• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.53-61
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• 2021

Purpose: This study examined the impacts of action observational physical training related to stair walking on the stair walking ability and self-efficacy of chronic stroke patients. Methods: This study was conducted on 24 chronic stroke patients, who were assigned randomly to an action observational physical training group (12 persons) and a landscape observation physical training group (12 persons). To the action-observational physical training group, five videos related to stair walking were presented, and after observing them, physical training was carried out. The landscape observation physical training group observed the videos consisting of landscape, where there were no humans and animals, and then underwent physical training. This study measured the rectus femoris, biceps femoris, tibialis anterior, and gastrocnemius to examine the muscle activity of the lower limb. A timed up and go and step test was performed to examine the balance ability, and a timed stair test was conducted to examine their stair walking ability. A self-efficacy scale was measured to examine the degree of their confidence of performing stair walking. The assessment was conducted three times in total: pre-, post-, and follow-up surveys. Results: As a result of this study, the action observational physical training group significant improvement after the intervention than in the landscape observation physical training group. Moreover, the follow-up study four weeks after the intervention showed significant improvements in the action observational physical training group (p<0.05). Conclusion: These results show that the action observational physical training had a positive impact on the stair walking ability and self-efficacy of chronic stroke patients.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2020

Purpose: This study examined the effects of action observational training to improve the gait function for patients with stroke. Methods: The participants were divided into two groups: right hemiplegia group (n=12) and left hemiplegia group (n=12). All groups received conventional therapy for five sessions for 30 minutes, each for three weeks. Left and right hemiplegia group practiced additional action observational training for five sessions for 20 minutes each for three weeks. They participated in three weeks of action observational training coupled with immediate physical practice (intervention), followed by a final assessment. The duration of each action observation video sequence was 10 minutes, followed immediately by practice of the observed motor skill (10 minutes). The gait velocity, cadence, swing time, step length, and BOS (base of support) were examined using the GAITRite system. Results: The results of this study showed significant improvement in the gait function. The outcomes of the gait abilities from gait velocity, cadence, swing time, step length of the affected side, and BOS (base of support) were improved significantly in the right hemiplegia group (p<0.05). In the left hemiplegia group, there was no significant improvement in the gait velocity, cadence, and BOS except for the swing time and step length of the affected side. The left and right group comparisons between the groups were not significant (p<0.05). Conclusion: Action observation training improves the gait function. These results suggest that action observational training is feasible and suitable for stroke patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.137-145
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• 2018

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of action observational physical training with rhythmic auditory stimulation on muscle activity and gait ability in patients with stroke. METHODS: Twenty-six chronic stroke patients participated in this study were assigned into three groups, experimental group 1 (10% faster tempo rhythmic auditory stimulation with action observation training) n=8, experimental group 2 (average tempo rhythmic auditory stimulation with action observation training) n=9, and control group (action observation training) n=9. In this experiment, the corresponding exercise were applied into the subjects of three group for 30 minute a day, 3 time a week during 4 weeks. All participants were measured to muscle activity of lower limb, 10 meter walking test, Figure of 8 walk test, Dynamic gait Index. The collected data were analyzed by using SPSS (version 18.0 for window) and verified that each data was a normal distribution based on Shapiro-Wilk test. Between-group and within-group comparison was analyzed by using One-way ANOVA test, Paired t-test respectively. In all statistical analyses, significance level, ${\alpha}$ was set by .05. RESULTS: The above results revealed that the all experimental group 1 and experimental group 2 and control group were all effective to improve the lower limb muscle activities, gait ability. However more positive effects shown action observational physical training with rhythmic auditory stimulation experimental group. CONCLUSION: This study suggest that action observation physical training with rhythmic auditory stimulation is effective intervention for improvement of muscle activity and walking ability in chronic stroke patients.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.45-54
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• 2018

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of Action-observational training program on gait and balance of patients with hemiplegia. Method : The subjects of this study are patients with hemiplegia; 10 patients who agreed with this research, were picked up. Participants were divided randomly into equal groups: experimental group that applied to action-observation training for at least 30 minutes/day for 6 weeks and control group that underwent general task-oriented training. Gait and balance were measured 10 meter walk test(10MWT), gait speed, berg balance scale(BBS) and timed up and go(TUG). The intervention were compared by measuring before and after. Result : There were significant improvements in the subscales of the gait and balance test of those who practiced with the Action-observational training program, while the control group showed no significant changes. Conclusion : Therefore, Action-observational training program is effective in improvement of to improve the gait and balance in patients with hemiplegia.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2017.10a
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• pp.594-597
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of Action-observational training program on gait and balance of patients with hemiplegia. Subjects of this study, among the patients who received the diagnosis cerebral vascular accident, for patients total of 4 people have agreed to research. Experimental group 2 people, control group 2 people, was a total of 4 people. Group-specific arbitration method, was applied to Action-observational training program(experimental group) and general Task-oriented training program(control group). Each training courses 30 minutes for 4 weeks, examined the changes in 10 Meter Walk Test(10MWT), gait speed, Berg Balance Scale(BBS) and time up and go(TUG) ability to examine a total of 4-week course effectively. The intervention were compared by measuring before and after. There were significant improvements in the subscales of the gait and balance test of those who practiced with the Action-observational training program, while the control group showed no significant changes. Therefore, Action-observational training program is effective in improvement of to improve the gait and balance in patients with hemiplegia.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2018.05a
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• pp.576-579
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• 2018

