• PNF and Movement
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.445-452
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the analysis of the association between upper extremity function and the Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) for chronic hemiparetic stroke patients and investigate the evidence of the WMFT as a clinical tool of upper extremity function in individuals with chronic hemiparetic stroke. Methods: This study applied an observational, cross-sectional design in outpatients at three local rehabilitation units in Seoul. Forty-nine individuals who had a diagnosis of first stroke participated in this study. All participants were analyzed for four clinical measures, including the Box and Block Test (BBT), the WMFT, grip strength, and the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM). Results: Upon analysis, a significant relationship was found between the WMFT scores and BBT scores as well as the grip strength. The WMFT score was statistically and positively associated with the COPM satisfaction score; however, it was not related to the COPM performance score. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the WMFT is positively related to simple tasks, such as hand muscle strength and manual dexterity. However, the WMFT does not have a relationship with complex tasks, which are measured by COPM performance abilities.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.5132-5142
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to find effect of upper extremities exercises using two different supporting surface, mobile surface and fixed surface in sitting on the function of upper extremities for the patients with stroke. The study period was between July 5, 2012 and August 1 2012. The subjects were 20 subjects who were randomly divided into two groups : (1) mobile surface group, (2) fixed surface group. The mobile surface group performed bilateral upper extremities exercise sitting on balance disc, and the fixed surface group was provided fixed surface chair. Both groups performed 30 minutes 5 times per a week for 4weeks. The Manual Functional Test(MFT) and Fugl-Meyer Motor Function Assessment(FMA) was used to measure the differences of upper extremity functions before and after interventions. The results of this study were as follows. First, Both groups, mobile surface group and fixed surface group showed the significant increase(p<.05) in upper extremity function. Second, the improvements of the hand function in mobile surface group showed significant difference comparing with the group with fixed surface. Therefore, the results of this study showed the bilateral hand exercise program on mobile surface is more effective than the fixed surface bilateral hand exercise program for the patients with stroke.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.2644-2651
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate difference between grip strength, upper limb dexterity, and hand function according to touch and heat sensory stimulus. Forty healthy men were recruited. After obtaining subjects characteristics, examined grip strength, upper limb dexterity, and hand function, then we made touch sensory input using soft brush and tried the test again. Next day, we made thermal input using hot pack and did retest, too. The result showed significant differences appeared on every variable in grip strength and upper limb dexterity test (p<.001), and significant differences appeared on every variable except lifting small objects in hand function (p<.01). In conclusion, sensory input is to increase grip strength, upper limb dexterity, and hand function. The thermal sensory input has a tendency to increase grip strength, upper limb dexterity, and hand function than that of touch sensory input in effect of stimulus classification. The application of proper stimulus helps to facilitate upper limb and hand function in rehabilitation and in industrial field. So it is necessary to try more tests of frequency and intensity of stimulus.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.133-140
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• 2016

PURPOSE: This study's aim was to investigate the effects of an action observational training in subactue stroke patients with moderate impairment. METHODS: 22 participants (men=13, women=9) with hemiparesis were randomly assigned to action observation training group or task-oriented training group. Patients in both group underwent a patient-specific multidisciplinary rehabilitation program. Participants in the action observation group (mean age, $62.78{\pm}9.85$) were asked to watch the video scene, in the knowledge that they would then attempt to perform the same movement task after watching. The control group (mean age, $61.49{\pm}8.64$) practiced the same tasks, without watching the video. To evaluate upper limb function, the upper extremity part of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment upper extremity and the Box and Block Test were used. The modified Barthel index was used to assess ADLs, and the modified Ashworth scale were used to assess spasticity in the upper extremity. RESULTS: The action observational training group exhibited greater changes in the Fugl-Meyer assessment upper extremity (P<0.05; 95% CI, 0.929 - 6.403), the Box and Block test (P<0.05; 95% CI, 0.086 - 5.913), and the modified Barthel index (P<0.01; 95% CI, 2.483 - 12.627) between groups. And the modified Ashworth scale (P>0.05; 95% CI, -0.402 to 0.624) did not show significantly different between groups. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that action observational training may be more helpful to improve upper-extremity function than physical training only in subactue patients with moderate impairment after stroke.

• East Asian mathematical journal
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.579-585
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• 2012

Let D be a finite digraph with the vertex set V(D) and arc set A(D). A two-valued function $f:V(D){\rightarrow}\{-1,\;1\}$ defined on the vertices of a digraph D is called a signed 2-independence function if $f(N^-[v]){\leq}1$ for every $v$ in D. The weight of a signed 2-independence function is $f(V(D))=\sum\limits_{v{\in}V(D)}\;f(v)$. The maximum weight of a signed 2-independence function of D is the signed 2-independence number ${\alpha}_s{^2}(D)$ of D. Recently, Volkmann [3] began to investigate this parameter in digraphs and presented some upper bounds on ${\alpha}_{s}^{2}(D)$ for general digraph D. In this paper, we improve upper bounds on ${\alpha}_s{^2}(D)$ given by Volkmann [3].

