• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.99-104
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• 2017

PURPOSE: Gait disturbances in patients with hemiplegic stroke involve asymmetry of stance time. Step box training is used to supplement the limitations of stair walking training and increasing the torque value of the paralyzed lower leg's strength. This study aimed to investigate whether step-up training on unstable support could change walking ability in patients with chronic stroke. METHODS: Thirty stroke patients were randomly assigned to the step-up training group (experimental group), that performed training on an unstable surface, and the control group, that performed training on a stable surface. Walking speed, step length, and cadence were measured before and after training. Paired t-tests were used to compare pre- and post-intervention data, while the independent samples t-test was used to determine intergroup differences. Values of p < .05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in walking ability before versus after the intervention in both groups, although the experimental group showed greater differences than the control group (walking velocity by 8.1%; step length of the non-paralyzed side by 6.9%, respectively; p<.05). CONCLUSION: Step-up training might be more effective on an unstable surface than on a stable surface for increasing walking speed and step length of the non-paralyzed side.

• The Journal of Korean Orthopaedic Ultrasound Society
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.32-37
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• 2010

Ultrasonographic diagnosis and treatment in Orthopaedic fields had been widely used. Sonographic diagnosis and treatment of foot and ankle is convenient because of anatomical characteristics. The knowledge of the anatomy and biomechanics in foot and ankle area can help to diagnose and treat the disease around foot and ankle. 28 bone and many tendons, ligaments and muscles are consist of ankle and foot joint and the coordinative relation among these structures can allow the dual function, weight bearing and locomotion of ankle and foot during gait cycle. Foot and ankle have small room for many structures, so systemically physical examination is essential for diagnosis. Accurate understanding of foot and ankle anatomy and biomechanics could be helpful to using ultrasonograph.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.109-124
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• 2014

Objective: This study was conducted for one-hand users including hemiplegic clients currently using general folding manual wheelchairs, so as to analyze their specific problems and recommend solutions regarding usage. Background: Traditional manual wheelchairs require considerable use and control of both hands for operation, thus adaptations become necessary for individuals with asymmetrical use of hands. Method: Thirty hemiplegic clients who were admitted to rehabilitation and convalescent hospitals participated as subjects. The research tools were general folding manual wheelchairs commonly used by people with impaired gait, and the Wheelchair Skills Tests (WST) WST-M/WCU 4.1 version was adopted as the assessment tool. All participants were asked to fill out questionnaires on demographics and wheelchair usage characteristics. Assessment procedures were performed with currently used manual wheelchairs and with/without the use of foot to control the wheelchair. Results: When the participants drove folding manual wheelchairs without the use of foot, even the lowest failure rate among the WST items tested recorded 96.7%. On the contrary, with the use of foot in maneuvering the wheelchairs, failure rates dropped noticeably and success rate among the WST items tested was as high as 86.7%. Conclusion: These findings imply that the use of one-arm (hand) propellable (drivable) wheelchair can be an active and effective solution in resolving problems for hemiplegic clients using existing manual wheelchairs. As such, the government should provide institutional support to further develop and distribute this device or technology, and promote relative research in tandem. For now, the supply of commercially available device to hemiplegic clients is deemed urgent and also a mechanism to provide the devices and relevant services. Application: This study offers viable solutions for hemiplegic clients who rely on existing manual wheelchairs to increase their mobility and occupational performance.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.268-276
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• 2010

This study was to investigate the knee joint flexion angle and the foot pressure during climbing with different slope. The 24 healthy subjects were participated. And foot pressure was investigated using Parotec system. The knee joint flexion angle were filmed to using a video camera on each slope($0^{\circ},\;3^{\circ},\;6{\circ},\;9^{\circ}$). And knee joint angle was investigated by Dartfish. The data were analyzed ANOVAs. In conclusion, there was significantly different that knee joint flexion angle related on each slope angle. In foot pressure, there was significantly different in lateral heel area(1 cell), medial midfoot area(9 cell), medial forefoot area(15, 16 cell) of left foot, and in lateral heel area(3 cell) of right foot. There was significantly different of foot pressure in lateral and medial heel when knee joint flexion angle is between $10^{\circ}$ and $20^{\circ}$. There was change of gait cycle according to walking slop angle increasing, and the initial contact phase was shorter, the foot pressure in lateral heel was lower.

• Journal of Broadcast Engineering
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.734-741
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• 2020

This article proposes a new pedestrian avoidance algorithm for social robots that coexist and communicate with humans and do not induce stress caused by invasion of psychological safety distance(Social Distance). To redefine the pedestrian model, pedestrians are clustered according to the pedestrian's gait characteristics(straightness, speed) and a social distance is defined for each pedestrian cluster. After modeling pedestrians(obstacles) with the social distances, integrated navigation algorithm is completed by applying the newly defined pedestrian model to commercial obstacle avoidance and path planning algorithms. To show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm, two commercial obstacle avoidance & path planning algorithms(the Dynamic Window Approach (DWA) algorithm and the Timed Elastic Bands (TEB) algorithm) are used. Four cases were experimented in applying and non-applying the new pedestrian model, respectively. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can significantly reduce the stress index of pedestrians without loss of traveling time.