Purpose : This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of an action-observational task oriented training on balance and gait ability of patients with chronic stroke. Method : The subjects of this study were 30 patients with chronic stroke who agreed to participate and were picked up. Participants were randomly divided into equal groups; namely, an experimental group that underwent action-observational task oriented training for at least 30 minutes/day for 6 weeks and a control group that underwent general task-oriented training. Patients' balance was assessed using the Sway Length(SL), Sway Area (SA) and Limit of Stability (LOS) test. In addition, gait ability was assessed using the 10 Meter Walking Test (10MWT). Gait time and speed taken to walk 10 metres were used to examine gait ability. Result : There were significant improvements in the subscales of the balance and gait ability test of those who participated in the action-observational task oriented training, while the control group showed no significant changes. Conclusion : Therefore, Action-observational training effectively improved the balance and gait abiltiy in patients with chronic stroke.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.175-180
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• 2015

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the effects of mirror-neuron-system-based action observation physical training on improvements in upper extremity functions and daily living activities in chronic stroke patients. Methods: Ten chronic stroke patients were randomly selected. As a therapeutic intervention, along with conventional occupational therapy, the patients engaged in action observation physical training through repeated imitation practices after they viewed a video. The therapeutic intervention was implemented for 20 minutes, three times each week for eight weeks. A Manual Function Test (MFT) was conducted to compare upper extremity functions before and after the therapeutic intervention, and the Modified Barthel Index (MBI) was used to compare the ability to perform daily living activities. Results: Significant improvements in upper extremity motor functions and the ability to perform daily living activities were shown after the intervention. The subjects' left upper extremity motor functions and ability to perform daily living activities showed significant improvement after the intervention. Conclusion: The study's results indicate that action observation physical training based on the mirror neuron system improves chronic stroke patients' upper extremity motor functions and their ability to perform daily living activities. Therefore, action observation training has positive effects on the functional recovery of chronic stroke patients.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.133-140
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• 2016

PURPOSE: This study's aim was to investigate the effects of an action observational training in subactue stroke patients with moderate impairment. METHODS: 22 participants (men=13, women=9) with hemiparesis were randomly assigned to action observation training group or task-oriented training group. Patients in both group underwent a patient-specific multidisciplinary rehabilitation program. Participants in the action observation group (mean age, $62.78{\pm}9.85$) were asked to watch the video scene, in the knowledge that they would then attempt to perform the same movement task after watching. The control group (mean age, $61.49{\pm}8.64$) practiced the same tasks, without watching the video. To evaluate upper limb function, the upper extremity part of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment upper extremity and the Box and Block Test were used. The modified Barthel index was used to assess ADLs, and the modified Ashworth scale were used to assess spasticity in the upper extremity. RESULTS: The action observational training group exhibited greater changes in the Fugl-Meyer assessment upper extremity (P<0.05; 95% CI, 0.929 - 6.403), the Box and Block test (P<0.05; 95% CI, 0.086 - 5.913), and the modified Barthel index (P<0.01; 95% CI, 2.483 - 12.627) between groups. And the modified Ashworth scale (P>0.05; 95% CI, -0.402 to 0.624) did not show significantly different between groups. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that action observational training may be more helpful to improve upper-extremity function than physical training only in subactue patients with moderate impairment after stroke.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.45-57
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• 2018

Purpose : This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of an task oriented training program combined with action-observation on balance and gait ability of patients with chronic stroke. Method : The subjects of this study were 30 patients with hemiplegia who agreed to participate and were picked up. Participants were randomly divided into equal groups; namely, an experimental group that underwent task oriented training combined with action-observation for at least 30 minutes/day for 6 weeks and a control group that underwent general task-oriented training. Patients' balance was assessed using the Sway Length, Sway Area and Limit of Stability test. In addition, gait ability was assessed using the 10 Meter Walking Test to measure the taken to walk 10 meters. Gait time and speed taken to walk 10 meters were used to examine gait ability. Results : There were significant improvements in the subscales of the balance and gait ability test of those who participated in the action-observational training program, while the control group showed only significant changes in the evaluation items of the sway length in eyes opened condition and gait time. Conclusion : Therefore, Action-observational training program effectively improved the balance and gait ability in patients with stroke.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.17-24
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• 2010

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of action observational physical training (AOPT) on manual dexterity and corticomotor facilitation in stroke patients. Ten hemiparetic patients participated in this study. Each subject was asked to participate the three conditions; base condition (Base), physical training (PT), AOPT. Participants were asked to observe the action in the video that a therapist moved the blocks during the AOPT conditions. Corticomotor facilitation was determined in three conditions by monitoring changes in the amplitude of motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) elicited in hand muscles by transcranial magnetic stimulation. MEP responses were measured from the first dorsal interosseous after participants attended to three conditions. For the manual dexterity, Box and Block test (BBT) was used. The results of present study were summarized as follows: MEPs amplitude significantly tended to be larger than PT and Base condition. The scores of BBT in the AOPT condition were also significantly larger than other conditions. In conclusion, this finding of present study indicates that physical training for observation of an action is beneficial for enhancing a dexterity of paretic arm in stroke patients.