• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.134-138
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• 2018

Objective: The aim of this research was to investigate the effects of functional electrical stimulation (FES) applied to the gluteus medius (Gm) and tibialis anterior (TA) during stair climbing in persons with stroke compared to FES applied to the TA only during stair climbing, and during stair climbing without FES in persons with stroke. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Twenty subjects with stroke participated in this study. Subjects were included if: 1) they were diagnosed as stroke at least 6 months before; 2) had Mini Mental State Examination- Korean score of 24 or higher; 3) were able to climb a flight of 10 stairs independently (with or without walking aid). The patients walked 10 stairs 3 times with FES applied to the Gm and TA, only TA, or no FES. There was a 1-minute rest period between each bout. The assessments were made using the Timed Up & Down Test and the Wii Balance Board. Results: Stair climbing with FES applied to the Gm and TA was significantly faster than stair climbing with FES applied to the TA only and without FES (p<0.05). Stair climbing with FES applied to the Gm and TA exhibited significantly greater sway velocity than stair climbing without FES (p<0.05). However, maximal sway distances were not significantly different between groups. Conclusions: Stair climbing with FES applied to the Gm and TA can be an important component of a rehabilitation program for improving stair climbing ability in persons with stroke.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.97-102
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• 2008

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to find the effect of foot bath on blood pressure(BP) following treadmill exercise. Methode : Subject of study were forty healthy males without any cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and neurologic diseases. Following twenty minutes walking at a speed of 5m/s on the treadmill, ten twenty subjects in experimental group received foot bath, on the dominant lower limb while sitting in chair. Foot bath was applied to the level of the lateral and medial malleoli keeping the temperature of the paraffin bath at $40{\pm}0.5^{\circ}C$. Twenty subjects in control group took a rest sitting in chair in a comfortable position. BP was measured in right brachial artery. BP was measured five times(before exercise, immediately after exercise, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, and fifteen minutes after exercise). Results : The study showed that for diastolic blood pressure, there was no significant difference between the experimental and the control group. However, systolic blood pressure(SBP) increased significantly after exercise compared with SBP before exercise (p<.05). In addition, SBP in five minutes after exercise decreased significantly compared with SBP in immediately after exercise (p<.05). On the other hand, the control group had significant difference between SBP measured before exercise and SBP measured at the other measure time (p<.05). In five minutes after exercise, SBP in experimental group had significant difference with SBP in control group (p<.05). Similarly, in ten and fifteen minutes after exercise, SBP in experimental group had significantly difference with SBP in control group (p<.05). Conclusion : Consequently it was confirmed that when foot bath was applied, the increased BP induced by the exercise returned to normal range rapidly.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.539-545
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• 2012

To evaluate of the ultrasonographic changes in hemiplegic and unaffected knee joints of hemiplegic ambulators with recent onset stroke. Twenty patients (40 knees) with prevalence duration of 14-39 weeks (mean 24.70 weeks) after a stroke insult were included. All participants were walking independently without leg dragging, had no previous knee injury. There were significant differences in intercondylar cartilage thickness and pes anserinous tendinopathy (PAT) between hemiplegic and unaffected knees (p<0.05). There were no differences in cartilage thickness of medial condyle and lateral condyle, patellar tendinitis/bursitis, suprapatellar effusion, synovitis, joint space narrowing, and Baker's cyst of ultrasonographic findings and x-ray findings in hemiplegic knee compared to the control except PAT (p<0.05). In hemiplegic knee, medial or lateral condylar cartilage thickness was significantly correlated with body weight, intercondylar cartilage thickness, and PAT (p<0.05). PAT was significantly correlated with Brunnnstrom stage and condylar cartilage thickness (p<0.05). Knee pain was significantly correlated with lateral condylar cartilage thickness (p<0.1). The hemiplegic knee had more ultrasonographic abnormalities including PAT and more cartilage thickness preservation in patient with recent onset stroke. Intraarticular sonographic findings including cartilage thickness was significantly correlated with extraarticular findings including PAT and a symptom of knee pain.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.948-956
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of a prototype KAFO (Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthosis) powered by two artificial pneumatic muscles during walking. We had previously built powered AFO (Ankle-Foot Orthosis) and KO (Knee Orthosis) and used it effectively in studies on assistance of plantaflexion and knee extension motion. Extending the previous study to a KAFO presented additional challenges related to the assistance of gait motion for rehabilitation training. Five healthy males were performed gait motion on treadmill wearing KAFO equipped with artificial pneumatic muscles to power ankle plantaflexion and knee extension. Subjects walked on treadmill at 1.5 km/h under four conditions without extensive practice: 1) without wearing KAFO, 2) wearing KAFO with artificial muscles turned off, 3) wearing KAFO powered only in plantaflexion under feedforward control, and 4) wearing KAFO powered both in plantaflexion and knee extension under feedforward control. We collected surface electromyography, foot pressure and kinematics of ankle and knee joint. The experimental result showed that a muscular strength of wearing KAFO powered plnatarfexion and knee extension under feedforward control was measured to be lower due to pneumatic assistance and foot pressure of wearing KAFO powered plnatarfexion and knee extension under feedforward control was measured to be greater due to power assistance. In the result of motion analysis, the ankle angle of powered KAFO in terminal stance phase was found a peak value toward plantaflexion and there were difference of maximum knee flexion range among condition 2, 3 and 4 in mid-swing phase. The current orthosis design provided plantaflexion torque of ankle jonit in terminal stance phase and knee extension torque of knee joint in mid-swing phase.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.556-563
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• 2008

