The purpose of this study were to investigate the independent ADL (Activities of Daily Living) level of elderly people using a questionnaire made up of a mobility scale, two basic ADL measurement tools, and an instrumental ADL measurement tool, and to differentiate between the levels according to various performance environments. The subjects were elderly people (over 60 years) who live in Wonju City (pop.240,000). A survey tool made up of 110 items was used for this study and the quiestionnaire was completed by 7 investigators who interviewed the respondents at gatherings for the elderly. The results were analyzed according to gender, 3 age groups (60-69, 70-75, and over 76), comfortable position preference (floor sitting or chair sitting), and housing type (detached house or apartment) by non parametric statistics, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests. The results were as follows: 1. According to age group, basic ADL dependence level was not significantly different in ‘cleaning house’, ‘travelling’, ‘street crossing’, ‘hospital visiting’, and ‘walking around’. Women were more significantly dependent than men in instrumental ADL: ‘going to the post office’, ‘driving’, and ‘street crossing’, but without significant difference of dependence level in basic ADL. 2. According to position pattern, dependence level was not significantly different for ‘face washing’, ‘hair washing’ or ‘foot washing’. At rest, people sitting on the floor were more dependent in instrumental ADL items only for ‘shopping’ and ‘attending religious services’. People living in detached houses reported significantly more difficulty using the toilet than those in apratments. 3. The most sensitive items for evaluating functional independence of the elderly were: ‘using the telephone’, ‘face washing’, ‘hair washing’, ‘foot washing’, and ‘bottle opening’ in basic ADL, and ‘hospital visiting’, ‘travelling’, and ‘street crossing’ in instrumental ADL. The Cronbach α value of mobility, basic ADL, instrumental ADL were 0.87, 0.86, and 0.91, respectively. To evaluate the ADL of old age, we have to use evaluation tools suitable to the Korean culture. The most useful items were ‘telephone use’, ‘face washing’, ‘hair washing’, ‘foot washing’, ‘bottle opening’ in basic ADL, and ‘hospital visiting’, ‘travelling’, and ‘street crossing’ in instrumental ADL. Especially, instrumental ADL is more valuable than basic ADL in evaluating old age. It is more important in evaluating the practical aspects of life in old age to consider housing and living patterns because there are some ADL items which are affected by comfortable sitting preference and housing style.

The purposes of this study were to compare the electromyographic activities from the rectus femoris, vastus medialis oblique portion, vastus medialis longitudinal portion, and vastus lateralis during straight leg raising (SLR) and quadriceps setting (QS) exercise and to determine which exercise is more effective to selectively strengthen the vastus medialis. Thirty two healthy subjects <19 men, 13 women) participated in the study. All participants performed SLR and QS exercises while electromyographic activity was recorded from EMG surface electrodes. Statistical analysis demonstrated significantly greater values for the vastus medialis oblique portion, vastus medialis longitudinal portion, and vastus lateralis activities during QS exercise than for those during SLR exercise. However, the rectus femoris muscle activity between SLR and QS exercises was not significantly different. The ratios of vastus lateralis to vastus medialis during SLR and QS exercise were not significantly different. These results show that QS exercise is more effective for strengthening the quadriceps muscle on the whole than the SLR exercise. As for selective methods of strengthening vastus medialis specifically, both SLR and QS exercises are useful.

The purpose of this study was to compare and evaluate various hand functions in the most common position (chair sitting, standing, floor sitting) used by cerebral palsied children with spastic diplegia. The results, analysed statistically, could be useful in suggesting treatment strategy for the improvement of hand function in such patient. For this study, 27 children mild or moderate spastic diplegia were chosen. They were patients of the Rehabilitation Hospital, Yonsei University Medical Center. Both dominant and nondominant hands were tested by the Box and Block Test. Bilateral hand function was tested by bead striding and card sorting activities. Collected data was analysed using univariate correlation analysis and MANOVA. Results were as follows: 1) In chair sitting there was a significant positive correlation between dominant hand scores in the Bloc and Box Test and chronological age, gestation period, and time of treatment initiation. In bilateral hand function, card sorting scores correlated positively with time of treatment initiation. 2) In standing, there was a significantly positive correlation between dominant hand scores in the Block and Box Test and time of treatment initiation. 3) In floor sitting, there was a significantly positive correlation between the dominance hand scores in the Block and Box Test and the tine of treatment initiation. Bead stringing, a bilateral hand activity, correlated positively with gestation period and birth weight but negatively with the postnatal incubation period. 4) That score of children who walked showed no significant difference in any of the three postures. 5) Highest test scores in children who could nat walk were in the Box and Block Test for nondominant hand in bead stringing for bilateral hand function. There scores occurred with the children in thee chair sitting posture. The results showed that, in order to improve hand function in children with spastic diplegia, it is necessary to maintain a well supported upright trunk posture with variations allowed for relevance to the chosen position of thee improvements hand activity being performed.

