• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.240-248
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of study was to determine the effects of muscle reeducation training in patients with acute facial nerve paralysis. Methods: Thirty patients were randomly assigned to either the experimental group (n=15) or the control group (n=15). The experimental group received muscle reeducation training for 20 minutes after electrotherapy and the control group received conventional electrotherapy for only 40 minutes. Therapeutic intervention for each group was performed four times per week for four weeks. The patients were measured for recovery of paralysis using the House-Brackmann Grading System (H-B grade), the Movement Distance of Mouth, Nasolabial Angle (NA), and Facial Disability Index (FDI). Results: In within group comparison, the experimental group showed significant improvements for all variables (p<0.01). In comparison between two groups, the experimental group showed relatively greater significant improvements for all variables (p<0.01). Conclusion: These findings suggest that muscle reeducation training is more effective than conventional therapy in improving the condition of patients with facial nerve paralysis. In particular, the results of this study indicate that muscle reeducation training can be recommended by clinicians since it provides more benefits.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.31-38
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• 2009

Purpose: This study was examined the effect of training using a Virtual Reality System on the sitting balance and Activities of Daily Living for patients with a spinal cord injury. Methods: The subjects were divided into an experimental (6 persons) and control group (5 persons). The experimental group trained the 5 programs, three times per week for 6 weeks using the Virtual Reality System and five days for week using conventional physical therapy. The control group trained five days for a week using conventional physical therapy. Results: The difference in the mean Spinal Cord Independence Measurement (SCIM) score in the experimental and control groups was increased to 8.33 and 6.60 (p=0.79), respectively. The difference in the mean functional reaching test in experimental and control group increased to 4.21 and 1.09 (p=0.25), respectively. The difference in the mean sitting time in experimental and control group increased to 41.05 and 10.33 (p=0.66), respectively. There was a difference in the mean of all variances but these differences were not statistically significant. Conclusion: These results suggest that training using the Virtual Reality System increased the SCIM, functional reaching test and sitting time in people with a spinal cord injury.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.351-367
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to identity effects of virtual reality(VR) program related to standing postural control on balance, gait and brain activation patterns in chronic hemiplegic stroke patients. Subjects were assigned randomly to either VR group (n=12) or the control group (n=12) when the study began. Both groups received conventional physical therapy for 2 to 3 times per week. In addition to conventional physical therapies, VR group trained 3 types of virtual reality programs using IREX for standing postural control during 4 weeks (4 times/week, 30 minutes/time). Subjects were assessed for static and dynamic balance parameters using BPM, functional balance using Berg Balance Scale related to movement of paretic lower limb before and after 4 weeks of virtual reality training. The results of this study were as follows. 1. Following VR training, VR group demonstrated the marked improvement on dynamic mean balance, anteroposterior limits of stability (AP angle) and mediolateral limits of stability (ML angle). 2. Following VR training, both groups scored higher on Berg Balance Scale. However, a comparison of mean change revealed differences between groups. In conclusion, these data suggest that the postural control training using VR programs improve dynamic and functional balance performance in chronic hemiplegic stroke patients.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.79-87
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• 2022

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on the pain and balance of patients who receive total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Methods: This study subjects were 24 patients in Hospital T, located in Daegu, South Korea who received TKA after being diagnosed with degenerative arthritis. The subjects were randomly divided into and experimental group and a control group, with each group including 12 patients. Both group received superfical thermal therapy, interferential current therapy (ICT), and continue passive motion (CPM), which are conventional knee therapy on the knee joint. The experimental group received the tDCS treatment three times a week for three weeks, from October 1st to October 20th. The visual analogue scale and Wii Balance Board system were used to measure the pain and balancing ability, respectively, of both groups. In the statistical result analysis, to compare about pre and post test difference in each groups was accomplished. Statistical analysis of independent t-test and paired t-test were conducted using SPSS version 23.0. Results: After three weeks of intervation, there were significantly difference in balance ability in pre and post test in the tDCS group. VAS decreased significantly in both groups(p<.05), There was a significantly difference in pain, balance ability in the tDCS group compared to the sham group. Conclusion: These results indicate that applying tDCS together with conventional knee joint therapy for TKA patients is effective in promoting the patients' recovery.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.1-9
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• 2009

Background: The ability for backward walking is considered to be necessary for the neuromuscular control and maintenance of balance in daily ambulatory activity. This study aimed to determine the effect of backward walking training on the walking speed and balance control in patients with hemiplegia. Methods: Fourteen patients with hemiplegia were randomly allocated to an experimental and control groups of seven patients each. For the experimental group, we performed both conventional training and backward walking training, and conventional training only for the control group. The conventional training programs for the 2 groups were conducted for 30 min, twice a day, 5 times a week for 4 weeks, and backward walking training for the experimental group was conducted for 30 min, 3 times a week. The outcomes were assessed using the functional reach test (FRT), timed up-and-go (TUG) Test, and the 10 meter walk time test (10mWT). Result: A comparison of the FRT, TUG test, and 10mWT scores obtained before and after the 4-week treatment revealed statistically significant differences (p<.05) for the experimental group; however, there was no such difference in the case of the control group (p>.05). On assessment after the 4-week treatment, statistically significant differences were noted in the TUG test and 10mWT scores of the experimental group (p<.05). Conclusion: Our findings suggest that backward walking training is an effective clinical strategy for improving the walking speed and functional mobility of patients with hemiplegia.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.89-95
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• 2018

