• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.34 no.4
• /
• pp.168-174
• /
• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the correlation between balance control ability and leg circumference, proprioception, range of motion (ROM), and muscle strength in young adults. Methods: The subjects of this study were 30 university students who were enrolled in D university in Gyeongbuk province. We measured the dynamic balance and static balance using the Biorescue. The muscular strengths of the hip, knee, and ankle joints were measured using a muscle contraction dynamometer. The ROM and proprioception were measured using an inclinometer. Pearson correlation analysis was used to test the correlations between balance control ability and variables. Results: Sway length was significantly correlated with knee and hip joint muscle strength, ROM, and proprioception of hip and ankle joints (p<0.05). Sway speed was significantly correlated with ROM and proprioception in hip joints (p<0.05). Limit of stability was significantly correlated with muscle strength and ROM in ankle joints, and proprioception in hip, knee, and ankle joints (p<0.05). Conclusion: The sway length was most related to hip extension and ankle joint plantar flexion in the range of motion and ankle joint plantar flexion in proprioception. Overall, balance training for young adults will be of effective help if the treatment focuses on the knee and hip joints, range of motion and the ankle and hip joints' proprioception.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.89-98
• /
• 2013

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the aquatic exercise program on lower muscle strength, balance and gait activity on 12 weeks aquatic exercise program in the elderly women. Methods : The Subjects in this study were 20 aged 70s who were long-term residents admitted to elderly nursing home of S, Gyeongsangnam province. They performed aquatic exercise programs 60-minute sessions, 3 times a week for 12 weeks. The physical evaluation was used for measuring lower muscle strength, balance activity was used for measuring balance testing, and gait activity was used for measuring gait velocity and maximal step length evaluation. All data were analyzed by paired t-Test by SPSS(version18.0). P-values of <.05 were considered significant. Results : Lower extremity muscle strength, static dynamic balance and gait activity were significantly increased both in the exercise group and between groups. Conclusion : This study suggests that aquatic exercise program has an effect on lower extremity muscle strength, balance and gait activity of the elderly women. Therefore, it is considered as a safe and helpful self-support activity for the elderly people.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
• /
• v.10 no.11
• /
• pp.217-223
• /
• 2019

The relationship between balance and ankle muscle characteristics (strength and flexibility) may be important to identify those at an increased risk of falling and to develop fall-prevention training programs. The association between ankle muscle characteristics (strength and flexibility) and balance has not previously been studied. The purpose of this study assessed the relationship between ankle muscle characteristics and balance. Sixteen healthy participants volunteered to participate in the study. Dynamic balance measured using Y-balance kit. Ankle muscle characteristics (strength and flexibility) measured using hand-held dynamometer and goniometry. The results indicated a positive correlation between ankle invertor muscle strength and Y-balance test performance. Clinicians should consider ankle muscle strength during therapeutic interventions to improve dynamic balance.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
• /
• v.6 no.3
• /
• pp.59-71
• /
• 2018

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of ankle balance training on unstable and stable surfaces to discover on which surface the proprioception, balance and muscle strength of obese middle aged women improves more. Method : Thirty obese middle-aged women were randomly recruited and divided into two groups (training on an unstable surface, training on a stable surface). The subjects in each group participated in the training for six weeks, three times per week for 30 minutes each session. Proprioception was measured using Dualer IQ digital inclinometer; sway length (SL) and sway area (SA) of center of pressure, and limit of stability (LOS) were measured for balance; muscle strength before and after the training was measured using manual muscle testing. Results : There were significant improvements in the subscales of the proprioception, balance and muscle strength in those who participated in ankle balance training on the unstable surface, and in those who participated on the stable surface. However, before and after the intervention, there were no differences between those who had the balance traning on the unstable surface and those who had the balance traning on the stable surface. Conclusion : Unstable and stable surface ankle balance training are both effective in improving the proprioception, balance and muscle strength of obese middle-aged woman.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
• /
• v.24 no.1
• /
• pp.85-93
• /
• 2014

The purpose of this study was to investigate a relationship among Taekwondo, soccer and gymnastic athletes their balance ability and lower extremity muscle strength, muscle endurance and also whether these variables show differences by sports type. For this purpose, 10 Taekwondo athletes, 10 soccer athletes and 10 gymnastic athletes that is a high school in I area were selected and their balance ability, isokinetic muscle strength and muscle endurance were measured by using force platform (AMTI) and isokinetic measurement (HUMAC NORM). Then the following results were obtained by conducting pearson product-moment correlation analysis and one-way ANOVA. In case of both right and left foot one-leg standing with open-eyes, there was a relation between both knee extension maximal muscle strength of Taekwondo, soccer, gymnastic athletes and balance ability, and in case of right foot one-leg standing with open-eyes, there was a relation between that is right plantar flexion and dorsi flexion maximum muscle strength and muscle endurance of Taekwondo, soccer, gymnastic athletes and their balance ability. Furthermore, in case of left dorsi flexion maximum muscle strength, there were significant differences in order of Taekwondo, gymnastics and soccer, and for isokinetic plantar flexion maximum muscle endurance, both right and left showed significant differences in order of Taekwondo, gymnastic and soccer.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.355-364
• /
• 2023

