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Our study aimed to confirm the therapeutic effects of using a trunk stabilization training robot (3DBT-33) in patients with chronic stroke. A total of 38 patients with chronic stroke were randomly assigned to either an experimental or a control group. The robot group (n = 19) received 30 min of trunk stability robot training in addition to conventional physical therapy, while the control group (n = 19) received a similar conventional physical therapy as the robot group. All participants were assessed using the following: the Functional Ambulation Categories (FAC), timed up and go (TUG) test, Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Korean Modified Barthel Index (K-MBI), and Fugl-Meyer Assessment of Lower Extremity (FMA-LE). There were statistically significant improvements in all parameters at follow-up assessment after 4 weeks of intervention (P < 0.05). There were statistically significant differences in the FMA-LE, K-MBI, and BBS between the robot and control groups (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in FAC (P = 0.935) and TUG (P = 0.442). Minimal detectable change was more significantly observed in the FMA-LE and BBS than in FAC, TUG, and K-MBI. The findings in the present study showed that trunk stabilization rehabilitation training using a rehabilitation robot in patients with chronic stroke was effective in improving the balance and functions in the lower extremities.

본 연구는 2017년 청소년건강행태온라인조사의 원시자료를 이용하여 청소년의 스마트폰 사용량에 따른 주관적 건강 및 행복감, 신체활동과 정신건강에 미치는 영향을 알아보고자 하였다. 2017년(13차) 청소년건강행태온라인조사의 원시자료를 이용하였으며, 성별, 주관적 건강 및 행복감, 신체활동, 정신건강(주관적 스트레스, 우울감, 자살계획)으로 설정하였으며, 종속변수는 스마트폰 과사용 시간으로 하여, SPSS 22를 이용하여 각 변수에 대한 빈도분석과 로지스틱 회귀분석을 실시하였다. 분석 결과, 여학생은 남학생 보다 스마트폰 과사용이 1.49배∼1.67배 높았으며, 주관적으로 건강한 자는 그렇지 않은 자보다 1.2배∼1.35배, 신체활동이 많은 자는 그렇지 않은 자보다 스마트폰 과사용이 1.17배∼1.18배 높았다(p

Background: The sensor-based soft smart glove device is able to achieve multiple degree of freedom and complex motions with soft components. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of RAPAEL ® Smart Glove digital training system on functional restoration of upper extremity and cortical neuroplastic changes in subacute stroke patients while provided in combined with conventional occupational therapy (OT).Methods: Fifty-two subacute stroke patients with upper extremity motor function deficit participated and 36 of them completed the interventional protocol (20 experimental group and 16 control group) . All participants were treated with conventional OT for 4 weeks, 5 times per week, 30 min per day. In addition, the experimental group received game-based digital hand motor training with the RAPAEL ® Smart Glove digital system for 4 weeks, 5 times per week, 30 min per day. The control group received additional OT for 30 min. The outcomes were assessed before intervention (T0), after 4 weeks of intervention (T1), and 4 weeks after cessation of intervention (T2) using Fugl-Meyer assessment (FMA) scale and Jebsen-Tayler hand function test (JTT). Oxygenated hemoglobin ( OxyHb ) levels over bilateral primary and secondary motor cortices during hand and wrist movement were measured using functional near infrared spectroscopy at T0 and T1.Results: All groups demonstrated improved upper extremity motor function for FMA total score and all subscores of JTT at T1, however, only experimental group showed further improvement at T2 ( p < 0.05). Also, the experimental group had significantly greater improvements upper extremity score of FMA scale and all subscores of JTT at T1 and T2 ( p < 0.05). Concentration of OxyHb over the ipsilesional sensorimotor cortex during wrist and hand movement was more increased in the experimental group than control group at T1 ( p < 0.05).Conclusion: This study demonstrated that training with the RAPAEL ® Smart Glove further improved upper extremity and hand motor function than conventional OT alone by enhancing ipsilesional motor cortical activity in subacute stroke patients.

The aim of the study was to compare the effects of progressive reducing assistance force versus full assistance force controlled robot-assisted gait training combined with conventional physiotherapy on locomotor functions in patients with subacute stroke.Inpatients with subacute stroke (N = 29; 16 men; Functional Ambulation Category score = 1 ± 0.9) were randomly assigned to one of two groups: a progressive reducing assistance force group (n = 15) or a full assistance force group (n = 14). The progressive reducing assistance force group performed robot-assisted gait training sessions from 100% assistance force at the outset to 60% assistance force at the end of the robot-assisted gait training, whereas the full assistance force group received 100% assistance force throughout the robot-assisted gait training sessions. Both groups performed robot-assisted gait training combined with conventional physiotherapy 5 days a week for 4 wks. After intervention, all patients then underwent only conventional physiotherapy 5 days a week for 4 wks of follow-up.The Mann-Whitney U test between-group comparisons showed that improvements were significantly greater in the progressive reducing assistance force group for the Functional Ambulation Category, knee extensors torque, and Berg Balance Scale relative to the full assistance force group, both at postintervention and at follow-up.Progressive reducing assistance force control during robot-assisted gait training combined with conventional physiotherapy may be more beneficial for improving locomotor functions in patients with subacute stroke.

Introduction/Background This study aimed to investigate the effect of novel rehabilitation system, Rapael Smart Glove® (NEOFECT, Yongin, Korea), on recovery of upper extremity in subacute stroke patients. Material and method Forty-one subacute stroke patients (24 females; mean age 60.4 ± 13.3 years) with hemiparesis were enrolled from two medical centers in this prospective, single-blind, randomized controlled study. All patients were treated with 40 therapeutic sessions during 4 weeks, five times a week, an hour per day. In experimental group, each session consisted of training using the Smart Glove for 30 min and conventional OT (Occupational Therapy) for 30 min. Control group received conventional OT for 60 min per day. Functional assessments and fNIRS measurement was conducted before (T0), immediately after (T1), and 1 month after (T2) the intervention. Repeated-measures ANOVA was used for statistical analysis. Results Thirty-two participants (15 experimental and 17 control groups) completed all intervention process. No serious complication was reported in both groups. Repeated-measures ANOVA demonstrated that scores for FMA upper-limb parameters and all subtest scores of Jebsen-Taylor Hand Function Test except writing were significantly improved in experimental group compared to control group (P Conclusion The results of this study revealed that combination of Rapael Smart Glove® training with conventional OT was more effective to improve upper limb motor function than conventional OT alone in subacute stroke patients (This research was supported by the Korea Health Technology R&D Project through the Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI), funded by the Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea (HI15C0570) and a grant from the NRF (NRF-2017R1A2A1A05000730) funded by the Korean government).