Objective: To identify biomechanical changes for stabilizing standing posture after deafferentation of the unilateral leg. Participants: Nine healthy male subjects. Tasks: Two separate sessions that consisted of prolonged standing (control task) and standing until the H-reflex disappeared through the application of an inflated pneumatic cuff above the right knee (experimental task). Main Outcome Measures: Mean velocity (MV), root mean square (RMS), and Stabilogram-diffusion analysis of the center-of-pressure (COP). Results: In the control task, no time-related change during prolonged standing was found. The diffusion of COP was divided into two parts that consist of the short-term region that COP migration increased rapidly and the long-term region that did not. In the experimental task, diffusion coefficient of short-term region (Ds), MV and RMS increased significantly after deafferentation (p < 0.05). There were significant correlations between Ds and MV, RMS (p < 0.05). Discussion: These results indicate that the stochastic COP fluctuation in short-term region induce the increased COP sway after deafferentation.

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Objective:
The purpose of this study was to explore the factors that were associated with physical activity (PA) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) at entry into recovery phase of cardiac rehabilitation.
Methods:
The sample population of this cross-sectional study was comprised of 50 patients and included both patients that had experienced acute myocardial infarction and those that had received coronary artery bypass grafting (42 men, 8 women; mean age, 62.0 ± 9.4 yrs.). PA (average steps per week) as a caloric expenditure, knee-extension muscle strength as an index of lower extremity muscle strength and peak oxygen uptake (peak V̇O₂) were measured in order to assess physiological outcomes at 1 month after acute myocardial infarction or coronary artery bypass grafting.
Results:
The mean values of physiologic outcomes were as follows, PA; 7893.3 ± 2914.5 (average steps per week), knee-extension muscle strength; 1.7 ± 0.4(Nm/kg), peak V̇O₂; 24.8 ± 5.9(ml/kg/min). Knee-extension muscle strength and peak V̇O₂ were significantly associated with PA (r = 0.41, p = 0.03, r = 0.32, p = 0.02). Regression analysis showed that the knee-extension muscle strength contributed significantly to the prediction of PA (r = 0.48, R² = 0.23, p = 0.02).
Conclusions:
The results of our study indicate that PA was 7893.3 ± 2914.5 (average steps per week) and that knee-extension muscle strength in cardiac patients may have influenced PA in patients with CAD.

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Purpose: The purpose of this study was to clear kinematic patterns of descending stairs with analyzing hip trajectory and joint movement. Methods: Twelve subjects performed descending stairs in five different rhythm conditions, 60 steps, 80 steps, 100 steps, 120 steps, and 140 steps per minute. Angles of metatarsalphalangeal (MTP) joint, ankle joint and knee joint, and timing when MTP level of plantar contacts on or off staircase were recorded by using electrogoniometer and foot switch, synchronously (1 kHz). Hip coordination was calculated by three-linked rigid body model composed of the thigh, the leg, and the middle and rear foot. Results: At result, the hip trajectory and the joint movements did not be affected by rhythm conditions. The hip trajectory was divided into two groups. One showed forward displacement prior to downward (forward group). Another performed forward and downward displacement at the same time (together group). Each specific relationship between leg-inclination angle, which was the sum angles of ankle dorsiflexion and MTP extension, and knee flexion angle in stance phase was observed in each group. In forward group, double knee action occurred at the knee joint. In together group, on the other hand, the action was not detected. Conclusions: The joint coordination between both angles would solve redundancy of joint movement in descent motion. The results of this study suggest that the leg-inclination angle would be one of the factors that determine the kinematic patterns of descending stairs.

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Purpose: In this study, we examined the effects of approximately 5 weeks of rehabilitation, conducted in a clean room, on the physical fitness and quality of life (QOL) of patients who underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).
Methods: The subjects were 18 patients (11 males, 7 females) 26 to 66 years of age (mean age 48.6 years) who had undergone allogeneic HSCT. Before and after transplantation, muscle strength (grip and quadriceps). six-minute-walk distance (6MWD), number of steps, health-related QOL (SF-36), and weight were evaluated. The rehabilitation program included stretching, muscle strengthening and gait training during the patients' stay in the clean room.
Results: Eleven patients completed our rehabilitation program, and 7 patients dropped out. Among the group that completed training, there was a significant decrease in muscle strength and weight after transplantation (p < 0.05). However, 6MWD and number of steps were not decreased after transplantation. Five out of 11 patients showed an increase in 6MWD, and 8 out of 11 patients showed an increase in the number of steps. Two out of 8 QOL items (physical functioning and social functioning) were significantly decreased after transplantation (p < 0.05).
Conclusions: Compared with recent studies, our program may be more useful to prevent patients from decreasing of physical fitness and reduced QOL, who underwent HSCT in a clean room.

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Study objective; The purpose of this study was to validate the effect of consecutive physical therapy which include the range of motion (ROM), muscle strength, activity of daily living and respiratory function in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in ambulatory stage.
Methods; As treatment group, 10 patients with DMD who had been ambulant at 7 years old were enrolled and they received our treatment for more than 5 years. As control group, 11 patients with DMD who had been ambulant at 7 years old and had received follow up more than 5 years were selected from past clinical records.
Results; Aggravation of ROM at hip extension, knee extension and ankle dorsiflexion was significantly decreased in treatment group, but muscle strength was not different between both groups. The age of the functional loss of 10-meter walk, standing without braces and 3-meter roll over was significantly older in treatment group. Vital capacity as percent of predicted at 11 years old was also significantly higher in treatment group.
Conclusions; Our data indicated that consecutive physical therapy can extend the duration of gait, stand and roll over through preventing secondary ROM limitation. Favorable influence for respiratory function was also implied.

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Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility of interdisciplinary intervention on physical functions and arterial stiffness of disabled elderly people.
Methods: Nine community-dwelling chronic stroke patients (the average age: 65.8 ± 6.4) participated in an interdisciplinary intervention. An interdisciplinary intervention that consists of physical training and nutrition management was performed twice a week for 12 weeks. All participants received physical training including resistance training, balance training, aerobic exercise and muscle stretching. Nutrition management and dietary assessment performed by registered dietitians during the intervention period. The Functional Reach Test, Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), knee extensor strength, Barthel Index and The 8-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-8) were measured in all participants. Cardio-Ankle Vascular Index (CAVI) and Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) were measured to assess arterial stiffness.
Results: The functional reach distance and maximal knee extension strength were significantly improved (p < 0.05). In the arterial function, CAVI was significantly improved after intervention (p < 0.05). ABI showed no fixed tendency.
Conclusions: It was shown that an active interdisciplinary intervention might be effective in improving not only physical functions but also arterial stiffness. We need further studies incorporating more participants and a standard control group to determine the effect of interdisciplinary intervention.

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