• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.28-33
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• 2021

Purpose: This study examined the effects of heel raise exercises combined with neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) on the muscle strength and postural control ability of subjects with functional ankle instability (FAI). Methods: Twenty-two subjects with FAI participated in this study. They were assigned randomly to two groups: 11 each in the NMES and the sham-NMES groups. Heel raise exercise was applied, and NMES electrodes were attached to the peroneus longus muscles. The NMES group applied NMES during the heel raise exercise. NMES was applied for 20 minutes during the heel raise exercise. The heel raise exercise was performed four times a week for five weeks. The muscle strength and balance error scoring system (BESS) were measured before and after the intervention. Results: A comparison of before and after the intervention within the groups revealed improved muscle strength in the NMES and Sham-NMES groups, but the BESS was improved under all conditions only in the NMES group. The Sham-NMES group showed no improvement in the unstable support surface. Furthermore, when comparing the amount of change before and after the intervention between the groups, there were significant differences in the total score and unstable support in the BESS and muscle strength. Conclusion: NMES had a positive effect on the functional activities of the functional ankle instability subjects, such as balancing on an unstable support surface during postural control and increasing muscle strength.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.112-124
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• 2004

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to research the effects of the differences in shoe heel height on balanced performances with a balance master. Method : 40 healthy female adults were divided into 2 groups at random. All the female participants were tested by a balance master system. Differences were analyzed according to high heel shoes and low heel shoes. The ability of static postural balance control was measured by modified CTSIB and unilateral stance test, while that of dynamic postural balance control was measured by LOS (limit of stability) and rhythmic weight shift, among the programs of a balance master. Result : 1. There is no significant correlation between the ability of static and dynamic postural balance control before main test without the shoes. 2. Movement velocity and directional control ability were significant correlation compared result of in high heel shoes and low heel shoes group. Conclusion : In conclusion, the test results of the high heeled shoe group and the low heeled shoe group through a balance master system showed that the former one is inferior to the latter one.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.51-56
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• 2009

Purpose: This study examined the difference in the static balance ability according to the visual cues and postural tasks in normal subjects. Methods: Thirty participants (12 male, 18 female; mean age $24.63\pm1.43$ years) stood barefoot on a force platform in a one-legged stance, tandem Romberg stance and tandem Romberg with neck extension stance with a visual cue open and closes. The static balance was assessed by the center of pressure (CoP), surface electromyography root mean square (RMS) of the leg muscles according to the stance position. Results: In the CoP tests, the difference in the unit path length and circumference area was affected by the visual cue according to the stance posture (p<0.01). In the RMS tests, the difference in the tibialis anterior and medial gastrocnemius muscle was affected by visual cue in accordance with the stance posture (p<0.01). Conclusion: The visual cue and postural task affect the balance ability in normal subjects. Therefore, this study provides clinical evidence that the balance and postural control can be improved. Therapeutic intervention, such as an obstacle course, and a lower leg muscle performance program with a change in the base of support can affect the balance and postural control.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.57-63
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• 2016

Background: Instability due to ankle sprains will be accompanied by a problem of balance and pain change. Balance trainer is used to improve the ankle strength and balance ability. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the change of pain and postural balance ability in ankle joint after balance trainer application in patients with ankle sprain and instability. Methods: Twenty patients in K hospital in Incheon were enrolled. Balance trainer was applied to 10 subjects in the experimental group and 10 subjects in the Balance cushion under the same conditions as the experimental group to compare the pain and balance ability. Results: In the experimental group, there was a significant difference in the change of the pain variation. In the postural balance ability comparison, there was a significant difference in total and post - posterior comparison compared to the control, but there was no significant difference in the postural balance ability comparison. Conclusion: Pain and postural balance ability of patients with instability due to ankle sprain improved the pain and balance ability of the Balance trainer group compared to the Balance cushion training group.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.24 no.10
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• pp.137-145
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• 2007

