017

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of postural control training on balance and walking ability in chronic stroke patients. METHODS: Eighteen chronic stroke patients were allocated equally and randomly to an experimental group (n=9) or a control group (n=9). All participants received 60 minutes of comprehensive rehabilitation treatment, the experimental group additionally received a postural control training for 30 minutes, while the control group additionally performed a treadmill training for 30 minutes. These 30-minute training sessions were held five times per week for three weeks. Balance was assessed using Berg balance scale (BBS) and walking ability (gait speed, cadence, step length, and double limb support) was assessed using the GAITRite system. RESULTS: Improvement on all outcome measures was identified from pre-to-post intervention for both groups (p<.05). Post-intervention, there was a significant between-group difference on measured outcomes (p<.05). The experimental group exhibited greater improvement in the gait speed (p=.01; 95% CI .08-.16), cadence (p=.04; 95% CI .34-4.79), step length (p=.02; 95% CI 1.50-5.17), double limb support period (p=.04; 95% CI -2.18 to -.14), and BBS (p=.01; 95% CI 1.04-6.74) compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest that postural control training may be beneficial for improving balance and walking ability of patients with chronic stroke.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.75-82
• /
• 2017

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of arm training in standing position on balance and walking ability in chronic stroke patients. METHODS: Sixteen chronic stroke patients were allocated equally and randomly to an experimental group (n=8) or a control group (n=8). All participants received 60 minutes of comprehensive rehabilitation treatment, the experimental group additionally received an arm training in standing position for 30 minutes, while the control group additionally performed a treadmill training for 30 minutes. These 30-minute training sessions were held three times per week for six weeks. Upper extremity function was assessed using Fugle-Meyer motor assessment function upper extremity (FMA-UE), balance was assessed using Berg balance scale (BBS), and walking ability (gait speed, cadence, step length, and double limb support period) was assessed using the GAITRite system. RESULTS: Improvement on all outcome measures was identified from pre-to-post intervention for both groups (p<.05). Post-intervention, there was a significant between-group difference on BBS, gait speed, cadence, step length, and double limp support period (p<.05). The experimental group exhibited greater improvement in the BBS (p=.01; z=-2.48), gait speed (p=.01; z=-3.26), cadence (p=.02; z=-2.31), step length (p=.01; z=-3.36), and double limb support period (p=.03; z=-2.84) compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study suggest that arm training in standing position may be beneficial for improving balance and walking ability of patients with chronic stroke.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.21-27
• /
• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to examine, in stroke patients, differences between backward walking training applied on a treadmill and the same training applied on the ground. Methods: Twenty seven stroke patients were divided into a treadmill backward walking group of 14 patients and a ground backward walking group of 13 subjects. Each group performed their respective training method for 8 weeks (15 min per day, 4 days a week). Walking ability was measured using a 10 m MWS (Maximal Walking Speed) test and the GAITRite system to examine changes in walking. Cadence, stridelength, step time, step length and symmetry index of the less affected side were measured to examine changes in stance phase of the lower extremity of the more affected side. Results: 10 m MWS, cadence, stride length, step time and step length of the less affected side significantly increased and symmetry index significantly decreased after training in both groups. The treadmill backward walking group experienced a significantly greater increase in step time and step length and a significantly greater decrease in symmetry index than the ground backward walking group. Conclusion: The two walking training methods were effective for improving stability in stance phase of the lower extremity of the more affected side, but the treadmill method was more effective. The present study is meaningful in that it analyzed the effects of backward walking training methods on walking and the differences of the training methods to provide information necessary for effective treatment of stroke patients.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.227-238
• /
• 2011

Objectives : This study was to investigate the effects on using Virtual reality exercise program($Wii-Fit^{TM}$) for dynamic balance and walking ability in patients with stroke. Methods : The 22 subjects were randomly selected from the patients of the S hospital who met the study conditions. They were divided into a $Wii-Fit^{TM}$ balance game group of 12 patients and a conventional physical therapy group of 10 patients. The $Wii-Fit^{TM}$ balance game group received $Wii-Fit^{TM}$ balance game group general physiotherapy for 5 days a weeks, 30 minutes a day, for a 4 weeks and the conventional physical therapy group received general physiotherapy for the same period. The subjects were measured and compared for Brunel balance assessment, functional gait assessment, 6 minute walk test, GAITRite system before and after the program. Results : The experimental group tend to improve more than control group in shifting the weight to the affected side(p=0.040) and tap test(p<0.001). The experimental group tend to improve more than control group in FGA(p=0.016). The experimental group improved significantly more than control group in 6MWT(p=0.008). The experimental group improved significantly more than control group in gait speed, cadence, stride length. Conclusions : Virtual Reality program($Wii-Fit^{TM}$) with conventional physical therapy shows the benefits on dynamic balance and gait parameters in patients with stroke.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
• /
• v.7 no.1
• /
• pp.23-28
• /
• 2018

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of wearing various types of shoes on gait ability in stroke survivors and in order to gain information in regards to shoes that could possibly replace ankle orthosis. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Eight hemiplegic survivors diagnosed with stroke participated in the study. Gait was analyzed using the GAITRite Electronic Walkway (CIR System Inc., USA) when subjects walked with no showed, walked with non-ankle-covered shoes, and walked with ankle-covered shoes. This study collected gait variables, including velocity, cadence, step length, stride length, single support time, and double support time, respectively. Results: In the comparison of walking with no shoes, non-ankle-covered shoes, and ankle-covered shoes, there were significant differences in gait velocity, step length, stride length, and the less affected side single support time (p<0.05). However, there were no significant differences in cadence, affected side single support time, and double support time. Conclusions: Ankle-covered shoes had a positive impact on the gait of stroke survivors. However, it is necessary to conduct more studies comparing various types of shoes with ankle orthoses.

• PNF and Movement
• /
• v.17 no.1
• /
• pp.47-56
• /
• 2019

Purpose: This study investigated the effects of neck pattern of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) on balance and walking ability in patients with chronic stroke. Methods: Fourteen participants with chronic stroke were randomly assigned to vestibular rehabilitation and then divided into two groups: the neck pattern group or treadmill group. Each group underwent 20 sessions (20 minutes/day, five days/week, for four weeks). Patients were assessed with the Berg balance scale (BBS) and gait parameters (gait speed, cadence, step length, and double-limb support period) using a GAITRite system. Results: Vestibular rehabilitation for the neck pattern group and the treadmill group showed significant intragroup improvement on the BBS and in terms of gait speed, cadence, step length, and double-limb support period (p < 0.05). Vestibular rehabilitation was more effective for the neck pattern group than for the treadmill group in terms of the BBS (p = 0.00; 95% CI, 1.49-5.94), gait speed (p = 0.01; 95% CI, 0.05-0.16), cadence (p = 0.02; 95% CI, 0.54-4.99), and step length (p = 0.00, 95% CI, 1.55-4.62). Conclusion: This study used the neck pattern of PNF for vestibular rehabilitation in patients with chronic stroke. The results showed significant improvement in the patients' balance and walking ability. Therefore, the neck pattern of PNF for vestibular stimulation may be more effective than treadmill training to improve balance and walking ability in patients with chronic stroke.