• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.39-47
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• 2020

Postural stability can reduce the likelihood of critical slip and fall accidents in workplaces. The present study aimed to analyze the effect of shoes type on the ability of postural control during quiet standing. The effect of workload on the body balance was also of primary concern. Thirteen healthy male undergraduate students participated voluntarily in the experimental study. Standing on a force plate with wearing slippers, sports shoes, or safety shoes, two-axis coordinate on subjects' center of pressures (COP) was obtained in the two levels, rest and workload. For the workload level, subjects performed treadmill exercise to reach the predetermined level of physical workload. By converting the position coordinates of COPs, the postural sway length in both anterior-posterior (AP) axis and medio-lateral (ML) axis was assessed. ANOVA results showed that, in AP direction, wearing slippers significantly increased the postural sway length compared to wearing sports shoes or safety shoes. No significant difference in the mean sway length in AP axis was observed between sports shoes and safety shoes. In ML direction, both the workload and the shoes type did not significantly affect the mean length of postural sway. However, the postural sway length increased marginally with the slippers especially during the workload condition. This study explains wearing slippers may interfere with the ability of postural control during quiet standing. Physical workload decreases the ability of postural stability further.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.126-132
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• 2020

Background: Augmented somatosensory feedback stimulates the mechanoreceptor to deliver information on bodily position, improving the postural control. The various types of such feedback include ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) and vibration. The optimal feedback to mitigate postural sway remains unclear, as does the effect of augmented somatosensory feedback on muscle co-contraction. Objects: We compared postural sway and ankle muscle co-contraction without feedback (control) and with either of two forms of somatosensory feedback (AFOs and vibration). Methods: We recruited 15 healthy subjects and tested them under three feedback conditions (control, AFOs, vibration) with two sensory conditions (eyes open, or eyes closed and the head tilted back), in random order. Postural sway was measured using a force platform; the mean sway area of the 95% confidence ellipse (AREA) and the mean velocity of the center-of-pressure displacement (VEL) were assessed. Co-contraction of the tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius muscles was measured using electromyography and converted into a co-contraction index (CI). Results: We found significant main effects of the three feedback states on postural sway (AREA, VEL) and the CI. The two sensory conditions exerted significant main effects on postural sway (AREA and VEL). AFOs reduced postural sway to a level significantly lower than that of the control (p = 0.014, p < 0.001) or that afforded by vibration (p = 0.024, p < 0.001). In terms of CI amelioration, the AFOs condition was significantly better than the control (p = 0.004). Vibration did not significantly improve either postural sway or the CI compared to the control condition. There was no significant interaction effect between the three feedback conditions and the two sensory conditions. Conclusion: Lower-extremity devices such as AFOs enhance somatosensory perception, improving postural control and decreasing the CI during static standing.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.13 no.10
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• pp.9-18
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• 2013

In this paper, we analyzed the effects of game-based visual feedback training on postural balance control in young adults and older adults. We provided postural balance training by 23 young adults and 14 older adults and for four weeks in fifth minute a day and three days a week using IBalance(Cybermedic Inc., Korea). We evaluated the ability of postural balance using balance SD(Biodex, medicalscience Inc., USA) for the validation of game contents based on visual feedback training program. The results showed that postural stability and limits of stability of young adults and older adults were improved significantly before and after the training(p<0.05). Thus, the games of postural balance encouraged anterior, posterior, medial, lateral and multidirectional weight shifting regarding postural balance. Our study indicates that postural balance training of visual feedback based game could be adapted for improving postural balance. Moreover, we could develope of game contents for individuals and various ages for effective application of this game-based visual feedback training.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2017

Background: The multiple hop test is an active performance test that has been commonly used to assess individuals with functional ankle instability. Previous studies have suggested that insufficiency of dynamic postural stability and passive stability during dynamic activities can have an influence on performance in the multiple hop test. However, no study has investigated the effects of dynamic postural stability training and ankle bracing on multiple hop test performance in individuals with functional ankle instability. Objects: The purpose of this study was to compare the immediate effects of dynamic postural stability training versus ankle bracing in the performance of the multiple hop test for participants with functional ankle instability. Methods: Twenty-nine participants with functional ankle instability who scored below 24 in the Cumberland Ankle Instability Tool were selected. The participants were randomly divided into two groups: a dynamic postural stability training group (n1=14) and an ankle bracing control group ($n_2=15$). The multiple hop tests were performed before and after applying each intervention. Dynamic postural stability training was performed using visual-feedback-based balance-training equipment; participants in this group were asked to perform a heel raise in a standing position while watching the centering of their forefoot pressure to prevent excessive ankle inversion. Ankle bracing was applied in the control group. Results: When comparing the pre- and post-intervention period for both groups, both methods significantly improved the results of the multiple hop test (p<.05). However, no significant differences were shown between the dynamic postural stability training and ankle bracing groups (p>.05). Conclusion: Both dynamic postural stability training and ankle bracing showed significant improvement (2.85 seconds and 2.05 seconds, respectively) in test performance. Further study is needed to determine the long-term effects of dynamic postural stability training and to determine whether insufficient dynamic postural stability is a causative factor for functional ankle instability.