The objective of this study was to identify the immediate effects of the short leg brace on the weight bearing distribution and gait patterns of hemiplegic patients. The subjects of this study were 18 hemiplegic patients who had been hospitalized or visited out-patient department of Rehabilitation Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, from January 5, 1996 through March 23, 1996. PLS(Posterior Leaf Spring) on and off changes in gait patterns were measured using ink foot print as well as by recording weight bearing distribution using a limb load monitor. The data were analyzed by the correlation and paired t-test. The findings were as follows: 1. Eighteen subjects were more weighted on the affected leg when PLS was put off(42.74%) than on(40.08%). 2. The defference in gait patterns between PLS on and off was statistically significant, with an increase in step length by 1.7cm on the involved side; a decrease in foot angle by 4.41 degree on the involved side; and a narrowing of base of support by 1.46cm when PLS were off. In conclusion, this study showed that PLS did not affect the weight bearing distribution and gait patterns of hemiplegic patients. Since, the evaluation method used in this study has limitations in regard to temporal distance gait values. Further studies are required to numerous experiments for subject and extensive study.

The research of cold therapy is preceding rarely nowadays. This study was researched to measure the skin temperature of the right foot malleolus when the leg change the situation precisely speaking it was cold, elevation, cold plus elevation. Twenty young healthy volunteers(M:10, F:10)with no history of cardiopulmonary disease, peripheral artery disease were tested. This study were analyzed by one-way-repeated ANOVA. In the first we examined the within changes of the skin temperature between before and after examination for each modality. The skin temperature at all of modalities had fallen. Therefore we could know the fact that elevation plus cold modality had fallen skin temperature significantly more than elevation or cold. And there were no significant difference between male and female. We conclude that elevation and cold therapy could be better effective on edema, contusion and sprain than cold or elevation therapy independently.

Body position is known to have an effect on vital capacity(VC). The purpose of this study was to examine effect on VC of posture, sex and smoking, and the difference between predicted and measured values of VC. VC was measured in the standing and the head-down position in 40 healthy subjects (20 men and 20 women) in a random order of testing. When subjects changed from standing to head-down position, this VC decreased by 19.9%. In both positions, VC changes in men were significantly larger than in women. No statistically significant difference was found in men who smoked. There was no difference between the predicted and measured values in men. But measured values were larger than predicted values in women. Because VC can decrease by 19.9% in the head-down position due to the effect of gravity, attention should be paid especially to patients who are placed in the head-down position for postural drainage since they already have a decreased VC.

The purpose of this study was to assess the concurrent validity and reliability of goniometric measurement of joint motion. Subjects were 40 healthy university students. Measurements were performed by 4 inexperienced physical therapy students. Four different instruments were used and three readings were taken with each instrument in random order making a total of 12 readings for flexion of the right elbow of each subject. Goniometers used were 1. universal 2. fluid-based goniometer/inclinometer 3. digital LCD goniometer 4. electronic goniometer/torsiometer. The results were as follows: Concurrent validity was highest (r= .94) with the universal and digital LCD tools. Interrater reliability (Pearson Product Moment Correlation) was good for each tool. Interrater reliability calculated by ICC(2,1) was highest (.96) with the tensiometer and lowest (.78) with the digital LCD goniometer. Intrarater reliability calculated by ICC was excellent () for all instruments. These results show that concurrent validity, intrarater and interrater reliability are very good in the used of all four types of goniometers/inclinometer/tensiometer, even with inexperienced raters. These results confirm the almost universal reliance on hand held goniometers for joint measurement by physical therapists as being a reliable practice. Further research should be done clinically with actual patients.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of mental practice in increasing accuracy of performance during motor task. Forty healthy students aged 17 years were randomly assigned to two groups. The experimental group(n=20) performed mental practice; the control group(n=20) performed nothing. The task was dotting. No significant change was seen between pre and post test subtest results following mental practice sessions(p>0.05). The experimental group's accuracy improved a little but this was not valuable statistically(p>0.05). We could not prove that mental practice was effective in increasing accuracy of motor task performance.

