• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.57-63
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• 2014

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to identify the muscle activity of leg during stair down in the subjects with flatfoot and normal foot. Methods : The fourteen subjects with the flatfoot group and the fifteen subjects with the normal foot group volunteered for this study. All subjects descended the stairs that the height was 20cm and consisted 25 stairs. The target muscles for recording muscle activity were posterior fiber of gluteus medius, vastus medialis and vastus lateralis oblique, semitendinosus and biceps femoris, tibialis anterior, and medial and lateral fiber of gastrocnemius muscles. The muscle activity was recorded using the wireless EMG system. Results : The flatfoot group had significantly lower the muscle activity of posterior fiber of gluteus medius than the normal foot group in stance phase during stair down(p<.05). The flatfoot group had significantly higher the muscle activity of biceps femoris and tibialis anterior than the normal foot group in swing phase during stair down(p<.05). Conclusions : This study proposed that the subject with flatfoot should train the strengthening exercise for posterior fiber of gluteus medius.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.266-272
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• 2021

Background: Considering the kinetic chain of the lower extremity, a pronated foot position (PFP) can affect malalignment of the lower extremity, such as a dynamic knee valgus (DKV). Although the DKV during several single-leg movement tests has been investigated, no studies have compared the differences in DKV during a single-leg step down (SLSD) between subjects with and without PFP. Objects: The purpose of this study was to compare the DKV during SLSD between subjects with and without PFP. Methods: Twelve subjects with PFP (9 men, 3 women) and 15 subjects without PFP (12 men, 3 women) participated in this study. To calculate the DKV, frontal plane projection angle (FPPA), knee-in distance (KID), and hip-out distance (HOD) during SLSD were analyzed by two-dimensional video analysis software (Kinovea). Results: The FPPA was significantly lower in PFP group, compared with control group (166.4° ± 7.5° and 174.5° ± 5.5°, p < 0.05). Also, the KID was significantly greater in PFP group, compared with control group (12.7 ± 3.9 cm and 7.3 ± 2.4 cm, p < 0.05). However, the HOD not significantly differed between two groups (12.7 ± 1.7 cm and 11.4 ± 2.5 cm, p > 0.05). Conclusion: The PFP is associated with lower FPPA and greater KID. When assess the DKV during SLSD, the PFP should be considered as a crucial factor for occurrence of DKV.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.311-314
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• 2015

Purpose: This study attempted to determine intra-rater reliability and inter-rater reliability for measurement of foot form using the FPI-6 (Foot Posture Index) in patients with hemiplegia caused by stroke. Methods: Twenty two stroke patients were recruited into the research and their foot posture was evaluated using the FPI. Two raters assessed 6 items sequentially in accordance with the FPI-6 manual. This procedure involved asking the subject to take several steps in-place, prior to settling into a comfortable stance position with double limb support. Subjects were instructed to stand still with their arms by their sides and look straight ahead. FPI-6 values ranged from -2 to +2 for each of the six criteria and from -12 to +12 for the total score, indicating a position for each foot either along the supinated (negative score) to pronated (more than +6) continuum of foot posture. Results: The results showed that intra-rater reliability and inter-rater reliability for a total FPI-6 score was high: 0.807-0.888. An almost perfect agreement between the two raters was identified in the foot's morphological classification (Somer's D=0.712; p<0.05). Intra-percentage agreement was high (88.6%). Conclusion: The FPI-6 is a quick, simple, and reliable clinical tool with demonstrated good to excellent intra-rater reliability and good inter-rater reliability when used in assessment of the stroke patient's foot.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.281-287
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• 2023

Background: The flexible flatfoot is characterized by a flattening of the foot arch due to excessive bodyweight. The use of shoe insoles or taping methods has been identified as effective in realigning the navicular or calcaneus bones and addressing supination in pronated feet. Objects: This study aimed to analyze the difference between the arch taping attachment method, introduced in a previous study, and a novel taping method designed to provide support to the inner aspect of the heel bone in cases of flexible flatfoot. Methods: A navicular drop test was performed to discriminate flexible flatfoot. To analyze the differences in pressure distribution during walking for each taping method, the subjects underwent testing in the barefoot state with no attachments. The procedure included a sequence of arch taping and heel taping. Subsequent analysis of pressure distribution during walking utilized the GaitRite^® system (GAITRite Gold, CIR Systems Inc.). Results: Arch taping and calcaneus taping significantly reduced the integrated pressure over time and peak pressure on the medial side of the midfoot for both feet compared to the barefoot state. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that supporting the inside of the heel through calcaneus taping, without direct stimulation to the longitudinal arch and navicular bone, is an effective intervention for flexible flatfoot.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.49-63
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• 2003

For this study, four male university Taekwondo players were randomly chosen, between the weight categories of 60Kg and 80Kg. Their side kicks (yeop chagi), which are part of foot techniques, were kinematically analyzed in terms of the time, angle, and angular velocity factors involved with the kicks through the three-dimensional imaging. The results of the analysis are as fellows. 1. Time factor The first phase(preparation) was 0.48sec on average, accounting for 60% of the entire time spent; the second phase(the minimum angle of the knee joint) was 0.21sec on average, taking up 26% of the whole time spent; and the third phase(hitting) was 0.11sec on average, representing 14% of the entire time spent. 2. Angle factor In the first phase(preparation), rotating their bodies along the long axis, the players bended their hip and knee joints a lot, by moving fast in the vertical and horizontal directions, in the second phase(the minimum angle of the knee joint), the players continued to extend their bodies along the vertical axis, while pronating their lower legs and bending their hip and knee joints a lot to reduce the radius of gyration, and in the third phase(hitting), they extended their knee joints greatly so that the angle movements of their lower bodies shifted to circle movements. 3. Angular velocity factor In the first phase(preparation), the angular velocity of the hip and knee joints increased. while moving horizontally and rotating the body along the long axis; in the second phase(the minimum angle of the knee joint), the angular velocity increased by bending the hip and knee joints fast to reduce the rotation radios; and in the third phase(hitting), the angular velocity was found to have increased, by rotating the body along the long axis to increase the angular velocity and shifting the angular momentum of the pronated knee joint to the circular momentum.