Earticle

The purpose of this study is to conduct a systematic literature review to investigate the effect of motor training on pulmonary rehabilitation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We searched and analyzed eight related studies published from January 1996 to December 2022 on domestic academic search sites. The result showed that exercise including balance training had a beneficial effect on pulmonary function, exercise tolerance and quality of life in patients with COPD. In addition, certain exercises such as home-based rehabilitation programs and unicycle riding have been found to be effective in improving cardiopulmonary function. Our study also highlights that the need for further study on the long-term effects of state-of-the-art exercise and pulmonary rehabilitation programs on the cost and effectiveness. In conclusion, exercise plays an important role in improving pulmonary function in patients with COPD, and continuos research should focus on optimizing exercise and conducting qualitative studies to better understand personal experiences of patients.

This study aimed to identify the effects of sensory integration program on motor and sensory function in cerebral palsy. Two child with cerebral palsy presenting delayed sensory integrationvolunteered to participate in this study. Outcome measures included GMFM, Pediatic balance scale, Short Sensory Profile and Wee-FIM test. They experienced a sensory integration program with attempting to improve sensory-motor function. Measurement values were remarkably improved after the intervention, except for Wee-FIM score. These findings suggest that the sensory integration program might be helpful to enhance sensory- motor function of children with cerebral palsy. Further researches are necessary to find beneficial intervention in this field.

Robot assisted gait-training (RAGT) has been shown to improve the postural balance and gait function in children with cerebral palsy (CP). The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness and efficiency of squat and wearable robot Angel-legs assisted gait training on the balance and gait in the boy with spastic diplegic CP and provide evidence for the clinical application of training using wearable rehabilitation robots. The conventional physical therapy is performed for 30 minutes per session, twice a day for 3 weeks. Squat and gait training with wearable robot was conducted for 30 minutes per session, once a day for 3 weeks (a total of 15 sessions). Outcome measures were evaluated before and after the intervention. Trunk control measurement scales and pediatric balance scale were used to measure balance, gross motor function measure was used to evaluate gross motor function, 10m walking test was used to evaluate walking ability, and electromyography (EMG) was used as a tool to measure muscle activity. Improvements in all of the measurements have been reported after intervention, induced squat & gait training using wearable robot. In particular, maximum of the difference of the same muscle group(quadriceps and hamstring) activity was decreased in EMG measurements. It is associated with using both side muscle equally, then subject improved walking efficiency. In conclusion, these findings suggest that RAGT including squat training may be meaningful for improving of balance ability and gait performance especially walking speed.

The purpose of this study was to identify the comparison of difference in respiratory muscle thickness and vital capacity during aerobic exercise in 20 minutes according to abdominal breathing and thoracic breathing. A sample of 30 men and women in their 20s were assigned to an abdominal breathing group and thoracic breathing group. All subjects measured their respiratory muscle thickness and vital capacity before aerobic exercise and after aerobic exercise. In order to compare the differences before and after the intervention, the paired t-test was used. In addition independent t-test was used to compare the differences between groups. The P value was set to 0.05. The abdominal breathing group showed significant changes in FEV1, FEV1/FVC (%). The thoracic breathing group showed significant changes in upper trapezius, FEV1, FEV1/FVC (%). In comparison between groups, the abdominal group showed significant differences in upper trapezius, FEV1, FEV1/FVC (%) compared to the thoracic breathing group. The abdominal breathing is effective in improving vital capacity. While using thoracic breathing for aerobic exercise, the sternocleidomastoid (SCM) and upper trapezius (UT) can be excessively active, resulting in musculoskeletal diseases such as forward head posture and thoracic outlet syndrome. Therefore, abdominal breathing should be used for aerobic exercise. and it is recommended to exercise with appropriate strength to prevent compensation of the SCM and UT.

Post-intensive care syndrome refers to impairment of the physical, cognitive, and mental health of patients admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU). This condition can negatively affect patients’ quality of life; therefore, early rehabilitation is important to manage these complications, and improved functional ability, muscle strength, and quality of life are benefits of prompt intervention in patients admitted to an ICU. In this literature review, we investigated the effectiveness of early rehabilitation introduced for patients in the ICU. We searched the PubMed database between 2018 and 2022 using the following search terms: “ICU rehabilitation” and “early mobilization ICU.” We retrieved 75 articles; 9 studies met the inclusion criteria. The effects of early rehabilitation for critically ill patients were classified into functional mobility, strength, quality of life, and others. We observed significant and non-significant differences between the aforementioned studies. Despite the conflicting results observed across the aforementioned studies, we recommend introduction of early- stage systematic and structured rehabilitation for critically ill patients.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Lee Silverman Voice Treatment Big (LSVT-BIG) exercise on balance, gait, and depression in patients with Parkinson's disease. Twenty individuals with Parkinson's disease were recruited, and divided into either the experimental group (EG) of control group (CG), 10 each. LSVT BIG exercise group (EG) and general exercise (CG) were applied 4 times a week for 30 minutes for 4 weeks, respectively. To measure balance function, the Burg balance scale (BBS) and functional reach test (FRT) were performed, and the timed up and go test (TUG), 10 meter walk test (10MWT) were performed to measure gait function. In addition, the state-anxiety test (status test: STAI-S, anxiety test: STAI-T) and Beck depression inventory (BDI) were used to evaluate depression. All tests were measured before and after the intervention. Within-group comparison in the EG showed significant improvement in all variables (p<.05). In the CG, BBS, FRT, TUG, and STAI-T tests were not significantly improved (p>0.05) and 10MWT, STAI-S, and BDI were significantly improved (p<.05). In the between- group comparison, the EG showed significantly greater improvement than the CG in all variables (p<.05). The LSVT BIG exercise may be more beneficial than general exercise to improve balance, gait, and depression in patients with Parkinson's disease.

