• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.46-56
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of watsu therapy on muscle tone in adult hemiparesis patient after stroke. The subject was a 66 year old patient with left hemiparesis whose self gait was independent with minimal assist. The subject was ambulatory with some degree of limitation and demonstrated a little tremor and asymmetry in the body. A multiple treatment design(A-B-C-B) for a single-subject research was used for this study. The watsu therapy consisted of basic moves, head cradle, underfar leg, near leg cradle in watsu I (transition flow), for 25 minutes, which lasted 12 sessions for a total 21 sessions. A baseline was conducted for a first time and a general ROM exercise was conducted after the first watsu therapy. Tone assessment scale was tested : 1. posturing at rest 2. response to passive movement 3. associated reaction Comparing to the baseline and general ROM exercise, The results showed that the watsu therapy had some positive effects on improvement of three tests and there was a more positive effects of both response to passive movement and associated reaction.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.71-83
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• 2019

Purpose: This meta-analysis aimed to analyze to the effects of aquatic exercise programs in children with cerebral palsy and identify directions for future research. Methods: A systematic search based on the PRISMA guidelines was undertaken for studies conducted between 2006 and 2018 on aquatic exercise programs in children with cerebral palsy. A total of 10 studies were selected according to the inclusion criteria. The methodological quality was assessed using the Risk of Bias Tool for Randomized Controlled Trials (RoB) and Risk-of-Bias Assessment Tool for Non-randomized Studies (RoBANS). A meta-analysis software (CMA 3.0) was used to calculate the mean effect size, effect size by intervention (Halliwick and Watsu Aquatic methods), and effect size by outcome. Results: The mean effect size was 0.457. The effect size by intervention was largest for the Halliwick method, followed by the Watsu method. The effect size by outcome was largest for range of motion, followed by the gross motor function measure, the Pediatric Berg Balance Scale, and the Modified Ashworth Scale. Meta-regression analysis showed effect size increased when sample size, number of sessions, and length of sessions increased. Conclusion: The results show that aquatic exercise programs have a positive effect on children with cerebral palsy. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a guideline that recommends the appropriate intervention and the identifies the direction of future studies on aquatic exercise programs.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.11-22
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• 2005

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of aquatic health exercise program for the old. Methods: 20 healthy female with an average age of 71years($71{\pm}4.2$), were participated in this study. The aquatic health exercise program that include warm-up, stretching, strengthening exercise, WATSU and cool-down was performed in the pool two times a week for eight weeks(40min per one session). Body composition, strength of the both knee flexors and extensors, balance ability(sway area and path), whole body reaction time and flexibility(forward reaching test in long sitting) were measured before and after exercise. The data was analyzed with paired t-test to determine significant differences of all suggested factors between pre and post-exercise by make use of the SPSS(ver 10.0) package program. Results: The strength of the both knee flexors and extensors were increased significantly(right knee; p<0.01, left knee; p<0.05). Anteroposterior sway area (p<0.01), and sway path (p<0.001) of both leg were reduced significantly with eyes closed and opened. Whole body reaction time by optical stimulation was increased significantly (p<0.01) but whole body reaction time by auditory stimulation was no significant difference. The flexibility was increased significantly (p<0.01). Conclusion: Aquatic health exercise program can improve muscle strength, balance, whole body reaction, and flexibility.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.183-193
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• 2019

PURPOSE: This study assessed the exercise programs for improving the spinal angle and trunk flexibility by applying the aquatic exercise and sling exercise to young adults with scoliosis. METHODS: The subjects were 14 participants diagnosed with scoliosis. They were assigned randomly either to an aquatic exercise group (n=7) that received the WATSU exercise program or to a sling exercise group (n=7) that received a sling exercise program. The exercise program was 50 minutes once, three times a week, 12 times for four weeks. The spinal angle and flexibility were measured using the Cobb's angle and modified sit and reach test, respectively. Two variables were analyzed before and after the intervention, and the aquatic exercise group and sling exercise group were compared. RESULTS: After the intervention, the Cobb's angle decreased significantly, and the flexibility increased significantly in both groups (p<.05). A larger increase in flexibility was observed in the aquatic exercise group than in the sling exercise group (p<.05). CONCLUSION: These results showed that the two exercise programs improved the spine angle and flexibility. The increased flexibility showed that aquatic exercise was more effective than the sling exercise. Therefore, aquatic exercise and sling exercise can be used in the treatment and prevention of scoliosis.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.214-226
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• 2001

Background and Purpose : Recently oriental medicine is making a new try for arthritis therapy, one of them is herbal acupuncture. Herbal acupuncture is therapy which combines acupuncture with herbal medicine. Also, aquatherapy will be the good method for arthritis therapy. Aquatherapy begins with YMCA aquatic exercise program in 1984 by America athritis foundation. Aquatherapy uses buoyancy, hydmstatic pressure, resistance, water temperature which is four water characters. So we should study on the herbal acpuncture and aquatherapy. Objecitve and Method : This study researched 21 thesises for herbal acupuncture and many artcles and data for aquatherapy. 21 thesises for herbal acpuncture is divided two groups. One group is about effect on alleviation of pain(18 thesises), the other group is for antiphlogistic effect(13 thesises). About aquatherapy, we research many books, papers, and aquatherpy method, for example Ai Chi, BACKHAB, Watsu. Result and Conclusions : About herbal acupuncture, we researched 21 thesises, and 17 thesises proved the effect on alleviation of pain, 13 thesises proved the antiphlogistic effect of herbal acupuncture. For the aquatherapy, we researched many datas, and concluded like this. Due to the lessned effect of gravity, patients in exercising in water will have very little body weight and very little impact. So, aquatherapy or aquaexercise is an excellent exercise medium for the people who are experiencing some physical difficulty.