2026, Vol.21, No.2

Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine 2024 KCI Impact Factor : 0.84

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

PURPOSE: Nordic walking training is effective for improving the gait function of elderly people. This study examined the effects of Nordic walking training on the gait function of arthritis patients after knee arthroplasty. METHODS: In the single-blinded, comparative study, 26 female patients who had undergone total knee arthroplasty were assigned randomly to an experimental (Nordic walking training) or a control (general treadmill training) group. The experimental and control groups received Nordic or general treadmill walking training, respectively, for 30 minutes five times a week for four weeks. All study subjects (n = 26) also received 60-minute sessions of comprehensive physiotherapy five times a week over the same four weeks. The stride lengths, walking velocity, stance times, and swing times were measured before and after the four-week training period. RESULTS: Significant improvements were observed in stride length, walking velocity, swing time, and stance time in the experimental group (p < .05). Furthermore, the experimental group also showed larger increases or decreases in the variables than the control group (stride length, 4.28 cm vs. 1.55 cm, p < .001; walking velocity, 3.61 cm/sec vs. 1.26 cm/sec, p < .001; swing time, -.25 sec vs. -.07 sec, p < .001, respectively). CONCLUSION: Nordic walking training may improve physical function more effectively in knee arthritis patients after total knee arthroplasty than treadmill walking training.

PURPOSE: This study translated, culturally adapted, and validated the Korean version of the Family Needs Questionnaire–Pediatric Rehabilitation (FNQ-PR) to assess the needs of caregivers of children with disabilities in South Korea. METHODS: A cross-sectional study with a test–retest design was conducted among 195 caregivers of children aged 2–18 years with neuromotor, neurodevelopmental, or orthopedic disabilities. After obtaining permission from the original authors, the FNQ-PR was translated and culturally adapted through forward translation, caregiver review, grammatical revision, back-translation, and expert approval. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using polychoric correlations and principal axis factoring with oblique rotation was followed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using the WLSMV estimator. The internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s α, and the test–retest reliability was evaluated in 30 caregivers randomly selected using Excel. RESULTS: EFA identified five factors that explained 64% of the variance: Support for the Child, Support for the Caregiver, Support for Rehabilitation Participation, Support for Social Participation, and Support for the Environment. Cronbach’s α ranged from .87 to .92. The CFA showed good model fit (SRMR = .06, CFI = .99, TLI = .99, RMSEA = .09). The test–retest reliability was moderate to high across most items, and the lowest mean scores related to transition to adulthood. CONLUSION: The Korean FNQ-PR showed strong validity and reliability. It is a culturally appropriate tool for assessing the caregiver needs in pediatric rehabilitation and can help improve family-centered services in South Korea.

PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of vestibular stimulation on the trunk control and sitting balance in subacute stroke patients and evaluated whether adding vestibular stimulation to neurodevelopmental therapy (NDT) provides additional therapeutic benefits. METHODS: Twenty subacute stroke patients were assigned randomly to an experimental group (NDT plus vestibular stimulation, n = 10) or a control group (NDT alone, n = 10). Both groups received the intervention for four weeks. Trunk control and sitting balance were assessed before and after the intervention using the Modified Functional Reach Test (M-FRT) with the Balancia software system and the Trunk Impairment Scale (TIS). RESULTS: The between-group comparisons showed that the experimental group had a significantly greater post-intervention M-FRT forward reach distance and mean velocity, as well as higher TIS total and dynamic balance scores than the control group(p < .05). CONCLUSION: Vestibular stimulation training may provide additional benefits for improving trunk control and the dynamic sitting balance during the early rehabilitation phase of subacute stroke.