Postural stability can reduce the likelihood of critical slip and fall accidents in workplaces. The present study aimed to analyze the effect of shoes type on the ability of postural control during quiet standing. The effect of workload on the body balance was also of primary concern. Thirteen healthy male undergraduate students participated voluntarily in the experimental study. Standing on a force plate with wearing slippers, sports shoes, or safety shoes, two-axis coordinate on subjects’ center of pressures (COP) was obtained in the two levels, rest and workload. For the workload level, subjects performed treadmill exercise to reach the predetermined level of physical workload. By converting the position coordinates of COPs, the postural sway length in both anterior-posterior (AP) axis and medio-lateral (ML) axis was assessed. ANOVA results showed that, in AP direction, wearing slippers significantly increased the postural sway length compared to wearing sports shoes or safety shoes. No significant difference in the mean sway length in AP axis was observed between sports shoes and safety shoes. In ML direction, both the workload and the shoes type did not significantly affect the mean length of postural sway. However, the postural sway length increased marginally with the slippers especially during the workload condition. This study explains wearing slippers may interfere with the ability of postural control during quiet standing. Physical workload decreases the ability of postural stability further.

Postural instability can increase the likelihood of hazardous slip and fall accidents in workplaces. The present study intended to extend understanding of the effect of abnormal neck posture on postural control during quiet standing. The effect of body fatigue on the postural control was also of primary concern. Twelve healthy undergraduate students volunteered to participate in the experiment. Standing on a force platform with the neck neutral, flexed, extended, or rotated, subjects’ center of pressures (COP) were measured under the two levels of body fatigue. For the fatigue condition, Subjects exercised in a treadmill to meet the predetermined level of body fatigue. Analyzing the position coordinates of COPs, the length of postural sway path was assessed in both medio-lateral (ML) axis and anterior-posterior (AP) axis. Results showed that, in AP direction, neck extension or rotation significantly increased the sway length as compared with neck neutral. Neck extension led to greater sway length compared to neck rotation. Neck flexion did not differ from neck neutral. The sway length in the AP direction also became significantly larger as the body fatigue accumulated after treadmill exercise. In ML direction, as compared to neutral posture, the neck extension, flexion, or rotation did not significantly affect the length of postural sway path. However, the sway length seemed to increase marginally with the neck extended during the fatigued condition. This study demonstrates that abnormal neck posture may interfere with postural control during standing. The ability to maintain postural stability decreases significantly with the neck extended or rotated. Body fatigue leads to postural instability further.

Loss of postural stability can possibly lead to slip and fall accidents in the number of workplaces and everyday life. This study was aimed to examine the effects of whole body fatigue and partially limited visual field on the ability of maintaining postural balance during quiet standing. A group of twelve healthy male subjects participated in the experiment. Before and after experiencing the whole body fatigue induced by bicycling exercises, the position coordinates of subject’s center of pressure (COP) were obtained under the two levels of visual field condition (i.e., open visual field and limited visual field). Four levels of the whole body fatigue examined were rest, 300watt, 600watt, and 900watt. Position coordinates of COPs measured on a force plate were then converted into the total length of postural sway path in both the medio-lateral (ML) direction and the anterior-posterior (AP) direction. Two-way ANOVA result showed that the length of sway path in the AP direction became significantly larger as the whole body fatigue accumulated. Post-hoc test revealed statistically significant differences between rest and 900watt and between 300watt and 900watt. The significant increase of the sway length was also found when the visual field was partially obstructed by the boxes. In the ML direction, however, there was no statistically significant difference of the postural sway in both the AP and ML directions. The results imply that the ability of maintaining postural stability can be reduced significantly due to such tasks along with whole body fatigue. The postural balance can also be impaired by the limited visual field.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between the ankle dorsiflexion passive range of motion (DF PROM) under a non-weight bearing condition and the normalized reach distance in three directions of the Y-Balance Test (YBT). Sixty-one healthy adults (32 males and 29 females, age: 23.0±3.0 years, height: 169.3±8.9 ㎝, weight: 61.9±5.4 ㎏) participated in this study. The ankle DF PROM was measured using a goniometer. To assess dynamic balance, all subjects performed three trials to determine the maximum lower extremity reach in the anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral directions of the YBT. The relationship between the ankle DF PROM and both the normalized reach distance in each direction and the composite score of the YBT were analyzed using the Pearson correlation. Only the normalized reach distance in the anterior direction of the YBT was significantly related to the ankle DF PROM measured under a non-weight bearing condition (r=.50, p＜.001). Neither the normalized reach distances in the posterior directions nor the composite score of the YBT were significantly correlated with the ankle DF PROM measured under a non-weight bearing condition. These findings suggest that ankle DF PROM does not affect the overall dynamic balance of the lower extremity, with only the anterior dynamic balance affected among the three directions.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the activity of the transverse abdominal muscle resulting from changed posture by measuring the thickness of the transverse abdominal muscle in a supine posture, a slouched sitting posture, and an erect sitting posture. The subjects of the study were 28 patients with cerebral palsy. All their transverse abdominal muscles at the end of inhalation were measured at supine, slouched sitting (S sitting) and erect sitting (E sitting) postures by using ultrasonography, and then their dynamic sitting balance was measured at S sitting and E sitting postures by using BioRescue. For the statistical analysis, the Kruskal-Wallis test and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used to compare the differences among each the postures. The results were as follows. The thickness of the transverse abdominal muscle when comparing the supine posture and the S sitting posture showed no statistically significant difference. But the E sitting posture showed a statistically significant difference as compared with the others. In addition, the dynamic sitting balance in comparing the S sitting and E sitting postures showed a significant difference. In conclusion, the E sitting posture has a more positive effect on postural control and balance than generally taking the S sitting posture, for the sitting posture of a patient with cerebral palsy. It is suggested that patients with cerebral palsy mainly experiencing a sedentary life or being in a wheelchair should be seated in the E sitting posture during their daily life, and it may be necessary to continue to monitor and manage the proper E sitting posture.