• Archives of design research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.95-105
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• 2001

The gait characteristics and shapes of human foot are changed by their diseases and habits. Especially, it is known that the size and shape of foot of the elderly(aged) differ from these of youth foot, because of muscle degeneration and wearing footwear for a long time. Therefore, to design and make last for the elder footwear, anthropometric data measured elder feet and classified their foot type will be necessary. Nevertheless, elder footwear has been designed and made by using the same last of the youth. Therefore, to design elder footwear, we measured 49 anthropometric data on foot of the 252 elderly males and females, and classified their foot shape and type according to FI(foot index) and MPA(matarars-phalanx angle) in this study. The results showed that the elderly has a tendency of slenderizing on foot compare to the youth, and elderly females have more deformed foot type than elderly males. The results can be provided as basic information to the design of elder footwear.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.25-36
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• 2002

Objectives: This study was conducted to find out risk factors related to elderly hip fracture, so that the result could provide basic data to establish prevention programs for hip fracture among the elderly. Methods: The data were collected from 199 cases hospitalized in 4 university hospitals in Pusan from January, 1996 to December, 1998, 193 healthy controls who visited elderly facilities in Pusan. The data were obtained from medical records and by using questionnaires through telephone contact or direct personal interview with the subjects or their family, and were analyzed for 2-test and multiple logistic regression. The risk factors were shown with odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals. Results: In univariate analysis, the odds ratio of hip fracture risk was estimated to be 1.9 for the elderly aged 75 years as compare with those aging less than 65 years; 42 for those with job as compared with those without job; 3.3 for those with more than 6 children as compared with those with one or two children. For the variables related to physical characteristics, small height (p=0.015), light weight (p=0.000), and low BMI (p=0.014) were risk factors for elderly hip fracture. Sane variables related to health, such as previous history of illness (OR=3.3.), abnormal blood pressure (OR=1.6), previous fracture history (OR=22), lower limbs weakness (OR=12.1) and gait disturbance (OR=42.6), were significantly associated with the risk of hip fracture. In multiple logistic regression, risk factors for hip fracture were age, having job, lower limb weakness and previous history of illness. The adjusted odds ratios of hip fracture risk among the elderly were age (OR=1.1), having jobs (OR=11.7), weak lower limb (OR=10.8) and previous history of illnesses (OR=3.3), respectively. Conclusion: This study suggests that the plan for improving the daily living environment for the elderly systematically should be implemented to avoid the chances of fall, and that programs encouraging to practice regular exercise for physical activity and to promote health of the elderly should be developed.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.209-215
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• 2003

The goal of this study was to investigate the relationship between kinematic and kinetic characteristics of foot joints resisting ground reaction force. Passive elastic joint moment and angular displacement were obtained from the experiment using 3 cameras and force plate. The relationship between joint angle and moment was mathematically modeled by using least square method. The ranges of motion of joints ranged from 5$^{\circ}$ to 7$^{\circ}$ except metatarsophalangeal joint. In the study, we presented simple mathematical models that could relate joint angle and plantar pressure. From this model, we can got the kinematic data of joints which is not available from conventional motion analysis. Furthermore, the model can be used not only for biomechanical model which simulates gait but also for clinical evaluation.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.267-277
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• 2010

Objective : Mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke like episodes (MELAS) syndrome is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder. The typical presentation of patients with MELAS syndrome includes features such as mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke like episodes. Other features, such as seizures, diabetes mellitus, hearing loss, cardiac disease, short stature, endocrinopathies, exercise intolerance, and neuropsychiatric dysfunction are clearly part of the disorder. Approximately 80% of patients with the clinical characteristics of MELAS syndrome have a genetic mutation. This progressive disorder is reported to have a high morbidity and mortality. This case report is intended to estimate clinical effects of oriental meedicinal treatment of MELAS syndrome. Methods : A 44 year old female patient diagnosed as MELSA syndrome was treated with general oriental medicinal therapy including acupuncture, moxibustion, cupping, pharmacupunture and herbal medication in 20XX in Wonkwang Medical Center Gwangju. And the changes in symptoms and signs were evaluated as time dependently. Results : Although there is currently no curable treatment and MEALS syndrome is tend to progress, our treatment showed improvement in general weakness, gait disturbance and pain in the patient. Conclusion : Our case report suggests that various oriental medicinal treatment could be effective for improvement of MELAS syndrome and may represent a new potential therapeutic approach to control the disease. It could be applied to improve general condition, prevent relapse, enhance the quality of life and reduce complaints in the patient.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.107-120
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• 2009

Background : To estimate fall incidence rate and associated factors in inpatients from a general hospital. Method : The data were collected from 104 fall incident reports developed by the patient safety committee in a general hospital in Seoul from 01 January 2007 to 31 December 2008. Information included general characteristics of patients, factors related to fall, types, places, circumstances and outcomes of fall. Result : The incidence rate of fall, which was 4.4 per 1,000 total discharged patients and 0.5 per 1,000 patient-days, was much lower than that of several hospitals in the United States. The difference may reflect the different incidence reporting system of each hospital. Fall-prone patients were, in general, $$\geq_-$$65 years of age, had an alert mental status, were ambulatory with some assistance, and were dependent on and ambulatory device. High incidence of falls was associated with patients with circulatory disease. The majority of fall events usually occurred in bed or at the bedside in the patient's room, and occurred more often during the night than during the day or evening. Risk factors of fall were use of drugs (antihypertensive or neuropsychiatric drugs) and environmental factors (e.g., overly high bed height, surrounding objects, inadequate fitness shoes and slippery floor). Physical injury occurred in 43.3% of fall events, which typically required diagnosis of injury and treatment such as suturing. Risk factors for repeated falls were use of a neuropsychiatric drug (odds ratio=13.9) and gait disturbance (odds ratio=91.2). Risk factors for fall-related injury were alert mental status (odds ratio=3.3 times more likely to fall than those who were drowsy or in a stupor) and general weakness(odds ratio=3.3 times more likely to fall than those who were not generally weak). Conclusion : Medical and nursing staff should be aware of the fall risk factors of hospitalized patients and should intensively pursue preventative strategies. Development of fall prevention education based on these results is recommended.