The purpose of this study is developing a virtual bicycle system for improving the ability of postural balance control for adults in various age groups. The system consists of an exercise bicycle that allows tilt in accordance with the postural balance of the subject in the system, a visual display that shows virtual road, and a visual feedback system. The rider of the system tries to maintain balance on the bicycle with a visual feedback of a virtual road while the pedaling speed, the heading direction, and various weight distribution information are updated to the subject as visual feedbacks in the display. A series of experiments were performed with various subjects to find the factors related to postural balance control in the system. The related parameters obtained were weight shift, magnitude of the deviation from the center of the virtual road, and variables related to the movement of the center of pressure. The results found that the ability to control postural balance in the system improved with the presentation of visual feedback information of the distribution of weight. It was also found that the general performance of the subject on balance in the system improved after ten days long training. The results show that the newly developed system can be used for the diagnosis of postural balance as well as for the stimulation of various senses such as vision and somatic sense in the field of rehabilitation training.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.133-141
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to conduct balance training through vision control to improve the balance, postural control, and balance confidence and to decrease the visual and sensory dependence of stroke patients. Methods: Twenty-eight chronic stroke patients volunteered to participate in the study. They were randomly assigned to the eyes-closed and the eyes-open training groups. Three times a week for four weeks each group performed an unstable-support session and a balance training session for thirty minutes per set. Their balance, postural control, and balance confidence were assessed using BIO Rescue (BR), the postural assessment scale for stroke (PASS), and the Korean activity-specific balance confidence scale (K-ABC), respectively. All data were analyzed using SPSS version 22.0. Statistical methods before and after working around the average value of each dataset were independent T-test. The significance level for statistical analyses was set at 0.05. Results: Comparison between the groups showed statistically significant effects on all variables before and after the intervention (p < 0.05). Conclusion: This study reflected that balance-training programs involving vision control improve the balance, postural control, and balance confidence of chronic stroke patients. Thus, stroke patients should undergo training programs that increase the use of their other senses with vision control in clinical practice.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.70-74
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• 2013

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the impact of the application of whole body vibration training (WBV) on the balance ability of patients with an American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) type C or D spinal cord injury. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: Twelve patients with spinal cord injury were enrolled in this study. The participants were randomized to an experimental group (n=6) or control group (n=6). The subjects in the experimental group received WBV exercise and the control group received the sham exercise without vibration. The vibrations were adjusted vertically to the patient at a 30 Hz frequency and 3 mm amplitude. The whole body vibration lasted for 16 minutes in total including 5-minutes warm-up and cool-down at the beginning and end of the program, respectively. The static sitting balance ability was assessed by measuring the postural sway while sitting on the force plate with the eyes opened or closed. Postural sway length was measured for 30 seconds with a self-selected comfortable position. Results: In the static balance test, the anterio-posterior, medio-lateral, and total postural sway length with the eyes open and closed was improved significantly before and after the intervention in the experimental group (p<0.05). The experimental group showed significantly more improvement than the control group (p<0.05). Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that WBV training has a positive effect on improving static sitting balance and enhanced control of postural sway in patients with an ASIA-C or D type spinal cord injury.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Sensory Integration
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.14-24
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• 2018

Objective : The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of Interactive Metronome (IM) training on postural control and hand writing performance of children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Methods : Participant was a third grade elementary school student diagnosed with ADHD. ABA design was used and a total of 30 sessions were held for 3 sessions every week for a total of 10 weeks. In the intervention period, IM training was conducted for 40~50 minutes before intervention for writing, and the writing task was carried out. We evaluated the handwriting legibility and speed. Before baseline A and within a month after A' phase, Clinical Observation of Motor and Postural Skills (COMPS) was evaluated to examine the changes in postural control of the student. Results : After the IM intervention, the postural control of the student improved in the score of slow movement, finger-nose touching, and asymmetrical tonic neck reflex. The handwriting legibility and speed has also tended to increase during the intervention period, but it has not significantly changed. Conclusion : This study could be used as an evidence that the IM training aimed at postural control and handwriting ability could enhance the ability to improve postural control and thereby provide fundamental knowledge for future studies.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.353-359
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of exercise-induced fatigue and blocked vision on postural control during upright stance in elderly women. The study population included 22 women who were aged over 65 years, had no sustained orthopedic damage within the last 6 months, and had been randomly recruited. The results were analyzed with respect to the mediolateral and anteroposterior factors for the center of pressure. The exercise-induced fatigue and the absence of visual information increased the anteroposterior and mediolateral velocity for center of pressure. This means that the elderly women could control their posture through many sways. In conclusion, the exercise-induced fatigue and the blocked vision decreased ability of the postural control in elderly women. Further research on the change of postural control in relation to the types of exercise-induced fatigue and the levels of muscular fatigue is expected.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.25-33
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• 2012

In this study, we analyzed the effects of game-based visual feedback training on postural balance control in young adults. We provided postural balance training for four weeks in fifth minute a day and three days a week using training system of postural balance based forceplate. We evaluated the ability of postural balance using balance SD(Biodex, medicalscience Inc., USA) for the validation of game contents based visual feedback training program. The results showed that postural stability and limits of stability were improved significantly before and after the training(p<0.05). Our study indicates that postural balance training of visual feedback based game could be adapted for improving postural balance. Also, for application of this game-based visual feedback training in older adults, we could develope of various game contents for disease types and conduct quantitative analysis and data collection of postural balance in the aged.