The purpose of this study was to effects of hippotherapy on functional ability of children with cerebral palsy (CP). Fifty-seven children with CP participated were randomly divided into two groups. All of the groups received thirty minutes of conventional physical therapy program for three times a week per twelve weeks, however experimental group received additional fifteen minutes of the hippotherapy. Gross Motor Function Measure(GMFM) was used to compare the effects of hippotherapy. The results were as followings: GMFM score in dimensions A and B significantly increased in the control group after intervention. All dimensions of GMFM was significantly increased in experimental group after intervention. All dimensions of GMFM were significantly different between experimental group and control group. These results suggest that hippotherapy can be considered as a therapeutic method for physical therapy for the children with CP to improve the functional movements.

This study aims to examine the effects of taping of the ankle joint on the static and dynamic balance and gait ability of stroke patients. Twenty-six stroke patients receiving physical therapy at a hospital located in Gyeonggi-do were divided equally into a group that had taping in physical therapy and an ordinary physical therapy group. They exercised for 30 minutes each, 3 times per week for 8 weeks from June to August 2011. Romberg’s eye open and eye closed tests, limits of stability(LOS), forward and back test, timed up and go test(TUG) and 10-meter gait velocity test were performed to evaluate static balance, dynamic balance, and gait ability, respectively, prior to and 8 weeks after the intervention. Differences within each group in relation to the lapse of time were compared by a paired t-test. Differences between the two groups were compared by an independent t-test. Regarding comparison of differences within each group, all tests resulted in significant changes in both groups after the intervention (p<.05). Comparison of differences between the two groups showed that taping in the physical therapy group had significantly better test results than the ordinary physical therapy group in all measured items(p<.05). The after effects of ankle taping on stroke patients are more efficient and effective than ordinary physical therapy alone in improving balance and gait ability.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of the exercise on elderly balance ability by using hippotherapy and therapeutic ball exercise. 10 patients were assigned to the hippotherapy group and they got with 30 minutes of hippotherapy. Another 10 elderly were assigned to the therapeutic ball group and they got with 30 minutes of therapeutic ball exercise. All procedures were repeated 5 times a week for the total of four weeks. To investigate the participants balancing abilities, the Time“ Up & Go”(TUG) and One Leg Stand Test(OLST) were evaluated. The results of study were significant differences between pre-test and post-test of TUG and OLST(p<.05), and there were no significant differences between hippotherapy and therapeutic ball exercise(p>.05). The conclusion showed that both the hippotherapy and the therapeutic ball exercises were effective on elderly balancing ability. Consequently, it would be better to practice therapeutic ball than hippotherapy for elderly exercise because the more economical and there is less restriction of space than the hippotherapy.

The purpose of this study was to examine the degree of knowledge of care workers working at long term care hospitals and nursing homes on pressure ulcer. A total of 81 care workers including 34 at long term care hospitals and 47 at nursing homes were surveyed. 24 questions were used to evaluate their degree of knowledge on pressure ulcer. Their knowledge on pressure ulcer scored 12.84 out of the total score of 24 points(SD=3.40), which was equal to 53.50 (SD=24.23) out of 100 points. Their knowledge on the prevention of pressure ulcer was highest among the subareas of evaluation. Their knowledge on pressure ulcer statistically significantly differed according to education on pressure ulcer(P<.05). A pressure ulcer is a skin disorder that may be prevented and cured. At this point when long term care facilities are rapidly increasing, care workers highlevel knowledge on and good management of pressure ulcer is very important. Practically educating them on pressure ulcer including the provision of recent, updated relevant knowledge will be necessary.

The purpose of this study effectiveness of core strengthening exercise programs on symmetric double limb support and balance ability for elderly. The subjects that 30 persons between the ages of 65~80 elderly participated were divided into two groups randomly for 8 weeks. Tetrax interactive balance system and Berg's balance scale were used to assess support and stability. Paired t-tests were used to evaluate the changes before and after intervention. The difference between the groups was compared using an independent t-test. The experimental group showed significantly increase weight support, stability, balance(p<.05). However, the control group not showed significantly increase weight support, stability, balance(p>.05). In a variation, experimental and control groups showed significantly increased rate of weight support, stability, balance(p<.05). Consequently, core strengthening exercise program should be considered as a therapeutic method for the elderly to improve the balance ability and effectiveness on falls.