The objective of this study was to identify the effects of weight-transfer training on the weight bearing distribution and gait patterns of hemiplegic patients through visual and auditory feedback using a limb load monitor. The subjects of this study were 18 hemiplegic patients who had been hospitalized or were visited out-patient department of the Rehabilitation Hospital, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, from January 5, 1995 through March 15, 1995. Pre-and post-training changes in gait patterns were measured using ink foot prints as well as by recording weight bearing distribution using a limb load monitor. The data were analyzed by the repeated measure one-way ANOVA and paired t-test. The finding were as follows: 1. Prior to the training, 18 subjects bore more weight on the sound leg(61.6 %) than on the affected leg(38.4 %). 2. Posterior to the training, the average percentage of weight bearing on the affected leg increased significantly from 38.4 % prior to training; to 46.0 % immediately after training; 45.7 % after a 30 second delay; and 45.3 % after a 60 second 3. The difference in gait patterns between pre- and post- training was statistically significant, with an increase in gait velocity to 3.65 cm/sec post-training; an increase in stride length to 5.37 cm on the affected side; 4.77 cm on the sound side; and a narrowing of the base of support to 1.19 cm. In conclusion, hemiplegic weight-transfer training using visual and auditory feedback with a limb load monitor was found to be enhancing symmetrical standing posture, and simultaneously improve gait patterns.

The purpose of this study was to investigate which of 4 positions produced the highest action potential in the rectus femoris muscle of normal adult subjects. Testing was performed in supine with the right leg performing a simple straight leg raise with the knee fully extended. The left leg, however, was placed in 4 different positions: 1. Full support with flexion. 2. Flexed on the plinth with knee flexion and foot flat. 3. Same as N0.2 but with knee flexion. 4. Left leg hanging over the end of the plinth with knee flexion, hip flexion and no foot support. This study was designed to compare the level of electromyographic activity of the rectus femoris under 4 positions. Fourty-three healthy young adults performed three trials of each exercise condition in random order in the supine position. Electromyographic activity was recorded from surface electrodes. Rectus femoris action potentials in all 4 positions were significantly different. The highest action potential at the end of movement of the right leg occurred with the left leg hanging over the end of the plinth with knee flexion. It is therefore recommended the straight leg raising be performed with the contralateral leg flexed at over the end of the supporting surface to obtain a maximum rectus femoris isometric contraction.

The purpose of this study is to determine cardiovascular reponses to concentric, eccentric and isometric exercise applied to the knee extensor muscle group. Exercise types studied were concentric, eccentric and isometric. The subjects were sixty healthy male volunteers who had no hypertension or cardiac disease. Heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure were recorded prior to starting exercise. The subjects also performed 10RM on right lower extremity. A N-K table was used for three exercises to right knee extensors. Each exercise was selected randomly and applied to each subject 10 times in a 10 second. After each exercise, heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure were recorded immediately. Findings were as follows concectric contractions had a greater effect on the increase of systolic blood pressure and heart rate than eccentric or isometric contractions. Diastolic blood pressure is influenced only by isometric contractions. Eccentric contractions have less effect on the increase of systolic blood pressure and heart rate than concentric or isometric contractions. We hope that the results of this experiment can be adapted to exercise programs for patients with cardiac disease.

This study was performed to determine the inter-rater reliability of manual tests of elbow, knee flexor, and ankle dorsiflexor muscle spasticity graded on the Modified Ashworth Scale. Two raters each independently graded the spasticity of 32 patients with intracranial lesions after moving the paretic limb passively through the available range of motion. The patients were asked to simultaneously squeeze therapeutic putty with their non-paretic hand for reinforcement. The ratings were compared by the Wilcoxon matched pairs signed-rank test and by the Kendall's coefficient of rank(tau) correlation. There was singificant correlation between two raters for spasticity at the elbow, knee flexor, and ankle dorsiflexor. The correlations of the two raters ranged from .6746 to .9308. The highest correlation was for the elbow with reinforcement and the lowest was for the knee without reinforcement. Poorer correlation was evident in the knee joint. The positive results of this study encourage the continued use of manual tests of muscle spasticity, using the Modified Ashworth Scale.