This study aimed to identify the prevalence and risk factors of sarcopenia for the disease in the Korean older adults, and to provide basic data for preventing the occurrence of sarcopenia through its management. Based on the data from 2008-2011 of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Survey, 3,485 subjects aged 65 or older who participated in tests for the diagnosis of sarcopenia and health surveys were selected as subjects. Risk factors for the occurrence of sarcopenia were analyzed using complex sample multi-logistic regression analysis. As a results, the incidence of sarcopenia in Korea was 39.3%, and 41.4% for men and 37.8% for women. The higher the age, the higher the blood glucose level, the higher the risk of developing sarcopenia in the case of underweight based on waist circumference and body mass index. Therefore, in order to reduce the incidence of sarcopenia, interventions and lifestyle improvements are required for subjects with these risk factors to prevent the onset of the disease.

Ankle instability refers to a condition where ligaments and surrounding tissues become weakened and compromised due to a lack of proper treatment. A significant percentage of cases are caused by lateral ankle sprains, which result in symptoms such as pain, swelling, instability, and giving way, negatively impacting balance and gait. This study investigated whether kinesio taping is effective when combined with balance training on unstable surfaces, assessing its impact on static balance and gait. Since there are conflicting views on the actual effectiveness of kinesio taping, this study aimed to serve as a bridge connecting various research findings. Fifteen adults were divided into an exercise group and a group that combined kinesio taping with exercise therapy. Both groups followed the same exercise program for four weeks. Static balance and gait were measured before and after the intervention using the Zebris FDM-SX and BTS G-sensor. In terms of static balance, the exercise group showed a trend towards improvement, with a reduction in the 95% confidence ellipse area of approximately 830mm² after the intervention. In the group combining kinesio taping with balance exercises, a statistically significant reduction was observed after the intervention (p<.05). Regarding gait, the group that combined kinesio taping with balance exercises showed a significant increase in walking speed and stride length after the intervention (p<.05). There were no statistically significant differences between the exercise group and the group that combined kinesio taping with balance exercises. Combining balance exercises with kinesio taping is effective in improving gait and static balance.

After a stroke, patients may experience various physical symptoms, cognitive impairments, and functional problems, which can lead to emotional distress including depression and anxiety, which can negatively impact rehabilitation outcome. Stroke patients with depression often tend to avoid engaging in outdoor activities, posing a challenge to their community reintegration and participation and resulting in a decreased quality of life. Consequently, clinicians have employed specific assessment tools to evaluate emotional problems following stroke in clinical practice. This highlights the need to develop appropriate treatment strategies to address depressive symptoms after stroke. Numerous studies have investigated the effects of therapeutic interventions on depression in stroke rehabilitation, with the general consensus pointing to the positive effects of exercise therapy in managing post-stroke depression. Current evidence supports the use of exercise and physical activity as a targeted approach in addressing emotional problems after stroke and facilitate functional recovery. However, despite its benefits for depression, detailed protocols and guidelines regarding the intensity, duration, and frequency of exercise therapy have not been clearly established yet. This hinders the development of more effective interventions to alleviate depression in patients with post-stroke hemiparesis. Therefore, this study aims to describe the effects of exercise therapy on depression after stroke and provide comprehensive information based on a literature review. This study findings of will contribute useful information to future researches focused on evaluating and treating depressive symptoms after stroke.

Scoliosis is a pathology in which three-dimensional spinal deformation occurs, and patients with scoliosis exhibit a reduced ability to balance. Therapeutic exercise is consistently used to improve these balance problems in patients with scoliosis. Thus, the aim of this study is to identify the effects of therapeutic exercise on balance parameteres in patients with scoliosis. SCHOLAR, KOREASCHOLAR, RISS, KISS, KCI, DPpia, and eArticle were searched using the terms scoliosis, exercise, and balance. Twenty-six studies met the inclusion criteria. Our findings suggest that there were still controversial results about the effects of several exercises. Nevertheless, it will be effective to apply therapeutic exercises according to the purpose required for patients’ characteristics in applying the results of the current study. Further studies are needed to provide stronger evidence.