OBJECTIVETo compare balance ability between elderly individuals who practiced Tai-Chi-Chuan (TCC) for average 9.64 years and elderly individuals who did not practice TCC and its relationship with lower extremity muscle strength and ankle proprioception.

METHODSTwenty-five elderly volunteers were divided into two groups according to their TCC practcing experience. Sixteen were TCC group and the other nine were control population. Subjects completed a static balance test and ankle proprioception test using a custom-designed evaluation system, and concentric and eccentric knee extensor and flexor muscle strength tests. Subjects stood on the plate form to measure the proprioception in functional standing position which was differed from the previous studies. Multiple linear regressions were also used to predict the important factor affecting balance.

RESULTSTCC group performed better than the control group in balance, proprioception, and muscle strength of lower extremity. The proprioception was the most important factor related to balance ability and it can be accounted for explaining 44% of variance in medial-lateral sway direction, and 53% of variance in antero-posterior sway direction. The proprioception may be a more important factor which affecting the balance ability.

CONCLUSIONTCC training is recommended to the elders; as it can improve balance ability through better proprioception.

Aged ; Ankle Joint ; physiology ; Female ; Humans ; Kinesthesis ; Linear Models ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Muscle Strength ; physiology ; Postural Balance ; physiology ; Posture ; physiology ; Proprioception ; physiology ; Tai Ji

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of foot orthotics and rehabilitation exercises by assessing balancing ability and joint proprioception in athletes who have chronic ankle instability. METHODS: Forty-one athletes who visited hospitals due to chronic ankle instability were randomly assigned to two groups. One group had ankle rehabilitation exercises while the other group had the same rehabilitation exercises as well as foot orthotics. Joint position sense of the ankle joint was examined by using an isokinetic exercise machine. Balancing abilities categorized into static, dynamic and functional balance abilities were evaluated by using computerized posturography. We tested the subjects before and after the four-week rehabilitation program. RESULTS: After the four-week treatment, for joint reposition sense evaluation, external 75% angle evaluation was done, revealing that the group with the application of foot orthotics improved by -1.07+/-1.64 on average, showing no significant difference between the two groups (p>0.05). Static, dynamic and functional balancing abilities using balance masters were evaluated, revealing that the two groups improved in some items, but showing no significant difference between them (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: This study found that athletes with chronic ankle instability who had foot orthotics applied for four weeks improved their proprioceptive and balancing abilities, but did not show additional treatment effects compared with rehabilitation exercise treatment.
Animals ; Ankle ; Ankle Joint ; Athletes ; Exercise ; Foot ; Humans ; Joints ; Orthotic Devices ; Postural Balance ; Proprioception

This study aims to examine the effect of 8-week 11+ program on technical skills and balance abilities of high school soccer players. This study targeted 40 soccer players from G and K club in Gyeonggi-do and 20 players from G team and 20 players from K team were placed in the training group and the control group, respectively. For data analysis, variable values of the two groups before and after intervention were calculated as averages and standard deviations using the SPSS ver. 21.0 statistic program. For analyzing within-group differences, paired t-test was conducted and for analyzing between-group differences, independent sample t-test was conducted. The statistical significance level was set at 0.05. The major study findings are as follows. First, the 11+ program was more effective in improving Jug 200 and short pass ability than static stretching. Second, the 11+ program was more effective in the posteromedial and posterolateral areas of Y-balance test than static stretching. These results demonstrate that the 11+ program is relatively effective in improving technical skills and balance abilities of soccer players. Therefore, it is considered that it is important to introduce and distribute the 11+ program to leaders, who are responsible for enhancing skills of soccer players.
Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Muscle Stretching Exercises ; Postural Balance ; Proprioception ; Soccer* ; Statistics as Topic ; Warm-Up Exercise

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of different thickness of foam on the postural control of standing in healthy subjects.

METHODSThirty healthy adult subjects (11 males, 19 females) were taken into examination of computerized posturography measurement under different surface conditions such as the firm surface and 1 to 5 layer foams of medium density with 4.7 cm high respectively in stance of feet together with eye open and eye closed for 30 s. The following time-dominated parameters regarding to the center of pressure (COP) movement were used for the analysis: whole path length (WPL), unit path length (UPL) which means the sway velocity of the COP movement, unit area path length (UAPL), circumference area (CA), effective value area (EVA) and rectangle areas (RA).

