• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.123-129
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• 2023

Objective: Kinesio tape has been applied to the ankle to improve balance and gait. Stroke patients show abnormal gait patterns due to foot drop. This study aimed to determine the effects of ankle balance taping which to support the ankle joint on balance and gait in patients with chronic stroke. Design: A randomized controlled trial. Methods: Twenty-four chronic stroke patients were selected and randomized into experimental group (n=12) and control group (n=12). The experimental group applied kinesio taping three times a week for three weeks, and the control group applied placebo taping for the same amount of time. To evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment, the subjects' walking ability, static balance, and dynamic balance were assessed before and after the experiment. Gait speed and spatiotemporal gait ability were measured to examine walking ability, postural sway velocity and velocity moment for static balance, and Timed-Up and Go test and Berg Balance Scale were conducted to check dynamic balance. Results: The experimental group showed a significant increase in walking ability, static balance, and dynamic balance in the within-group pre-post difference (p<0.05). In the between-group comparison, the experimental group had a significant difference in walking ability than the control group (p<0.05). Conclusions: Ankle balance taping can help improve gait, and this study can be used as a basis for future studies of ankle balance taping.

• The Transactions of The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers
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• v.57 no.11
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• pp.2131-2137
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• 2008

In this paper, COP (center of pressure) during quiet standing and squat-and-stand movement was analyzed to compare the postural control of young and elderly subjects with special interest in the elderly females who were reported to have higher fall rate than the elderly males. Subjects include the young subjects (10 males: $21.8{\pm}2.6yrs$, 10 females: $20.4{\pm}0.3yrs$) and the elderly subjects (8 males: $75.5{\pm}4yrs$, 8 females: $72.3{\pm}3.5yrs$). Analysis parameters were the mean of the distance between the instantaneous COP and the average COP (COP distance) and the mean of the COP movement velocity (COP velocity) in both AP (anterio-posterior) and ML (media-lateral) directions. During quiet standing, the COP distance in ML direction of elderly females was significantly greater than that of elderly males and the COP velocity of elderly females in both ML and AP direction were significantly greater than those of all the other groups. During squat and stand movement, the COP distance of elderly females was not significantly different with that of the elderly males. However, the COP velocity of elderly females was significantly greater than that of all the other groups. The large lateral weight shift (COP distance) of elderly females during quiet standing may explain their greater fall rate. However, this does not apply to squat-and stand movement. In contrast, COP velocity results show that the elderly females' COP is rapidly trembling compared to that of elderly males during both quiet standing and squat and-stand movement. This results suggest that rapid trembling or postural sway may reflect the reduced postural control ability and the risk of falling.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.419-422
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• 2012

Purpose: Malalignment of the lower limbs may increases the difficulty of maintaining equilibrium. The purpose of this study was to study the effects of genu varum and poor posture in the sagittal plane on postural stability. Methods: We had 27 subjects with varus and 27 normal subjects participate in this study. Subjects for whom the distance between the medial epicondyles in the knee joint was more than 3 cm were classified as varus group, and subjects for whom the distance was less than 3 cm were classified as normal group. The measurements of static and dynamic stability were used overall stability index (OSI), anterioposterior stability index (APSI), and mediolateral stability index (MLSI) using a Biodex balance system. Results: When measuring the static stability index, there were significant differences in the mediolateral stability index between the varus and control groups. When measuring the dynamic stability index, there were significant differences in the overall, anteriorposterior, and mediolateral stability index between the varus and control groups. These results demonstrated that genu varum affects mediolateral movement in static stability, and overall, anterioposterior and mediolateral movements in dynamic stability. Conclusion: As genu varum affects static and dynamic stability in young adults, it increases the risk of injuries or falls. Exercise and surgery are required for realigning the genu varum. Future studies about postural stability in young children and elderly people who have a risk of falls due to lower postural control ability, are needed, as well as in young adults.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.67-74
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• 2008