Peripheral nerve injuries are a commonly encountered clinical problem and often result in a chronic pain and severe functional deficits. The expression of c-Fos is sometimes used as a marker of increased neuronal activity. We have prepared the aqueous extract of amygdalin from Armeniacae semen for pain control. In the present study, we investigated the effects of amygdalin on the recovery rate of the locomotor function and on the expression of c-Fos in the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) region following sciatic crushed nerve injury in rats. Walking track analysis for the evaluation of functional recovery and immunohistochemistry for the c-Fos expression were used in this study. In the present results, characteristic gait change with dropping of the sciatic function index (SFI) was observed and c-Fos expression in the vlPAG was suppressed following sciatic crushed nerve injury in rats. Amygdalin enhanced SFI value and restored c-Fos expression in the vlPAG to the control value. The present our study indicated that amygdalin activates neurons in the vlPAG, and it facilitates functional recovery following peripheral nerve injury.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.2126-2134
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• 2020

Background: Therapeutic climbing training, which originated in Germany, is a wall-hanging rock climbing-based therapy to increase the body's coordination through movement of the upper and lower limbs against gravity. However, there are no studies examining the effectiveness of therapeutic climbing training to treat balance and gait ability in patients with chronic stroke. Objectives: To investigate therapeutic climbing training program on balance and gait in patients with chronic stroke. Design: Pretest-posttest control group design. Methods: Fourteen patients with chronic hemiplegic stroke participated. Participants were randomized into the therapeutic climbing training group (TCTG, n=7) and the standard rehabilitation program group (SRPG, n=7) group. All subjects participated in the same standard rehabilitation program consisting of 60 minutes 5 times a week for 6 weeks. TCTG participated additionally in the therapeutic climbing program consisting of 30 minutes sessions 3 times a week for the same 6 weeks. Berg balance scale (BBS), Gaitview Measure, Timed up and go test (TUG) were measured. Results: In the TCTG, revealed a statistical difference in BBS between the groups; in the difference of plantar pressure ratio in the static standing position revealed a statistical difference between the groups after training; the balance ability in the one-leg standing tests increased significantly; the time in TUG decreased significantly after training in both groups; The changes in the difference of dynamic plantar pressure ratio were reduced significantly in the TCTG. Conclusion: Therapeutic climbing training contribute to improve balance and walking function in patients with chronic stroke.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.23-28
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• 2018

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of wearing various types of shoes on gait ability in stroke survivors and in order to gain information in regards to shoes that could possibly replace ankle orthosis. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Eight hemiplegic survivors diagnosed with stroke participated in the study. Gait was analyzed using the GAITRite Electronic Walkway (CIR System Inc., USA) when subjects walked with no showed, walked with non-ankle-covered shoes, and walked with ankle-covered shoes. This study collected gait variables, including velocity, cadence, step length, stride length, single support time, and double support time, respectively. Results: In the comparison of walking with no shoes, non-ankle-covered shoes, and ankle-covered shoes, there were significant differences in gait velocity, step length, stride length, and the less affected side single support time (p<0.05). However, there were no significant differences in cadence, affected side single support time, and double support time. Conclusions: Ankle-covered shoes had a positive impact on the gait of stroke survivors. However, it is necessary to conduct more studies comparing various types of shoes with ankle orthoses.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.303-313
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• 1997