The purpose of this study is to see the effect of functional electrical stimulation on forced vital capacity and alternating motion rate in children with spastic cerebral palsy. This study divided 20 children with spastic cerebral palsy into two groups; functional electrical stimulation treatment group and control group. Functional electrical stimulation treatment group had 20min per day treatment three times a week for four weeks and the control group did not have any treatment. Before and after intervention, this study measured forced vital capacity and alternate motion rate(/peo/,/teo/) for all children. Forced vital capacity showed statistically significant increase for the group with functional electrical stimulation(p<.05) while the control group did not show any significant increase(p>.05). Alternate motion rate showed statistically significant increase for the group with functional electrical stimulation(p<.05) while the control group did not show any significant increase(p>.05). This result shows that functional electrical stimulation affected the ability of the children with spastic cerebral palsy who have decreased breathing and phonation capability.

The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of gait training using functional electrical stimulation on the improvement of hemiplegic patients' functions for balance and gait velocity. The subjects of the experiment were determined to be 10 each hemiplegic patients who had been diagnosed with stroke or brain damage six months or longer earlier assigned to an experimental group and a control group respectively. The subjects were evaluated before the experiment using Tetrax and 10M gait tests, received gait training five times a week for four weeks using functional electrical stimulation and were evaluated after the experiment in the same method as used in the evaluation before the experiment. In order to examine differences between the experimental group that received gait training using functional electrical stimulation and the control group that was treated by functional electrical stimulation and received gait training thereafter, differences between before and after the experiment were analyzed using paired sample t-tests and differences in changes after the experiment between the experimental group and the control group were analyzed using independent sample t-tests in order to compare the two groups with each other. Experimental results showed significant differences in weight bearing, balance and gait velocity between before and after the experiment in the experimental group(p<.05). In the control group, whereas weight bearing and gait velocity did not show any significant difference between before and after the experiment(p>.05), balance showed significant differences(p<.05). Weight bearing, balance and gait velocity change rates showed significant differences between the experimental group and the control group(p<.05). In conclusion, it was indicated that gait training using functional electrical stimulation is effective for enhancing stroke patients' weight bearing rates, balance abilities and gait velocity.

Four different rice varieties, Sindongjinbyeo, Dongjin #1, Saegyehwabyeo, and Iksan 467, were transplanted under three different nitrogen levels and two different seedling numbers per hill to obtain basic information on panicle traits under different cultural conditions and to propose the ideal panicle structure in Japonica rice. Sindongjinbyeo and Iksan 467 were characterized by more primary rachis branches (PRBs) per panicle and more grains on PRB than other cultivars. The two varieties also had fewer secondary rachis branches (SRBs) per PRB and fewer grains on SRB per PRB. These characteristics, consequently, resulted in higher ripened grain rate, contrary to that of Dongjin #1 and Saegyehwabyeo. In the correlation coefficient analysis, PRB number per panicle and grain number on PRB per panicle were positively correlated with ripened grain rate, while SRB number per panicle, number of grains on SRB per panicle, SRB number per PRB, number of grains on SRB per PRB and grain number per panicle were negatively correlated with ripened grain rate. Therefore, the number of grains on PRB per panicle, SRB number per PRB and the number of grains on SRB per PRB were the appropriate criteria for determining and achieving higher ripened grain rate in rice. High ripened grain rate over 90% was obtainable with over 12.5 PRBs per panicle and 63 grains on PRB per panicle, and with under 1.7 SRBs per PRB, 5 grains on SRB per PRB, 130 grains per panicle, and 14 panicles per hill. The study recommended that for over 90% high ripened grain rate, the critical limiting factors should be under 2 SRBs per PRB, 6 grains per PRB, and 130 grains per panicle, irrespective of the PRB number per panicle and the number of grains on PRB.