Objective: The aim of this study is to test the effects of elastic band exercise accompanied by Swiss ball exercise on lower limb muscle strength, balance and pain in middle-aged women with osteoarthritis. Design: A randomized controlled trial. Methods: Thirty-five participants were randomly assigned to the experimental group (n=18), which performed elastic band exercise combined with Swiss ball exercise, and the control group (n=17), which performed elastic band exercise only. Both groups did a 30-minute session of exercise three times a week for eight weeks and were assessed for lower extremity muscle strength, static and dynamic balance, and pain levels before the first therapy session. All participating patients underwent outcome assessment after eight weeks of therapy without any additional treatment. Results: The experimental group made a significant increase in muscle strength of the lower extremities, static and dynamic balance ability, and pain level (p<0.05). The control group made a significant improvement in lower limb muscle strength, dynamic balance ability and pain level (p<0.05) with no such improvement in static balance ability. The exercise group made a significant increase in static and dynamic balance ability and pain level compared to the control group (p<0.05). Conclusions: These results demonstrated that both Swiss ball exercise and elastic band exercise were effective for middle-aged women with osteoarthritis and found that elastic band exercise combined with Swiss ball exercise produced more significant effects on their balance and pain.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.451-457
• /
• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of thera band exercise on muscle flexibility, balance ability, muscle strength and self-rated health in elderly women. Methods: The quasi-experimental research design (one-group pretest-post test) was employed. Participants were recruited in S-city and a total of 14 elderly women completed 15-week thera band exercise. Descriptive statistics, paired t-test and McNemar-test were used in data analysis by SPSS/WIN 12.0. Results: Compared with those before participation, the participants showed higher muscle flexibility, balance ability, and muscle strength after participation in thera band exercise. Conclusion: Findings of this study indicated that the 15-week thera band exercise program had a favorable effect on muscle flexibility, balance ability and muscle strength of elderly women. Future research needs to develop combined exercise programs with other types of exercise for the health of elderly women.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.30-38
• /
• 2009

Purpose: This randomized study was done to compare the effects of a 6 month Tai Chi exercise and a self-help program on balance, flexibility and muscle strength in women with osteoarthritis (OA). Method: In this experimental study, 82 women with OA recruited from outpatient clinics or community health centers were randomly assigned either to a Tai Chi group or a self-help group. Thirty women (mean age = 62 years) in the Tai Chi group and 39 (mean age = 59 years) in the self-help group completed posttest measures (balance, flexibility, oxygen consumption, abdominal muscle strength, back muscle strength, and grip strength) at 6 months. Results: After the 6 month, Tai Chi participants had significantly greater balance (mean difference = 2.9 vs. 0.9 for the self-help), grip strength (mean difference = 4.6 vs. 0.9 for the self-help), and back muscle strength (mean difference = 4.1 vs. -0.3 for the self-help). However, flexibility, oxygen consumption, and abdominal muscle strength were not significantly different between the groups. Conclusion: Tai Chi increased balance, grip strength and back muscle strength in older women with osteoarthritis compared to the self-help program. Whether these changes improve physical functioning and fall prevention requires further study.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.163-167
• /
• 2020

Purpose: Unilateral strength training effects on contralateral sides have been demonstrated in previous studies for lower extremity exercise, upper extremity exercise, and unilateral surface electrical stimulation. This study was performed to investigate the effects of unilateral ankle training on muscle strength and the balance of contralateral lower extremity in healthy adults. Methods: Thirty healthy subjects were randomized equally to a training or a control group. Those in the training group received unilateral ankle isokinetic strengthening training of the dominant leg (right side) for 4 weeks. Contralateral single-limb balance, including Anterio-Posterior Stability Index (APSI), Medio-Lateral Stability Index (MLSI) and Overall Stability Index (OSI), was assessed before and after intervention. Results: Comparison of pre- and post-test data revealed significant improvements in ipsi- and contralateral ankle strengths, and significant improvement in contralateral single limb balance. Conclusion: These results have practical implications because they demonstrate that unilateral ankle isokinetic exercise improves ankle muscle strength and balance ability of contralateral lower extremity.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
• /
• v.34 no.4
• /
• pp.212-217
• /
• 2013

Falling is one of the major public problems to the elderly, resulting in limitations of daily living activities. It can be induced by the functional loss of the balance ability and muscle strength in the elderly. It has been, however, not well investigated to suggest an effective methodology improving the balance ability and muscle strength for the prevention of the falling due to lack of information about the characteristics of the balance and muscle activations responded to the dynamic motions. The aim of the current study is, therefore, to identify the characteristics of the balance and muscle activations responded to the dynamic motions in Anterior-Posterior(AP) and Medial Lateral(ML) directions. For that, a motion capture system with eight infrared cameras, surface electromyogram system and Wii Fit system with a customized variable unstable base were used and kinematic and kinetic data obtained from the systems were analyzed for five healthy male($24.8{\pm}3.3years$, $177.4{\pm}2.0cm$, $73.9{\pm}12.9kg$, $23.5{\pm}4.0kg/m$). The results showed that the characteristics of the balance and muscle activations were differently responded to between the dynamic motions in Anterior-Posterior(AP) and Medial Lateral(ML) directions. These findings may indicate that customized dynamic motions should be applied to the training of the balance ability and muscle strength for the effective prevention of the falling. This study may be meaningful to providing basic information to establish a guideline improving effectively the balance ability and muscle strength.