We developed the shoes which is specially designed to decrease the leg's fatness during walking and to improve the body figure. The analysis of the gait cycle and the shoes gave changes at the swing phase. We examined the results to 30 girl students of Yeong Dong Junior College for 5 weeks from 27, October to 29, Nobember in 1996, and the results were also obtained in decrease of their thigh's size in circumference. The results of the analysis are as followings; 1) After experiment circumference of the right thigh was decreased 0.04cm in noncontrol group and significantly decreased 1.04 cm in control group(p<0.01). 2) After experiment circumference of the left thigh was decreased 0.27 cm in noncontrol group and significantly decreased 1.17cm in control group(p<0.01). 3) After experiment circumference of the right calf of the leg decreased 0.09 cm in noncontrol group and significantly decreased 0.54 cm in control group(p<0.01). 4) After experiment circumference of the left calf of the leg decreased 0.21 cm in noncontrol group and significantly decreased 0.47 cm in control group. 5) After experiment body weight were not changed significantly in both group. In these results, if the people want to exercise the analysis of fat in the thigh, put on the shoes which improves the body figure and do daily work, and it will be naturally decreased the fat in thigh and they will maintain the beauty lines of the legs. There weren't any changes in the body weight while the fat of thigh in circumsference was analysed and decreased. It means that because the weight of the fat is very light, there weren't any changes in body weight.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.49-54
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• 2014

Objective: This study aimed to identify how various applications of weight bearing on the affected side of hemiplegia patients affect the ability of balance keeping of the affected leg and the gait parameters. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Eighteen patients with hemiplegia participated in this study. There were twelve males and six females. This study investigated the effects of the single-leg stance exercise on dynamic balance, weight bearing, and gait ability compared with four conditions. Dynamic balance and weight bearing were measured using the step test (ST) of the affected side in stroke patients. In addition, gait parameters were measured using the optogait system for analysis of the spatial and temporal parameters of walking in stroke patients. Results: This study investigated the effect of the single leg stance exercise on the paralysis side. The ST showed significant findings for all conditions (p<0.05). Therefore, knee extension and flexion exercise on the affected side single-leg stance (condition 4) significantly improved dynamic balance and weight bearing on the affected side (p<0.05). In the condition of moving the knee joint in a single-leg stance was discovered that the stance phase time significantly increased more than in the condition of supporting the maximal voluntary weight on the affected side (p<0.05). Conclusions: Single-leg stance on the paralysis side with knee flexion and extension increased symmetry in weight bearing during stance phase time. This study suggests that single-leg stance exercises augments improved gait function through sufficient weight bearing in the stance phase of the affected side.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.15-27
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• 2018

Purpose : This study aims to present a rehabilitation exercise and physical education program (REPEP) for local community stroke patients by examining an exercise program provided from traditional physical therapeutic perspectives. Methods : The subjects were 40 stroke patients residing in a local community and managed by a public health center (the group-exercise group: 20, the individual-exercise group: 20). In the case of the group-exercise group (GEG), the subjects were divided into small groups composed of five members each to participate in the program. The individual-exercise group (IEG) took part in the program individually. The subjects received a REPEP that included a warm-up exercise, an elastic band exercise, a leg exercise, a balance and gait exercise, an arm and trunk exercise, and a cool-down exercise twice per week for 20 weeks. They had their gait function, balance index, and muscle strength in the bilateral knee joints tested before and after the experiment. Results : Compared to before the experiment, both groups' gait function, balance index, and muscle strength in the knee joints increased after the experiment. After the experiment, the GEG experienced more improvement in their gait function, balance index, and muscle strength in the bilateral knee joints, excluding their gait velocity and $300^{\circ}/sec$ flexion and extension, than the IEG (p<.05). Conclusion : An exercise program provided from the traditional physical therapeutic perspectives may be applied to stroke patients as their REPEP. In addition, a REPEP was more effective in improving their gait function, balance index, and muscle strength in the knee joints when the subjects formed a group and took part in the program than when they partook in it individually.