• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.99-108
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• 2021

The study reports the clinical case of a patient with lower extremity weakness and gait disturbance treated with Korean medicine treatments including Chuna therapy. The patient suffered lower extremity weakness and gait disturbance with diagnosis of lumbar disk herniation and spinal stenosis. As a treatment, the doctor applied Chuna therapy, herbal medicine, acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, cupping and moxa. The effect of treatment was evaluated by numeral rating scale (NRS), self-walkable distance, functional independence measure (FIM), Oswestry disability index (ODI) and manual muscle test (MMT). NRS decreased from 6 to 4 at the leg. Self-walkable distance increased from 0 m to 10 m, FIM increased 85 to 96 points while ODI decreased 64% to 54%. MMT of hip flex and knee extension improved from grade 3+, grade 3 to grade 4, respectively. Korean medicine treatment can be effective for patients who suffer lower extremity weakness and gait disturbance due to lumbar disk herniation and spinal stenosis. Further clinical studies are required to verify these findings.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Health Science
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.816-824
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• 2017

Purpose. This study was classified into normal and demented elderly through K-MMSE. The purpose of this study was to analyze gait characteristics of normal elderly and demented peoples using GAITRite walking system. Methods. The subjects of this study were selected as elderly people receiving home visit physical therapy. An independent t-test was conducted to verify the statistical significance of the time-space variables of the elderly with dementia. Results. Step time(p=0.041), cycle time(p=0.037), distance(p=0.024), and cadence(p=0.048) were significantly shorter in the normal elderly than in the demented elderly on flat place. The mean age was significantly longer in normal elderly than in elderly persons with dementia. Step time(p=0.022), cycle time(p=0.023), distance(p=0.019), and cadence(p=0.015) were significantly shorter in the mat walking. The mean age was significantly longer in normal elderly than in elderly patients with dementia. Stretch time, cycle time, distance, and hair support time were significantly shorter in the mat walking. The mean age of the elderly was significantly longer than that of the elderly with dementia. The spinal support time, which is a spatial variable, was significantly shorter in the normal elderly than in the demented elderly. Conclusions. It compares the various gait characteristics of the normal and demented elderly people, thereby increasing the walking ability of the elderly person more effectively. This study should be utilized as basic data for preventing fall-down.

• Journal of Korean Institute of Industrial Engineers
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.337-349
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• 1996

A study was conducted to find the possible relationship between slip distance and dynamic coefficient of friction (DCOF) through the biomechanical study of slips and falls using a broader variety of floors and levels of slipperiness than those used before. Four different floor surfaces covering the full range of floor slipperiness (with and without on oil contaminant) were prepared for ten subjects with each walking at a fixed velocity. The results showed that slip distance and heel velocity had a decreasing trend while stride length had a increasing trend as DCOF increased. The contaminant effect overpowered floor slipperiness effect because a higher DCOF surface with oil contaminant created longer slip distance than the lower DCOF with dry floor. Normal gait pattern and suggested heel velocity (10 to 20 cm/sec) were seen on dry floors but abnormally longer stride length and 5 to 10 times faster heel velocity were found an oily floors. In other words, faster heel velocity (greater than 10 to 20 cm/sec) is recommended to measure DCOF on oily floors because the assumption of normal gait was no longer valid.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.55-76
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• 1996

The objective of this study was to identify the immediate effects of the short leg brace on the weight bearing distribution and gait patterns of hemiplegic patients. The subjects of this study were 18 hemiplegic patients who had been hospitalized or visited out-patient department of Rehabilitation Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, from January 5, 1996 through March 23, 1996. PLS(Posterior Leaf Spring) on and off changes in gait patterns were measured using ink foot print as well as by recording weight bearing distribution using a limb load monitor. The data were analyzed by the correlation and paired t-test. The findings were as follows: 1. Eighteen subjects were more weighted on the affected leg when PLS was put off(42.74%) than on(40.08%). 2. The defference in gait patterns between PLS on and off was statistically significant, with an increase in step length by 1.7cm on the involved side; a decrease in foot angle by 4.41 degree on the involved side; and a narrowing of base of support by 1.46cm when PLS were off. In conclusion, this study showed that PLS did not affect the weight bearing distribution and gait patterns of hemiplegic patients. Since, the evaluation method used in this study has limitations in regard to temporal distance gait values. Further studies are required to numerous experiments for subject and extensive study.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2000

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of the disturbed vision on the gait distance parameters on the healthy young population. SUBJECTS. Twenty four healthy college aged individuals are randomly assigned to both a condition with a strobe light and the other condition without a strobe light. METHODS. The instrumentation used for gait analysis is the GaitRite electronic walkway system with a personal IBM computer. The examiner naked all the subjects to walk 6 times on the gait mat without the strobe light and. 6 times on the mat with the strobe light. The first 4 trials were practice and the last two trials were recorded in both conditions. The gait parameters analyzed were as follows : velocity, cadence, step length, and heel to heel base of support. RESULTS. Paired samples t-test used for this study did not found any significant differences between the two conditions because the p-values that were analyzed on the experiment were Utter than 0.05. The gait parameters that were analyzed included cadence, velocity, left and right heel to heel base of support, and left and right step length. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION. Based on this population, the condition of disturbed vision via the effect of the strobe light was not significantly challenging to compromise the body's sensory systems. However, in the elderly population, these systems can undergo age related changes. Visual changes rapidly decline in people 60 to 80 years of age and changes in the vestibular system include $20-40\%$ reduction in hair cells.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.246-254
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• 2017