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.114-123
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of lower extremity strengthening program on balance, gait and upper limb function in patients with stroke. This study was a hospital-based with Central nerve system lesion patients, randomized controlled trial with a blinded assessor. Twenty four hemiparetic stroke patients were divided into two groups: a Lower extremity strengthening program group (LESPG)(n=12) and a Treadmill training group (TTG)(n=12). The LESPG performed a Lower extremity strengthening program on the affected side. The TTG exercised on a treadmill for 30 minutes a day. Assessment tools included the Timed Up and Go test (TUG), the Functional Gait Assessment (FGA) and the Manual Function Test (MFT). There was a significant difference in TUG, FGA, and MFT scores between the two groups in the LESPG for the balance, gait, and upper limb function than for the TTG(p<.01). Results of the present study indicated that the effect of lower extremity strengthening program for 4 weeks had an effect on balance, gait and upper limb function of hemiplegic patients after stroke.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.11-29
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• 2021

Background: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of virtual reality on gait, balance, and upper extremity functions compared to other independent variables or no variables. Additionally, the possibility of virtual reality for stroke patients was discussed. Design: Meta-analysis. Methods: The search for this study was a search term that combined stroke, virtual reality, and training, and the electronic search was conducted through EMBASE, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library. As a result of the search, 21 studies satisfying the selection criteria of the target study were confirmed as the final analysis target. This study consisted of 21 randomized experimental studies and 21 randomized controlled trials, and the total number of participants was 642. [Experimental group (n=314), control group (n=328); total 642]. As a result of the study, upper extremity function was assessed using a box and block test, a modified Ashworth scale, and a scale including range of motion. The balance was evaluated by the berg balance scale. Gait was a Timed Up and Go test (TUG), stride length, and gait function. Scales including a walking rate scale were evaluated. The effect size for the intervention of the analytical study was meta-analyzed with the RevMan 5.3.3 program of the Cochrane library. Results: The results of the study showed that the function of walking was statistically significant. Balance showed statistically significant results. The upper extremity function showed no statistically significant results. Conclusion: Through this rehabilitation treatment by applying virtual reality environment to the rehabilitation of stroke patients in the future can be proposed as an effective intervention method for the balance and gait function of stroke patients.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.95-101
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to investigate the convergence effect of focal vibration stimulation and bilateral upper limb training on the recovery of upper limb function when applied to stroke patients. For 20 stroke patients, divided into an experimental group that performed convergence intervention with focal vibration stimulation and bilateral upper limb training, and a control group who performed only bilateral upper limb training. It was conducted 20 times for 4 weeks, 30 minutes per session. Vibration stimulation was applied to the affected side of the experimental group for 30 minutes during training. Results were measured for the degree of recovery of the affected upper limb function, amount of use on the affected and unaffected sides, the quality and satisfaction in performance on use of both upper limbs. Comparisons were made within groups using a paired-sample t-test and between groups using covariance analysis. As a result of the study, the experimental group showed a significant difference in dexterity and the amount of use on the affected than the control group. The effect size was more than the small effect size in all evaluation items. Through this study, it is thought that the convergence intervention of focal vibration stimulation and bilateral upper limb trainingcan be used clinically as an effective intervention for the recovery of arm function in stroke patients.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.79-85
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• 2011

In this paper, we proposed a design of upper-limb rehabilitation device with power-assist function for stroke survivals. The designed upper-limb rehabilitation device has three degrees of freedom； it is possible to perform flexion and extension motions of wrist, index finger and the other fingers except the thumb independently. The power-assist for wrist motion is performed by a pneumatic double-acting cylinder, but the fingers are actuated by electrical linear actuators to assist motions. A prototype upper-limb rehabilitation device and its controller were implemented. The position controller showed 0.8 mm errors in the steady-state. Experimental results showed that the proposed upper-limb rehabilitation device with power-assist function is feasible.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.158-166
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• 2010

Objectives: This study aimed to find gender distinctions in terms of the sociology of the population; to determine work-related factors; to analyze gender differences in daily living, work, sports, and art performances; and to identify gender-related factors that limited performance of daily living and work activities. Methods: A questionnaire was designed that included disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand (DASH), accident history, disease history, work duration at current workplace, marital status, job satisfaction, job autonomy, and physical demands of the job. Out of 1,853 workers surveyed, 1,173 questionnaires (63.3%; 987 males, 186 females) included responses to DASH disability and DASH optional work and were judged acceptable for analysis. Results: Upper extremity functional limitation during work and daily living was higher for females than males. The limitations for males increased according to their household work time, accident history, work duration, job satisfaction, physical demand, and job autonomy. Meanwhile, female workers' upper extremity discomfort was influenced by their disease history, job satisfaction, and physical demands. In addition, the size of the company affected male workers' upper extremity function, while marriage and hobbies influenced that of female workers. Conclusion: This study addressed sociodemographic factors and work-related factors that affect each gender's upper extremity function during daily living and working activities. Each factor had a different influence. Further studies are needed to identify the effect that role changes, not being influenced by risks at work, have on musculoskeletal disorders.