RESULTSAll parameters had the increased tendency when the layer of foam was added with both eye open and closed conditions except the UAPL, which had a decreased tendency. The parameters on different layer of foam were significance (P < 0.05) except the following conditions: (1) WPL and UPL on layer 4 and 5 with eyes opened and eyes closed; (2) UAPL on layer 2 and 3, layer 3 and 4, layer 4 and 5 with eyes opened, layer 3 and 4, layer 3 and 5 and layer 4 and 5 with eyes closed, (3) CA on layer 2 and 3, layer 3 and 4, layer 4 and 5 with eyes opened, layer 3 and 4, layer 3 and 5, layer 4 and 5 with eyes closed; (4) RA and EVA on layer 2 and 3, layer 4 and 5 with eyes opened, layer 3 and 4, layer 4 and 5, layer 3 and 5 with eyes closed.

CONCLUSIONSThe postural stability of normal subjects decreased when the foam thickness was added in some extent. It was important that the thickness of foam should be considered for interrupting the proprioception of feet in clinical. The whole path length and average velocity of movement of COP can be considered as the stable and sensitivity parameters in the foam posturography.

Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Musculoskeletal System ; Postural Balance ; Proprioception ; Young Adult

Posturographic examination is commonly used by clinicians to evaluate standing balance. Because it is perfomed with double leg standing, it cannot sensitively detect the minor balance problem like functional ankle instability. This study aims to evaluate the test retest reliability of the single leg balance test using Tetrax posturography and its correlation with modified star excursion balance test (mSEBT). 30 healthy participants (16 male, 14 female, mean age 26.3+/-3.3) were volunteered for this study. We manufactured a specially designed wood plate to assess their single leg standing balance. It was set on each of the 4 force plates of Tetrax posturography (Sunlight Medical Ltd., Ramat Gan, Israel). Stability index were measured based on each single leg stance. Participants performed the single leg balance test on Tetrax posturography in three different times, and they also performed the mSEBT. The test retest reliability of stability index measured by Tetrax posturography was assessed by the intraclass correlation coefficient, and its correlation with the normalized composite distance of mSEBT was assessed by Pearson correlation coefficient. The single leg balance test using Tetrax posturography showed good test retest reliability. There was a negative correlation between the stability index of Tetrax posturography and the normalized composite distance of mSEBT, based on right and left leg stance, respectively. These findings suggest that Tetrax posturography is a useful and reliable tool for single leg balance assessment.
Ankle ; Ankle Injuries ; Female ; Humans ; Leg* ; Male ; Postural Balance ; Proprioception ; Wood

PURPOSE: To investigate the changes in postural balance before and after total hip arthroplasty (THA) using computerized dynamic posturography MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective study of 18 patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty. We evaluated each patient's postural balance prior to, and at least 12 months after, total hip arthroplasty by using computerized dynamic posturography. We compared the preoperative equilibrium scores with the postoperative equilibrium scores. Clinical results were assessed for all patients preoperatively and postoperatively using the Harris hip scoring system. We investigated whether postural balance improves, and what factors were related to this parameter. RESULTS: Patients showed significant improvement in postural balance by means of proprioception after total hip arthroplasty (p<0.05). We found, during intercepting visual compensation, that an increase in the Harris hip score was correlated with an improvement in balance (p<0.01, r = 0.649). CONCLUSION: Patients with Total hip arthroplasty showed improvement in dynamic postural balance through proprioceptive recovery, and balance improved as the Harris hip score increased. This resulted in decreased pain, recovery of articular function, enhancement of physical activity, and ultimately improvement in postural balance by means of total hip arthroplasty.
Arthroplasty ; Compensation and Redress ; Hip ; Humans ; Motor Activity ; Postural Balance ; Proprioception ; Prospective Studies