PURPOSE: We aimed to study the effect of head-lift exercise on the neck strength and swallowing function in patients with stroke. METHODS: Our study included 20 patients with stroke hemiparesis. All patients were randomly allocated to either the head-lift exercise or the conventional swallowing therapy group, and each group included 10 patients. All patients underwent the exercise over a mean period of 30 min daily for 6 weeks. Neck strength and swallowing function were assessed prior to and 6 weeks following the training period. We used a paired t-test to compare the within-group change before and after the intervention. We used an independent t-test to compare the between-group difference. The statistical significance level was set at ${\alpha}=.05$ for all variables. RESULTS: The head-lift exercise group showed a significant within-group change in terms of the neck strength and swallowing function (p<.05). The conventional swallowing therapy group also showed a statistically significant change (p<.05). A statistically significant difference was observed between the head-lift exercise and the conventional swallowing therapy group with regard to the change in both, the neck strength and swallowing function after application of the intervention (p<.05). CONCLUSION: This study provides valuable information for future studies in this field. Further studies involving a wider range of patients and a longer experiment span are required to strengthen the results of our study.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.185-191
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• 2023

Objective: Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a treatment method for pain, and it can be divided into conventional TENS (C-TENS) and acupuncture-like TENS (A-TENS). More recently, high power lasers have increasingly been used to reduce pain caused by arthritis, residual neuralgia, and musculoskeletal disorders. The aim of this study was to compare the laser needle with C-TENS and A-TENS in terms of pain and blood flow in healthy people, as well as to confirm that the laser needle can replace TENS to treat pain. Design: A randomized controlled trial. Methods: The selected participants were divided using Minimize computer software into a laser group (n=13), a C-TENS group (n=13), and an A-TENS group (n=14); they underwent a pre-test for blood flow and pain in their forearm. The three groups received their respective interventions; they then underwent a second pain and blood flow test on the same spot. Results: No significant differences were observed in the A-TENS group between the pre- and post-tests, and a comparison among the three groups revealed no significant differences between the laser needle group and the C-TENS group in terms of pain. Regarding blood flow, no significant differences were found between the pre- and post-tests in the laser needle group; a comparison among the three groups only revealed a significant between the laser needle and A-TENS groups. Conclusions: This study confirmed that the laser needle can be used to treat pain when it is necessary to control blood flow.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.39-46
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• 2006

We have implemented the Artemisia Extract Moxibustion Method in order to improve the conventional moxibustion therapy. This method is aimed to eliminate burning wounds and smoke, which are the defects of conventional moxibustion therapy. We have verified the effectiveness of the method to the diabetes. We have performed a clinical test for the 23 cases of the diabetics. Level of FBS(fasting blood sugar) didn't show significant changes, but showed the tendency of the descent, and level of HbA1c significantly decreased after the treatments(P<0.001)(n=19).

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.42 no.sup1
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• pp.157-161
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• 2008

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) has a poor prognosis and a strong association with exposure to asbestos. Although there are not generally accepted guidelines for treatment of MPM, recent reports suggest that multi modality therapy combining chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery can improve the survival of patients with MPM. Therefore exact staging is required to decide the best treatment option. However, it is well known that there are many difficulties in determining precise preoperative stage, predicting prognosis, and monitoring response to therapy with conventional imaging modalities such as CT and MRI in MPM. Recently PET with $^{18}F-FDG$ comes into the spotlight as an important staging method. There is increasing evidence that PET is superior to other conventional imaging modalities in diagnosis and staging of MPM. Particularly PET/CT improves the diagnostic and staging accuracy over PET or CT alone in MPM because it provides anatomic imaging data as well as functional information. PET and PET/CT are also useful for monitoring response to therapy and SUV is reported as a prognostic factor in MPM.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.29-38
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• 2008

The purposes of this study were to examine whether balance training through stabilization exercise had influence on the improvement of stroke patients' ability in balancing, and to understand whether the effects had the differences to traditional balance training, if it had effects. Subjects were divided into two groups, a stabilization exercise group(n=28) and a conventional balance exercise group (n=28), and a balance exercise program was conducted twice a day, 30 min for 1 time, 10 times a week for 4 weeks. After the program, the stabilization exercise showed significant improvement of balance ability in Bug Balance Scales (BBS), Functional Reach Test (FRT), Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), comparing with the status of pre －training, as well as the conventional balance training (p<.05). Independent samples t－test was executed in order to verify the significancy in the effects between the two groups and the result showed significant improvement in their average value after training for BBS. However, there was no significant difference in TUG and FRT. As a result, it was examined that partially, there was significant difference only in BBS. According to the results as presented above, if stabilization exercise, which can apply diverse movements and postures, properly keeps pace with conventional balance exercise, stroke patients would obtain significant effects on the improvement of balance ability.