Citations
To clarify the relationship of the initial radiologic and a biomechanical parameter at first clinical visit, and define the effectiveness of modified insole, following insole fitting in children with flexible flatfoot.
Children aged less than 13 years with flexible flatfoot were enrolled. The total number of subjects was 66 (33 boys, 33 girls). The subjects were divided into 5 subgroups, based on age: 1–2, 3–4, 5–6, 7–9, and 10–12 years. The mean time period between the initial & final examination for their resting calcaneal stance position angle (RCSPA) was 24 months. Radiography quantified the deformity by measuring angles, including the talometatarsal angle, the metatarsal angle, and the calcaneal pitch angle.
From the angles measured on radiographs, only the talometatarsal angle showed a statistically significant correlation to the initial RCSPA (r=-0.578 for right side, r=-0.524 for left side; p<0.01). The mean RCSPA improved in all subgroups of subjects following insole fitting. Moreover, in children younger than 7 years, the improvement in RCSPA from the insole fitting was greater compared to children aged 7 years and older.
The insole has additionally beneficial effects in all populations younger than 13 years. However, there might exist a hidden effect of normal structural pedal alignment during growth accompanied with bony maturation and developmental process. To date, it is controversial whether the treatment of flexible flatfoot is necessary in the vast majority of cases, or simple observation and advice to parents would suffice.
Citations
To investigate the relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) and sagittal spinal balance in the Korean elderly population.
The retrospective study included subjects aged 60 years and above, who had whole-spine lateral radiography and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) within a year's gap between each other. Sagittal vertical axis (SVA) for evaluation of sagittal spinal balance and five spinopelvic parameters were measured through radiography. The presence of compression fracture was identified. Correlations of BMD T-scores with SVA and with the spinopelvic parameters were assessed using Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC). Linear regression analyses were performed between SVA and the clinical and radiologic variables.
One hundred twenty-two subjects (42 males and 80 females; mean age, 69.93±5.5 years) were included in the study. BMD, femur or spine, was not correlated with SVA or any spinopelvic parameters in both genders (PCC<±0.2), except that spine BMD in men was associated with sacral slope. Univariate regression analysis revealed association between SVA and lumbar lordosis, pelvic tilt, and compression fractures in both genders; it was also associated with age and pelvic incidence in females and with sacral slope in males. Multivariate linear regression model showed lumbar lordosis and compression fracture as variables affecting SVA in both sexes; pelvic incidence was another factor affecting SVA in women only.
BMD was not associated with sagittal spinal balance in the aged. Sagittal spinal balance was explained partly by lumbar lordosis and compression fracture. Further study is warranted to understand progression of sagittal imbalance with age.
Citations
Objective: To obtain the mean value of physical parameters of those over 65- years of age.
Methods: Physical parameters including body weight, height, chest circumference, length of upper limb and lower limb, hand power, and range of motion of cervical, thoracic, lumbosacral spines and other major joints were measured in two hundred fourteen elderly subjects.
Results: Subjects were divided into three groups according to age (group 1, 65∼74 years; group 2, 75∼84 years; group 3, above 85 years) and sex (male; female). Descriptive statistical analysis of data provided the following results. 1) Mean measurement in order of group 1-men, group 2-men, group 3-men followed by women of each group: Body weight (kg) - 60.2, 59.6, 54.9, 56.8, 51.6, 47.2; Standing height (cm) - 156.7, 160.8, 156.6, 151.2, 146.9, 142.2; Sitting height (cm) - 99.8, 100.8, 103.1, 100.9, 104.9, 97.0; Chest circumference (cm) - 91.5, 93.5, 91.4, 92.1, 89.5, 86.4; Upper limb length (cm) - 72.3, 72.5, 71.3, 67.1, 66.9, 65.4; Lower limb length (cm) - 82.3, 82.1, 81.4, 77.3, 76.1, 74.6. 2) The hand power of grasping, tip pinch, lateral pinch, palmar pinch showed a decreasing trend in older age group in both sexes. 3) The range of motion of cervical, thoracic, and lumbosacral spine in group 1 had limitation of about 50% compared to normal range. 4) Of the major joints, limitation of motion or deformity was most common in the shoulder and knee joints.
Conclusion: These data and knowledge of physical parameters of the elderly can aid in design of living environment and assistive devices for elderly.
Objective: To investigate the biomechanic influence of body weight unloading on the hemiplegic gait and to provide database for producing optimal strategies of gait training through body weight unloading (BWU) in hemiplegic patients
Method: We evaluated dynamic electromyographic data, temporal parameters of gait, and energy consumption in 20 hemiplegic patients walking on a treadmill with 0%, 10%, 20%, 30% and 40% of their BWU at their comfortable walking speed.
Results: 1) Stance phase and double limb support phase significantly decreased, and swing phase and single limb support phase increased according to BWU.
2) Asymmetricity of temporal parameters of gait improved according to BWU.
3) O2 rate, O2 cost, O2 pulse and heart rate significantly decreased with increasing BWU.
4) Muscular activities of rectus femoris, vastus medialis and biceps femoris decreased at initial contact and first half of stance phase and activities of medial gastrocnemius significantly decreased during entire stance phase with increasing BWU.
Conclusion: BWU during treadmill locomotion would be advantageous as a therapeutic approach to retrain gait in hemiplegic patients.
Objective: To obtain the mean value of parameters of the jaw jerk and to investigate gender difference on the jaw jerk in normal young adults in Korea.
Method: In young 40 subjects (20 males and 20 females), the jaw jerks were elicited by chin tapping in the relaxed masseter muscles of both sides.
Results: The jaw jerks were recorded in 100% of the total number of chin-taps. The mean latency was 5.39 ms in the males and 5.14 ms in the females (p＞0.05). The mean amplitude was 0.75 mV in the males and 0.59 mV in the females (p＞0.05). The mean duration was 8.18 ms in the males and 7.85 ms in the females (p＞0.05).
Conclusion: No significant differences were found in the parameters of the jaw jerk between males and females in this study.
Objective: To investigate the patterns of the temperature effect on motor nerve conduction parameters according to various warming methods and to obtain the most valuable method of warming in clinical setting.
Method: Twenty normal subjects were studied. After limb cooling in cold water, the cooled hands were warmed by hot pack, fan heater, and whirl pool. The median motor responses were recorded at abdnctor pollicis brevis after the stimulation at the wrist during warming at 1 min interval until the temperature increment reached plateau. We measured the temperature changes and conduction parameters were measured at each examination.
Results: The time constants for temperature increment and distal motor latency, duration, area of compound muscle action potentials showed shorter tendency by hot pack and whirl pool than by fan heater (p＜0.05). For the measurement of distal motor latency, time constant of whirl pool (2.49⁑1.21 min) was shorter than that of fan heater (7.12⁑3.12 min) or hot pack (5.96⁑1.98 min) (p＜0.05).
Conclusion: These findings suggest that the use of whirl pool is the most effective method for warming of the cooled limb.
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