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) treatment on pain and balance in patients with lumbosacral radiculopathy.METHOD: This study included twenty-five patients who were diagnosed with chronic lumbosacral radiculopathy. They underwent PRF treatment in prone position under the fluoroscopic guidance. The effect of PRF was measured by the visual analog score (VAS). Patient ability to balance was evaluated by using the Tetra-ataxiometric posturography (Tetrax).RESULTS: After PRF all patients showed improvement in pain as measured by VAS (p < 0.001) and none of the patients reported any side effects. The posturographic balance, which was evaluated by Tetrax showed no significant decline after PRF treatment. The weight distribution index (WDI) with eyes open before treatment was 5.43 ± 2.88 and after treatment was 5.37 ± 2.65 (p=0.917). The mean stability index (SI) with eyes open before treatment was 16.52 ± 6.05 and after treatment was 16.61 ± 4.85 (p=0.906). The mean WDI with eyes closed before treatment was 5.66 ± 2.81 and after treatment was 5.16 ± 2.70 (p=0.470). Finally, the mean SI with eyes closed before was 25.88 ± 9.88 and after treatment was 25.99 ± 12.30 (p=0.962).CONCLUSION: The results suggest that PRF has an effect on pain in patients with chronic lumbosacral radiculopathy. The patients did not experience adverse effects, such as hypoesthesia, dysesthesia and decreased proprioception after PRF, and there were no significant declines in balance.
Humans ; Hypesthesia ; Methods ; Paresthesia ; Postural Balance ; Prone Position ; Proprioception ; Pulsed Radiofrequency Treatment ; Radiculopathy

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the balance function of injured lower limb by dynamic posturography. METHODS: Using the dynamic posturography instrument, the postural evoked responses of sixty-two normal people and two hundred and fifty-eight people with injured lower limb bones and joints were detected. The test was included sensory organization test (SOT) and adaption test (ADT). The results of two groups were compared by t test. RESULTS: Compared with the normal people, the impaired people had significant statistical differences in balance scores of SOT3-SOT6 and proportion score of dynamic proprioception (P < 0.05). There was no obvious decrease in ADT. CONCLUSION The balance function of injured lower limb significantly decreases.
Case-Control Studies ; Humans ; Lower Extremity/physiopathology* ; Postural Balance/physiology* ; Posture/physiology* ; Proprioception/physiology*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the application of modified clinical test of sensory interaction and balance (mCTSIB) in the patients with vertigo. METHOD: One hundred and six patients with vertigo (62 cases with peripheral and 44 cases with central vestibular disorder) were taken the mCTSIB of the firm surface and foam surface with eye open and eye closed for 30 seconds respectively. The standing foam surface was to interrupt the somatosensory and closing eyes was to interrupt the visual input in the postural stability. The falling during the test was recorded. The results between the mCTSIB and video nystagmography (VNG) were compared. RESULT: In vestibular peripheral disorder, the abnormal of mCTSIB was 45.16% (28/62) and agreement to VNG was 67.74% (42/62). In vestibular central disorder, the abnormal of mCTSIB was 27.27% (12/44) and agreement to VNG was 81.82% (36/44). For all these patients with vertigo in this study, the abnormal of mCTSIB was 37.74% (40/106) and agreement to VNG was 73.58% (78/106). Regarding the falling as abnormality, the mCTSIB was not significant different between the vestibular peripheral and central disorders (chi2 = 3.505, P > 0.05). CONCLUSION Although the mCTSIB, which was easy to carry out, can not be a method to differentiate the vestibular peripheral and central disorders, it was a suitable to assess the ability of sensory interaction to maintain balance in patients with vertigo.
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Postural Balance ; Proprioception ; Vertigo ; physiopathology ; Vestibular Diseases ; physiopathology ; Vestibular Function Tests ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To measure knee joint proprioception quantitatively in hemiplegic patients after brain injury using an isokinetic dynamometer. METHOD: Thirty healthy subjects and 24 hemiplegic patients participated in this study. Joint position sense was evaluated with passive angle reproduction of 30degrees and 60degrees of knee flexion and kinesthesia was evaluated with the threshold for detection of passive movementfrom 45degrees of knee flexion. We used toe-"up or down"-test for conventional clinical method. RESULTS: Significant proprioceptive deficit was observed not only in paretic knees of both right and left hemiplegic patients (p<0.05) but also in nonparetic knee in right hemiplegic patients (p<0.05). Both interrater and intrarater reliability of the quantitative measurement were significantly high. A significant difference was found between proprioception deficit defined with current clinical test and quantitative test in the nonparetic knee (p<0.05), but not in the paretic knee (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: The quantitative test using an isokinetic dynamometer is a reliable method to measure knee proprioception, and it is possible to detect proprioceptive deficit in hemiplegic patients. Conventional clinical assessments are poor for predicting the results of the quantitative measure in the nonparetic knee. This quantitative method may be useful in diagnosis and follow-up of knee proprioception of hemiplegic patients after brain injury.
Brain Injuries ; Hemiplegia ; Humans ; Joints ; Kinesthesis ; Knee ; Knee Joint ; Proprioception ; Reproduction