• International Journal of Contents
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.67-71
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• 2013

This study examined the effects of biofeedback postural control training on the weight distribution rate and functional ability of subjects with stroke. A total of 30 stroke patients were enrolled in this study. Subjects were divided into a biofeedback postural training group (experimental group, n=15) and a dynamic balance training group (control group, n=15). Experimental subjects received biofeedback postural training and control subjects received dynamic balance training for 30 minutes per day, 5 times per week over a 6 week period. Weight distribution rate and functional ability were measured to identify the effect of the biofeedback postural training. Significant difference in weight distribution rate was observed in the experimental group, compared with the control group (p=0.05), and a significant difference in functional ability. The results of this study provide evidence in support of incorporating a biofeedback postural training for the improvement of weight distribution rate and functional ability of stroke patients.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.1-8
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• 2004

The objective of this study is to identify the effects of material position and physical fatigue on postural stability. Ten male subjects participated in this study. After bicycling exercises, their centers of pressure (COPs) were measured under four material handling positions and four excercise levels. The measured COPs were then utilized to calculate postural sway length in each experimental condition. Subjects' postural stability was quantified using the sway length. Results showed that the effect of different material handling position was significant on the postural sway length in both the posterior-anterior axis and the medio-lateral axis. Results also showed that the postural sway length was increased as physical fatigue accumulated, significantly in subject's posterior-anterior axis. The results imply that bearing a material on the back or front with both hands appeared to cause least sway length and instability.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.417-426
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• 1996

In this paper, we report the effects of visual stimulation patterns in the postural balance control. We used the motor-driven cloth panel and HMD(Head Mounted Display) to evaluate the effect of visual stimulation patterns in the postural balance control. We also investigated the usefulness of HMD in the postural balance rehabilitation training system from the view of reducing the scale of experimental system. Our results showed that a vertical-strip visual pattern was more effective than the others in the postural balance control. It was also indicated that HMD might be applied to clinical use as a new postural balance training system.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.177-184
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• 1996

In light-weight hand tools, static posture may result in postural fatigue. Psotural tremor of the upper extremity in a static posture was measured to provide guidelines for hand tool weight. Postural tremor was measured on five levels of tool weitht : no weight, 400g, 800g, 1200g, and 1600g. Three types of camcorder recording postures were selected. For each condition, postural tremor was measured together with ENG of biceps, deltoid and pectoralis major, and Borg's CR-20 ratings of perceved exertion. Results of the experiment are as follows : frequency analysis of tremor revealed increased amplitude of frequency bands of 2-4Hz and 10-14Hz. Postural tremor of the upper extremeity maintained the initial level until fatigue developed. After the development of fatigue, the rate of change of postural tremor significantly increased. Different tool weights and hand postures showed different rates of tremor increase. Time tp fatigue and corresaponding endurance time were positively correlated with Borg's RPE scores.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.139-149
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• 2000

This study aims to review and assess the existing postural classification schemes used for evaluating postural loads in industry. The schemes can be classified into three categories: self-report, observational and instrument-based techniques depending upon how to record working postures. Of the three techniques, this study was mainly focused on the observational methods. The observational technique is most widely used in the industrial sites because it does not interfere with work, and is easy and simple to use and cost-effective without requiring the use of expensive equipment for estimating the angular deviation of a body segment from the neutral position. In spite of the usefulness and applicability, the techniques have some problems: 1) The existing observational techniques lack the consistency in the class limits of the motion categories in each body segment; 2) Most of them do not provide the post-analysis criteria needed to judge whether or not any posture is acceptable in view point of the postural load; and 3) They can not precisely evaluate the postural load for a given posture because the external loads and dynamic factors including acceleration, moment and force were not taken into consideration.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.5-17
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between normal adults' resting calcaneal stance position(RCSP) and postural sway. Subjects were 70 normal adults(34 men and 36 women) in their twenties who attend S. University. Postural sway during a single limb stance was measured using the CMS 10 Measuring System when subjects positioned on the balance trainer in their bare foot. RCSP while subjects were standing on the glass plate was measured using the angle tinder after subjects were positioned in prone to divide equally lower leg and calcaneus using the goniometer. The result was as follows. There were significant weak positive correlations between RCSP and postural sway(r=0.362, p<0.01), the leg of the small RCSP within a subject has the small postural sway index($X^2=43.758$, p<0.001). There was no significant difference between groups of rearfoot valgus(RCSp<$2^{\circ}$) and those of rearfoot varus (RCSp>$2^{\circ}$) in the postural sway. In conclusion, there is a weak relationship between increasing the absolute value of RCSP and increasing postural sway.