The present study aimed to investigate rapid weight loss (RWL) and consequent physical and psychological challenges among judo athletes at the national athlete training center in 2017. The following results were obtained. Judo athletes used weight loss methods such as “gradually reduce meal portion,” “skip meals,” “limit water intake,” “wear sweat suit for training,” and “use sauna,” and had physical and mental distress from such unhealthy weight management practices. Information about weight loss was obtained from “colleagues or senior athletes,” “Internet,” and “head coach or coach,” and not experts such as nutritionists or physicians. Thus, athletes are recommended to employ healthy weight control methods based on advice from experts, such as nutritionists and physicians

This epidemiological study aims to determine the incidence, areas, severity, and time of occurrence of sports injuries in elite female rowing athletes who were training at the Jincheon National Training Center for a 1-year period from January 1st to December 31st, 2017. According to the daily injury reports form of the IOC, sport events, weight division, injured area, and cause of injury were recorded, and the following results were found. Upon comparing the incidence of sports injuries, there was a significant difference in weight of double scull athletes. In terms of sports, there was a significant difference between pair and athletes who played double skull. Injuries occurred most commonly in the lower extremity (40.5%), followed by the trunk (35.1%), upper extremity (24.3%). for all athletes in rowing. The knee and lumbar spine/lower back were the most common injury sites. More than 60% of all injuries were Level III, and injuries occurred most frequently during training, followed by weight training and then competition.

This study aimed to identify the effects of kinesio taping (KT) applied in a proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) pattern on the pain, weight-bearing distribution (WBD), and walking ability of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) patients. Thirty women with KOA were randomly allocated to a control group (n=15) with KT at the quadriceps only, and a PNF pattern group (n=15) with KT at the quadriceps and gastrocnemius muscle. Pain intensity was measured using a visual analogue scale during walking. In addition, WBD, and walking ability were measured before and 30 minutes after KT application. The VAS significantly reduced in both groups after the intervention (p<.05). WBD (p<.05, ES=.32) and walking ability (p<.05, ES=.38) showed a significant change in the PNF pattern group, and in the inter-group comparison, the PNF pattern group showed a significant difference compared to the control groups. These results demonstrate that KT application with PNF pattern effectively attenuate the pain and improves WBD and walking ability in KOA patients.

This study examines changes in walking ability among patients with stroke after applying dual-task training under the condition of visual control and unstable supporting ground; the purpose is to provide reference data for selecting intervention methods that enhance the walking ability of patients with stroke. Among the patients with stroke who received rehabilitation treatment(at Rehabilitation Hospital B in Gyeonggi, South Korea from May 2014 to July 2014), 29 patients were selected as research subjects; all of them understood the purpose and contents of this research and agreed to participate in the experiment. The research subjects were divided into a visual control and unstable supporting ground dual-task(VUDT) group(10 patients), a visual control dual-task(VDT) group(10 patients), and an unstable supporting ground dual-task(UDT) group(9 patients); all of the subjects received 30-minute trainings, three times a week for a total of four weeks. A Timed-Up-and-Go(TUG) test was performed to investigate the change of walking function among the subjects, and a 10m walking test was conducted to measure their walking speed. According to the study results, all three groups showed significant differences after dual-task training; the dual-task training group under the condition of visual control and unstable supporting ground showed the most prominent change. This study confirmed that dual-task training using visual control and unstable supporting ground has a positive impact on the walking ability of patients with stroke. Through the study results, we found that implementing dual-task training under the condition of visual control and unstable supporting ground can more effectively improve the walking ability of patients with stroke, rather than performing visual control dual-task training or unstable supporting ground dual-task training only.

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.