Purpose: Previous studies have reported that action observation training has beneficial effects on enhancing the motor task, such as balance and gait functions. On the other hand, there have been few studies combined with action observation training and auditory feedback. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of action observation training with auditory feedback on the gait function in stroke patients with hemiparesis Methods: A total of 24 inpatients with post-stroke hemiparesis were assigned randomly to either an experimental group 1 (EG 1, n=8), experiment group 2 (EG 2, n=8), control group (CG, n=8, EG 1). The EG 2 and CG watched video clip demonstrating three functional walking tasks with auditory feedback, without auditory feedback, and showing a landscape image, respectively. The exercise program consisted of 30 minutes, five times a week, for four weeks. The participants were measured to 10MWT (10 m walk test), 6MWT (6 minutes walking distance test), TUG (timed up and go test), DGI (dynamic gait index), time and steps of F8WT (figure-of-8 walk test). Results: In the intra-group comparison after the intervention, EG 1 and EG 2 showed a significantly different gait function (10MWT, 6MWT, DGI, TUG, F8WT) (p<0.05). In the inter-group comparison after intervention, EG 1 showed significant improvements in the entire gait parameters and EG 2 only showed significant improvement in DGI and TUG compared to CG (p<0.05). Conclusion: These findings show that action observation training with auditory feedback may be used beneficially for improving the gait function of stroke patients with hemiparesis.

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.77-88
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• 2019

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to show the effectiveness of Chuna Manual Therapy applied to a osteoporosis patient with gait disturbance due to lower limb fracture surgery. Method : We focused on Chuna therapy accompanied with acupuncture, herbal medicine, moxibustion, cupping treatment and rehabilitation exercise. This case was assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Pain Free Walking Distance (PFWD), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and Modified Barthel Index (MBI). Result : This patient showed improvement on the VAS from 6 to 3, PFWD from 0 m to 2000 m using a walker and 50 m by self-walking, BBS from 2 to 28, and MBI from 56 to 89. Moreover the walking state improved from gait disturbance to self-walking. Conclusion : This study suggests that Chuna therapy could be used to improve gait disturbance in patients with osteoporosis and lower limb fracture surgery.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.176-182
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• 2016

Purpose: To investigate the effect of treadmill training applied simultaneously with gait related action observation on walking ability in chronic stroke patients. Methods: Sixteen chronic stroke patients participated in this study. Participants were randomly allocated into either the treadmill applied simultaneously with action observation training group (TAG) or treadmill applied simultaneously with landscape observation training group (TLG). The participants in both group underwent treadmill training for four weeks (a total of twelve minute, once a day, three times weekly for a four week period). All participants were measured to gait speed (10 m walking test, 10 MWT), gait endurance (6 minute walk distance, 6 MWD), dynamic gait index (DGI). In order to assure the statistical significance of the results, we used for SPSS 15.0 for windows. The Wilcoxon signed ranks test was used to compare pre-test and post-test result, and the Mann-Whitney U-test was employed for comparison between groups. Results: The 10 MWT, 6 MWD, DGI was significantly different between the TAG and the TLG group. Conclusion: According the results of this study, treadmill applied simultaneously with action observation (TAG) is effective intervention for improvement of walking ability in chronic stroke patient.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.91-99
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• 2024

Purpose: Backward walking has shown positive effects on gait recovery in rehabilitation patients. It is increasingly used as an aerobic training method in rehabilitation populations, inducing more sensory and motor stimulation than forward walking. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of visual stimulation during backward walking. Methods: Twenty-seven healthy adults with a visual acuity of 0.8 or higher participated in the study. To compare the effects of visual stimulation during various walking conditions among healthy individuals, the participants randomly selected cards numbered one to six and walked a distance of 10 meters. Walking ability was measured using Optogait. Results: Statistically significant differences were observed in speed, stride, and percentages of single support and contact phase during backward walking. Within eyes-closed conditions during backward walking, significant differences were found in percentages of single support, terminal stance, and contact phase. Moreover, the percentage of terminal swing significantly differed during backward walking with head turn conditions. Conclusion: Gait parameters such as speed, stride, and percentages of single support and contact phase were higher during backward walking than forward walking. These results indicate that backward walking involves multiple sensory systems and varying conditions.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.135-144
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• 2021

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of 2 weeks of backward walking exercise (BWE) on cervical angle and gait parameters in college students with forward head posture. Methods : Fifteen subjects participated in the experiment. All the participants had a craniovertebral angle (CVA) of 55 degrees or less. The purpose of the study was explained to all the subjects prior to participation, and volunteered to take part in the study. A camera capable of taking pictures of the lateral plane was installed at a distance of 1.5 meters from each subject. Images of forward head posture were obtained before and after performing the BWE, and the CVA and craniorotational angle (CRA) were compared pre- versus post exercise. Foot pressure and gait parameters (step length of left and right, stride length, stance of left and right, swing of left and right, step time of left and right, and stride time) were measured using a rehabilitation treadmill. The subjects performed the BWE for 2 weeks. The exercise program consisted of a 5-minute warm-up exercise, 20-minute main exercise, and 5-minute cool-down exercise. In the main exercise, the treadmill speed was set to 2.4 km/h in the first week and 3.4 km/h in the second week. A paired t test was used to compare the CVA and CRA and gait parameters before and after the exercise. Results : Comparison of the CVA and CRA before and after the BWE revealed a significant difference post exercise, with a marked improvement in forward head posture after the exercise (p<.05). Conclusion : Based on the results of this study, the BWE is considered to be an effective exercise for the forward head posture. Also, additional research is needed to shed light on the impact of the BWE on gait parameters.