2021, Vol.16, No.4

Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine 2023 KCI Impact Factor : 0.45

pISSN : 1975-311X / eISSN : 2287-7215
https://journal.kci.go.kr/kspm

PURPOSE: Lumbosacral orthosis (LSO) is often used to help manage low back pain because it is economical and effective. This study examined the effects of flexible and semirigid LSOs on the lower-limb joint angles in walking in patients with chronic low back pain. METHODS: The effects of the lumbosacral orthosis during gait on the sagittal, frontal, horizontal planes and the change in lower limb angle were examined in fourteen chronic low back pain patients who walked without wearing a LSO, wearing a flexible LSO, and wearing a semirigid LSO in random order for three-dimensional motion analysis. RESULTS: The flexion of the hip and knee joints decreased more significantly during walking with an LSO than without one. The genu valgum angles were reduced in the stance phase more during walking with an LSO than without one. The external rotation of the knee joints in the stance phase increased more during walking with an LSO than without one. CONCLUSION: The angles of the lower-limb joints of patients with chronic low back pain are affected by walking with an LSO, and the effects increased as the LSO stiffened.

PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of action observational training with acoustic stimulation (AOTA) on the balance and gait ability in stroke patients. METHODS: Forty-five chronic stroke patients were divided into three groups. The AOTA group (n = 15) received training via a video that showed a normal gait with the sound of footsteps. The action observation training (AOT) group (n = 15) received AOT without acoustic stimulation. The control group (n = 15) received physical training. Each intervention was applied once per day, three times per week for six weeks. The participants in the AOTA and AOT groups had five minutes of AOT. The participants in the all group had 20 minutes of physical training. All participants were measured using the Berg Balance Scale, the Timed Up and Go Test, the Functional Reaching Test, 10 Meter Walk Test, six Minute Walk Test, and Dynamic Gait Index. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 for Windows. The between- and within-group comparisons were analyzed using the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) test and a paired t-test, respectively. For all statistical analyses, the significance level was set to .05. RESULTS: The one-way ANOVA test identified significant differences among the measurement results of the three groups (p < .05). Post hoc analyses indicated the AOTA group to undergo more significant balance and gait changes than the control group (p < .05). CONCLUSION: The gait and balance abilities could be improved effectively for patients with stroke when action observation training and acoustic stimulation were applied simultaneously.

PURPOSE: This study compared the effect of training ankle joint and hip joint thera-band exercise on balance. METHODS: The participants were divided into two groups of 11 each. Group A performed hip exercise after ankle exercise, and Group B performed ankle exercise after hip exercise. Using a green thera-band, the dorsiflexion and plantarflexion and hip flexion and hip extension were exercised repeatedly for 15 seconds three times with a five-second rest between each set. After the exercise and measurement of one area were complete, the exercise and measurement of the other area were performed at one-day intervals. The balance ability was assessed using a Tetrax and Y-balance test and repeated three times; the best values were taken. RESULTS: In the stability index (ST) of the static balance, the hip joint exercise group (HTG) during the follow-up of normal eye open (NO) revealed notable improvement over the ankle joint exercise group (ATG), and in the follow-up of the normal eye closed (NC), the ATG showed significant improvement over the HTG. In the pillow with eye closed (PC) follow-up, the ATG showed significant improvements over the HTG. At the left (Lt) and Y-balance test (YBT), the ATG showed significant improvements in the follow-up over the HTG (p <.05). CONCLUSION: In static balance, the ATG showed significant improvement in the follow-up of NC and PC over the HTG. In the dynamic balance, the Lt. dynamic balance on the non-dominant side in the ATG showed significant improvement in the follow-up over the HTG