A decrease in the ability to maintain static and dynamic balance after stroke could be related to the inability to select reliable sensory information in producing relative motor action needed to maintain postural stability. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of two different types of surface conditions on the balancing ability of subjects with stroke. Eighteen hemiparetic subjects were assigned to an experimental and control group participating in a six－week rehabilitative therapeutic exercise program focusing on balance and mobility. Exercises were performed 3 to 5 times per week in a stable surface condition by the control group, and in an unstable surface condition by the experimental group. Pre－ and post test assessments involved the measurement of the static balance and dynamic balance, respectively by 7－item Berg Balance Scale－3P and by Pro－3 Balance System. Results showed that under the unstable surface condition, static balance in the experimental group showed more improvement than that of the control group.(Statistically, not very significant.) All the aspects of dynamic balance and mediolateral sway(balance) improved significantly than those of the control group. However, there were no significant differences between two groups. Overall, it can be concluded that under the unstable surface condition, the rehabilitative therapeutic exercise programs are effective in improving the dynamic balance of stroke subjects. The results suggest that the adaptation of the unstable surface in the rehabilitative therapeutic exercises could be effective for the patients with hemiplegia in balance. Further studies are needed to confirm the effectiveness of the unstable surface on improving balance and postural stability of hemiplegics.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.451-461
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• 2019

Purpose: This study identified the effect of abdominal muscle contraction using changes in waist circumference for healthcare workers with back pain due to inadequate posture during working hours. Methods: In this study, we provided educational training focused on posture alignment and utilized waist circumference change sensors to induce the contraction of abdominal muscles as a method to address low back pain in healthcare workers. All 32 participants received the same training and then were assigned to two groups: wearing the keeping core band (CB) and not wearing the keeping core band (NCB). For the CB group, the waist circumference change sensor was applied for 6 weeks during working hours. Wilcoxon's signed-ranks test and paired t-tests were used to compare the differences between the groups. All statistical significance levels were set to α=0.05. Results: Trunk muscle endurance increased significantly in the CB group. There was no significant difference in stability index to evaluate static postural control, but active hip abduction tests, which evaluate dynamic postural control, showed significant decrease in the CB group. Conclusion: These results suggest that the induction of abdominal contraction using the waist circumference change sensor may improve the trunk muscle endurance and the postural control ability of the hip and pelvis of healthcare workers.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.93-103
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• 2024

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether dancers with chronic ankle instability (CAI) exhibit different characteristics in dynamic postural control ability and ankle joint laxity compared to dancers without CAI and non-dancers with CAI. Method: Twelve dancers with CAI, 14 dancers without CAI, and 12 non-dancers with CAI participated in the study. Dynamic balance was evaluated using the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) and the single-leg hop balance. The laxity of the ankle joint was evaluated through the anterior drawer test and the talar tilt test. SEBT measured maximum reach distances in anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral directions. Single-leg hop assessed center of pressure (COP) and time-to-boundary (TTB) outcomes. One-way ANOVA and Chi-square tests were performed to compare the outcome variables among the three groups. Results: Dancers with CAI demonstrated greater reach distance in the posterolateral direction compared to non-dancers with CAI during SEBT (p=.014). Secondly, dancers without CAI showed greater reach distance in the posterolateral (p<.001) and posteromedial (p=.001) directions during SEBT compared to non-dancers with CAI. Additionally, dancers without CAI exhibited better postural control with higher TTB AP mean of minima (p=.003) and TTB AP standard deviation of minima (p=.012) during single-leg hop compared to nondancers with CAI. Thirdly, dancers with CAI showed a lower positive rate during the anterior drawer test compared to non-dancers with CAI (p=.019). Conclusion: Dancers with CAI demonstrated better ankle function and reduced mechanical instability compared to non-dancers with CAI. Therefore, to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of lateral ankle sprain and CAI development exacerbation in dancers, additional factors that can affect ankle sprain, such as visual dependence during postural control and evaluation in dance movements, should be explored.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.49-55
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate effect of open kinetic chain exercise on the motor function of the lower limb in middle school soccer players. Method: The subjects consisted of 14 soccer players who attend middle school in Gwangju. All subjects received open kinetic chain exercise for 3 weeks. The muscle strength of the ankle was measured by a commander muscle tester. Postural control ability was measured using a hopping test. All measurements for each subject were conducted pre-intervention and 3 weeks post-intervention. Result: There were significant differences post-intervention in the muscle strength and-the postural control ability of the open kinetic chain exercise group(p<.05). Conclusion: Open kinetic chain exercise had a significant positive effect on the motor function of the lower limb in soccer players. Therefore, open kinetic chain exercise may prevent and resolve injury with careful management while soccer players are training or playing games. It could be helpful to extend the lives of athletes and improve their records.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Sensory Integration
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.46-57
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• 2016