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.

목적 : 뇌졸중 환자를 대상으로 4점 척도인 뇌졸중 자세 평가 척도(Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke: PASS) 와 5점 척도인 버그 균형 척도(Berg Balance Scale, BBS)를 3점 척도로 단순화시켜 원본 PASS, BBS와 특성을 비교하고 신뢰도 및 타당도를 알아보고자 하였다. 연구방법 : 만성뇌졸중 환자 62명을 대상으로 PASS(0-1-2-3)는 PASS-3Level(0-1.5-3)로 BBS( 0-1-2- 3-4)는 BBS-3Level(0-2-4)로 기록하여 비교하였다. PASS-3L과 BBS-3L 평가의 측정자내·측정자간 신 뢰도는 급간내 상관계수를(ICC3,1), 절대적 신뢰도는 표준 오차 측정(Standard Error Measurement: SEM)과 최 저 실제 차이(Small Reference Differences: SRD)를 이용하였고, 내적 일치도를 알아보기 위하여 Cronbach’s α 계수를 구하였다. PASS(PASS-3L), BBS(BBS-3L)의 동시 타당도와 수정된 바델 지수(Modified Barthel Index, MBI)와 퓨글 마이어 운동(Fugl Meyer-Motor: FM-M)과의 수렴 타당도를 알아보기 위하여 피어슨 상관 분석을 하였다. 결과 : PASS-3L과 BBS-3L의 검사 재검사 신뢰도는 각각 ICC = .96, .96, 측정자간 신뢰도는 각각 ICC = .95, .94이었다. PASS-3L과 BBS-3L의 SEM은 각각 .99, 1.55, SRD는 1.74, 4.30, Cronbach's α계수는 .77, .85로 신뢰도가 높게 나타났다. PASS-3L의 동시 타당도는 PASS(r=.93), BBS(r=.75), BBS-3L(r=.80)과 유의한 관 련이 있었고, BBS-3L은 PASS(r=.80)와 BBS(r=.93)와 유의한 상관관계가 있었다(p<.01). PASS-3L의 수렴 타당도는 MBI(r=.60), FM-M(r=.42)과 유의한 관련이 있었고, BBS-3L은 MBI(r=.79), FM-M(r=.48)와 유 의한 상관관계가 있었다(p<.01). 결론 : 2개의 단순화된 PASS-3L과 BBS-3L은 PASS, BBS와 비교하여 매우 높은 신뢰도와 타당도를 보여 뇌졸 중 환자의 균형을 평가하는데 적합하다고 할 수 있다.

This study was aimed to understand the effects of perturbed floor surface on human postural stability while standing. Ten subjects were asked to stand quietly on the surface with two angles of inclination (0° and 5°), two contamination conditions(dry and

본 연구에서는 관상동맥질환 환자들의 누운 자세가 자율신경계의 균형에 미치는 효과를 알아보고자 하였다. 관상동맥질환군 43명과 통제군 31명을 대상으로 세 가지 자세-똑바로 누운 자세(supine), 왼쪽으로 누운 자세(left), 오른쪽으로 누운 자세(right) -에서의 심박동변이도(HRV)를 측정하였다. HRV 변수들에 대한 분석 결과, 오른쪽으로 누운 자세에서 normalized high-frequency power가 가장 높았고, normalized low-frequency power는 가장 낮았다. 즉, 오른쪽으로 누운 자세에서 심장교감신경계의 활성도를 나타내는 HRV 변수들은 가장 낮은 반면에 심장부교감신경계의 활성도를 나타내는 HRV 변수들은 가장 높은 것으로 나타났다.

뇌기능 장애 환자에서 자세균형 제어능력의 저하는 보행 및 일상생활동작 수행 등에 어려움을 초래하며 이에 대한 정확한 평가 및 치료를 위하여 일상의 환경변화와 유사한 상황을 제공하고 이에 따른 자세균형 조절 능력을 파악하는 것이 중요하다. 본 연구는 뇌기능 장애 환자에서 가상적 움직이는 환경에 따른 자세균형 조절 기능을 정확히 평가하고 환경의 움직임이 자세균형 조절에 미치는 영향을 분석하였다. 15명의 뇌기능 장애 환자들과 정상인 15명을 대상으로 실생활과 유사한 환경의 조성을 위하여 HMD를 이용한 가상 환경 움직임(Virtual Moving Surround)을 네 가지 다른 패턴으로 제공하였다. 자세동요의 정도는 힘판을 이용하여 신체압력중심의 변화를 전체이동거리, 동요주파수, 최대 빈도 COP 위치로 측정하였으며 가상 환경의 차이에 따른 변화를 비교 분석하였다. 연구결과 검사 재검사 신뢰도평가에서 일관된 분석결과를 나타냈고 뇌 기능장애 환자와 정상인의 분석에서는 두 그룹간의 차이를 확인할 수 있었다. 특히 전후로 빠르게 변하는 가상 환경에서 가장 큰 자세동요를 나타내었고 통계적으로 유의한 차이가 있었다. 본 연구를 통해 뇌기능 장애 환자에서 가상 환경 변화가 자세균형 조절에 미치는 영향을 확인할 수 있었으며 이러한 환자들을 위한 치료와 평가 환경 조성 등에도 유용한 자료로 쓰일 수 있을 것으로 사료된다