PURPOSE: This study was done to suggest directions for developing exercise interventions for fall prevention in the elderly in Korea in the future. METHOD: Twenty five articles for fall prevention exercises were reviewed and analyzed. RESULT: 84.0% of subjects were older adults age 65 and older living in the community. The most frequently performed interventions were lower limb strength and balance exercises together 43.3%, group exercise 70.0%, exercise 3 times/week 60.0%, 60 min per session 36.7%, duration of 12 weeks and 1 year 23.3% each. The most frequently used outcome variables were static balance 84.0%, lower limb muscle strength 72.0%, dynamic balance 56.0 %, and falls 56.0 %. The effect of exercise interventions on fall prevention was inconclusive. Lower limb strength exercises with resistance were effective for increasing muscle strength. Balance exercises with various movements for balance were effective for increasing balance. CONCLUSION: Exercise interventions for fall prevention is recommended for older adults with risk factors of falling. The desirable type of exercise intervention is lower limb strength and balance exercise together.
Musculoskeletal Equilibrium ; Middle Aged ; Humans ; *Exercise Therapy ; Aged ; Accidental Falls/*prevention & control

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the correlations of scores on the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test and the Single Leg Stance (SLS) test with stability scores on the Biodex Balance System (BBS) in healthy adults. METHOD: The postural balance of 73 participants was measured on the TUG and SLS tests and with the Overall Stability Index (OSI) on the BBS. The participants were divided into groups by age and by times on the TUG and SLS. The correlations between TUG or SLS and OSI scores were analyzed by groups. RESULTS: TUG scores were significantly correlated with OSI scores in age under 65 years, TUG over 10 seconds and SLS over 30 seconds groups (level 12). TUG scores were also correlated with OSI in total (level 10) and TUG under 10 seconds groups (level 2). However, there were no significant relationships between SLS and OSI scores. CONCLUSION: OSI scores on the BBS are significantly correlated with TUG scores, especially at the easy levels. According to the findings of present study, relatively easy BBS levels are considered to assess the postural balance in healthy adults.
Adult ; Humans ; Leg ; Postural Balance

PURPOSE: This study was amied to identify the effects of a 12 week Korean traditional dance movement program on balance, depression, medical cost, medical institution's utilization and fall among elderly women. METHODS: Using a quasi-experimental design, the experimental group was composed of 130 subjects and the control group was composed of 123 subjects. The experimental group participated in a 12 week Korean traditional dance movement program 3 times a week from December 2002 to February 2003. Data was analyzed with descriptive statistics, the chi-square test, paired t-test and t-test. RESULTS: There was siginificant improvement in balance(right leg p=.000, left leg p=.004), depression(p=.000), and the medical institution's utilization(p=.001) and fall(p=.002) in the experimental group compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: A Korean traditional dance movement program improved balance, depression, and decreased fall and medical cost in elderly women. Therefore, we recommend this program be utilized as a health promoting program and falls preventing program for the elderly in the community.
*Musculoskeletal Equilibrium ; Middle Aged ; Korea ; Humans ; Female ; Depressive Disorder/*psychology ; *Dance Therapy ; Aged, 80 and over ; Aged ; Accidental Falls/*prevention & control

There is a need of training and rehabilitation system for the patients who have problems in postural balance control due to diseases, accidents or age. We have implemented the training simulator which can apply virtual exercise for the training of patients. The system is composed of exercise recording, graphic simulator and training unit. We loaded two CCD cameras and three gyro-sensors on the exercise recording platform. Two CCD cameras are separated by 6.5cm to simulate human eyes and record slightly different images for each eye. Three gyro-sensors record acceleration in X, Y, Z axes respectively. These signals are sampled with 0.1 sec time intervals(10Hz) and converted to digital format. To integrate two video signals into one, only odd fields from left camera and even fields from right camera are multiplexed to compose a recording video signal. Digitized acceleration signals are recorded in blanking timing interval of NTSC signal format. Simulated bed positions are displayed on the monitor in graphic format. Training unit consisted of HMD and titling bed. Each recorded image is displayed on HMD while the tilting bed is controlled by the recovered accelerated signals. We have recorded the exercises while walking and driving. These recorded exercises are simulated with HMD and graphic display of position.
Acceleration ; Exercise ; Humans ; Postural Balance* ; Rehabilitation* ; Walking