Objective : The purpose of this study is to prove the effects of exercise intervention on postural control of children with cerebral palsy in Korea by systematic review. Methods : Total 18 studies were selected through Korean research database engine such as DBpia, KISS and RISS for the systematic review in this study. Key words used were 'cerebral palsy', 'postural control' and 'balance' and publication time period was limited only after October 2006 in the research selection. All the selected studies were reviewed in terms of quality level of evidence and methodological quality level, and then the results were analyzed with Patient, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome (PICO). Results : For the level of evidence, it is found that 8 studies show Grade I, 5 studies show Grade III, and 2 studies show Grade V. In terms of Methodological quality, majority of the studies showed 'Fare' level. Majority of target population of the studies was children with spastic diplegia. Most research design of the studies were randomized controlled trials. The results in several suited showed that the postural control exercise used in Korea has positive impact on improvement of motor and balance ability. Conclusion : Impact of the exercise intervention used in Korea for postural control of children with cerebral palsy has been evidenced in this study. It is proposed that further research need to be done considering several types of cerebral palsy.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.1-19
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• 2002

The purpose of this study is to identify influence that eye movement have an effect on postural control and balance performance by plegia side of the impaired patients of central nervous system. Subjects are patients with the impairment of central nervous system and experimental and control groups are forty people and thirty people seperatively, Total subjects were selected to seventy persons, but twelve persons of experimental group quit during the experimental periods and eight persons of control group did not measure after exercise. Therefore, twenty eight persons of experimental group and twenty two persons of control group were selected in this study and experimental group peformed eye movement for eight weeks according to the exercise program of this study. The measurement of dependent variable is right static balance, left static balance, bilateral static balance, and bilateral dynamic balance before exercise and after eighth week of exercise, examiner again measured and analyzed the results. The results were as follows: 1. As the result of comparing balance performance ability after test of the experimental and control group with right hemiplegia and control group, all of static balance performance ability of right side (p < 0.01), static balance performance ability of left side (p < 0.01), static balance performance ability of bilateral side(p < 0.01), dynamic balance performance ability of bilateral side(p < 0.05) of experimental group were statistically greater improved than those of the control group. 2. As the result of comparing balance performance ability after test of the experimental and control group with left hemiplegia and control group, all of static balance performance ability of right side (p < 0.01), static balance performance ability of left side (p < 0.01), static balance performance ability of bilateral side(p < 0.05), dynamic balance performance ability of bilateral side(p < 0.05) of experimental group were statistically greater improved than those of the control group.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.67-75
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• 2012

Background: Hemiplegic patients have the problems of the balance and weight shifting to the affected leg in walking. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of unilateral stepping exercise combined with auditory feedback on balance and walking ability of the hemiplegic patients. Methods: Thirty hemiplegic patients were allocated in study group (n=15) or control group (n=15). General exercise and weight supporting exercise were conducted for the control group, and general exercises and unilateral stepping exercise combined with auditory feedback were conducted for the study group. Exercise were conducted three times a week for six weeks. Balance ability was measured by Berg Balance Scale (BBS), postural assessment scale for stroke (PASS), and performance-oriented mobility assessment (POMA). Walking ability was measured by time up and go test (TUG), 10m walk test (10mWT), and six minutes walk test (6MWT). Results: Balance and walking ability were significant increased in both group (p<.05). Balance and walking ability of the study group were more increased than that of the control group (p<.05). Conclusions: Unilateral stepping exercise combined with auditory feedback is more effective than weight supporting exercise to increase on balance and walking ability for the hemiplegic patients.