The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of a horse riding simulator and galvanic vestibular stimulation on improving the ability to balance posture and proprioception. Thirty healthy adults participated and were randomly assigned to a horse riding simulator group (=10), galvanic vestibular stimulation (GVS) group (=10), control group (=10). Experiment groups were trained 3 times per week over 6 weeks. The ability to balance posture was measured by force plate and proprioception was measured by Joint position sense. The following results were obtained. the changes of balance index were significant interaction in each group in accordance with the experiment time in 0, 3 and 6 weeks (p<.05). All groups showed the most decreasing pattern compared with the control group. But was not statistically significant. Proprioception was significant interaction in each group in accordance with the experiment time (p<.05). All groups showed the most decreasing pattern compared with the control group. The above results indicated that the 6 weeks horse riding simulator and galvanic vestibular stimulation training demonstrated positive effects in the ability to balance posture and proprioception. These results suggest that the horse riding simulator and galvanic vestibular stimulation training could be therapeutic intervention that can improve balance and postural control.

This study is aimed at investigating the influence of different quantitative knowledge of results on the measurement error during lumbar proprioceptive sensation training. Twenty-eight healthy adult men participated and subjects were randomly assigned into four different feedback groups(100% relative frequency with an angle feedback, 50% relative frequency with an angle feedback, 100% relative frequency with a length feedback, 50% relative frequency with a length feedback). An electrogoniometer was used to determine performance error in an angle, and the Schober test with measurement tape was used to determine performance error in a length. Each subject was asked to maintain an upright position with both eyes closed and both upper limbs stabilized on their pelvis. Lumbar vertebrae flexion was maintained at for three seconds. Different verbal knowledge of results was provided in four groups. After lumbar flexion was performed, knowledge of results was offered immediately. The resting period between the sessions per block was five seconds. Training consisted of 6 blocks, 10 sessions per one block, with a resting period of one minute. A resting period of five minutes was provided between 3 blocks and 4 blocks. A retention test was performed between 10 minutes and 24 hours later following the training block without providing knowledge of results. To determine the training effects, a two-way analysis of variance and a one-way analysis of variance were used with SPSS Ver. 10.0. A level of significance was set at .05. A significant block effect was shown for the acquisition phase (p<.05), and a significant feedback effect was shown in the immediate retention phase (p>.05). There was a significant feedback effect in the delayed retention phase (p<.05), and a significant block effect in the first acquisition phase and the last retention phase (p<.05). In conclusion, it is determined that a 50% relative frequency with a length feedback is the most efficient feedback among different feedback types.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of ‘knowledge of results’ on wrist proprioceptive training in three persons with poststroke hemiplegia who had no unilateral spatial neglect on MVPT and had adequate cognition on MMSE-K. A single subject design with multiple baseline across individuals was employed. Each subject participated daily in the 10-15 minutes' wrist proprioceptive training for the affected wrist with ‘knowledge of results’ which informed the subjects of their wrist position verbally or visually as feedback. The proprioception was measured as average frequency and percentage of the correct responses on the wrist proprioceptive test in the affected side using apparatus of researcher’s own design and SoloSystem. The measurements were repeated three times; baseline, immediately, and 30 minutes after the training. The results were as follow: 1.　During the baseline period, the number of average correct responses in three subjects were: S1 7.20(36.00%), S2 7.25(36.25%), and S3 10.58(52.92%) respectively. 2.　Immediately after the training, the number of average correct responses in three subjects were: S1 14.07(69.67%), S2 12.83(64.17%), and S3 15.63 (78.13%) respectively. 3. Thirty minutes after the training, the number of average correct responses in three subjects were: S1 15.53(77.67%), S2 14.25(71.25%), S3 6.38(81.88%) respectively. 4. All the three subjects showed more correct responses in wrist proprioceptive tests at wrist flexion 60°and extension 60°during both the baseline and the training period. They also showed the highest improvement of correct response at neutral wrist position. These results indicated that ‘knowledge of results’ had positive effects on improving and maintaining the wrist proprioception of affected wrists in persons with poststroke hemiplegia. Effect of such improvement on the functional aspect of stroke-affected upper extremity remains to be evaluated in the later study.