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility and effects of balance training with a newly developed Balance Control Trainer (BCT) that applied the concept of vertical movement for the improvements of mobility and balance in chronic stroke patients. METHOD: Forty chronic stroke patients were randomly assigned to an experimental or a control group. The experimental group (n=20) underwent training with a BCT for 20 minutes a day, 5 days a week for 4 weeks, in addition to concurrent conventional physical therapy. The control group (n=20) underwent only conventional therapy for 4 weeks. All participants were assessed by: the Functional Ambulation Categories (FAC), 10-meter Walking Test (10mWT), Timed Up and Go test (TUG), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Korean Modified Barthel Index (MBI), and Manual Muscle Test (MMT) before training, and at 2 and 4 weeks of training. RESULTS: There were statistically significant improvements in all parameters except knee extensor power at 2 weeks of treatment, and in all parameters except MBI which showed further statistically significant progress in the experimental group over the next two weeks (p<0.05). Statistically significant improvements on all measurements were observed in the experimental group after 4 weeks total. Comparing the two groups at 2 and 4 weeks of training respectively, 10mWT, TUG, and BBS showed statistically more significant improvements in the experimental group (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Balance training with a newly developed BCT is feasible and may be an effective tool to improve balance and gait in ambulatory chronic stroke patients. Furthermore, it may provide additional benefits when used in conjunction with conventional therapies.
Gait ; Humans ; Mobility Limitation ; Postural Balance ; Stroke

With developing technology, quantitative analysis of gait and balance has been much interested in last decade. In gait analysis, three-dimensional motions capture and gait analysis using foot pressure is widely used. For measuring balance, posturography with force plate especially dynamic intervention has been developed. Recently wearable device containing accelerometer and gyro-sensor can assess long term monitoring for real living situation beyond lab based environment. Future studies of validity and reliability of quantitative analysis is necessary for clinical implication.
Foot ; Gait* ; Postural Balance ; Reproducibility of Results

Electronystagmography ; Humans ; Postural Balance ; Vestibular Function Tests

Persistent postural-perceptual dizziness (PPPD) was derived from phobic postural vertigo and chronic subjective dizziness. Two key physical symptoms of PPPD are postural unsteadiness and visually induced dizziness. Although the underlying mechanism of PPPD is still enigmatic, the prognosis is good with adequate treatment. In this paper, diagnostic criteria, pathophysiology and treatment regarding PPPD will be reviewed.
Dizziness ; Perceptual Disorders ; Postural Balance ; Prognosis ; Vertigo

PURPOSE: This study was to examine the effects of treadmill gait training at different controlled inclinations on the standing balance of hemiplegic patients caused by cerebrovascular injury. METHODS: The study's subjects were 44 patients with chronic stroke, randomly divided into three experimental groups: 0° treadmill gait training (n=14), 5° treadmill gait training (n=15), and 10° treadmill gait training (n=15). In addition to conventional physical therapy, the subjects underwent gait training on a treadmill with one of three different inclinations for 30 min per session five times per week for six weeks. The Biodex balance system SD, Berg balance scale, and timed up and go tests were used to measure the postural balance of the patients. RESULTS: This study showed that gait training on a treadmill at controlled inclinations of 0°, 5°, and 10° positively influenced the stroke patients' standing balance. The 5° and 10° inclination gait training groups showed significantly more improvement than the 0° inclination group. CONCLUSION: Gait training on a treadmill with inclinations of 0°, 5°, or 10° can be said to positively affect the postural balance of hemiplegic patients due to stroke. In particular, 5° and 10° inclination gait training offered more significant improvement than the 0° inclination gait training group. When added to regular treatment routines, gait training at controlled inclinations is an effective intervention for improving hemiplegia due to postural balance.
Gait* ; Hemiplegia ; Humans ; Postural Balance* ; Stroke*

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the balance training effects of balance system in hemiplegic stroke patients. METHOD: The study consisted of 14 male and 6 female hemiplegic patients, aged 48 to 70 years, time postattack ranged from 6 to 17 months. Balance training was done by conventional method (control group) and using balance system (Chattanooga Group, Inc., training group) and the effect were evaluated by balance system. RESULTS: Body sway index and moving target accuracy rate were not significantly different between training group and control group before training, but were significantly different after training. Training group showed significantly decreased sway index and increased moving target accuracy rate at four weeks after training compared to the status before training. CONCLUSION: The hemiplegic patients trained by balance system showed significantly improved static and dynamic postural balance control. Therefore, the balance system is considered to be a valuable training modalitiy for the hemiplegic patients.
Female ; Humans ; Male ; Postural Balance ; Stroke