• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.117-122
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of force of ipsilateral versus contralateral cane usage on knee moments in healthy young adults. Methods: A convenience sample of 10 subjects volunteered for this study. Subjects walked over a force plate under three different conditions; unaided and ipsilateral cane and contralateral cane. Analysis of data on moment of the knee joint and ground reaction force was performed using the OrthoTrak program. Results: Flexion moment of the knee was decreased with the contralateral cane, but increased with the ipsilateral cane compared with normal gait. Extension moment of the knee was decreased with the contralateral cane compared with normal gait(p<0.05) and it was showed a greater decrease with the contralateral cane than with the ipsilateral cane gait(p=0.00). Valgus moment of the knee joint was increased with the ipsilateral cane but decreased with the contralateral cane. Vertical ground peak force was decreased with the ipsilateral cane compared with normal gait (p<0.05). Conclusion: The following conclusions were drawn from our data. Contralateral cane gait is more efficacious for persons with weakness of knee extensors, however, for a patient with varus deformity, the cane should be used in the ipsilateral hand.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.91-100
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• 2000

This study investigates the influence of cane length on the weight distribution of the elderly in a standing position. Thirty participants were evaluated using two different cane lengths based on measurements of distal wrist crease to ground (WC cane), and distance of greater trochanter to ground (GT cane). A limloader was used to determine the weight distribution on the subject. It was found that 6.5% of body weight was supported on a GT cane and 7.7% of body weight supported on a WC cane in a standing position. Results suggests that more weight is distributed on a WC cane than a GT cane in the elderly.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.48-52
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• 2023

Purpose: This study was undertaken to determine whether the position of cane use affects the distribution of weight-bearing on both feet of children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy in a standing posture. Methods: Twenty participants with cerebral palsy were recruited as volunteers for this study. Using the Zebris FDM-System, weight-bearing distribution according to the method of using a cane was measured under three conditions in randomized order: (1) standing unaided (no cane); (2) standing with the affected side using the cane; and (3) standing with the non-affected side using the cane. The cane was matched by measuring length-from-floor to the greater trochanter of the subject, and was placed 15 cm outward from the little toe on the supporting side. Results: Evaluating the method of using a cane under the three conditions, we determined that pressure of the foot on the affected side was higher in the order: standing with affected side using cane > standing unaided (no cane) > standing with non-affected side using cane (p<0.05). In the post-hoc analysis, a significant difference was observed between (i) standing unaided (no cane) and standing with the affected side using cane, and (ii) standing with affected side using cane and standing with non-affected side using cane (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study suggests that induced weight-bearing methods using a cane on the affected side could increase the weight-bearing capacity on the affected side in children with spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy, which will have a positive effect on reducing asymmetry weight support.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.151-156
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the adverse effects of sensorimotor function at the shoulder joint according to long-term cane usage in stroke patients without apraxic behavior, in terms of the presence of shoulder joint pain, accuracy of tracking task, proprioceptive joint position sense, and nine-hole pegboard. Methods: Nineteen stroke patients with long-term cane usage (cane usage group) and nineteen stroke patients without cane usage (non-cane usage group) were recruited. All subjects were tested in pain presence, a tracking task for visuomotor function, joint reposition, and nine-hole pegboard in the shoulder joint regarding the non-affected side. Results: In the accuracy index for tracking task and the nine-hole pegboard test, significant differences were observed between the cane usage group and the non-cane usage group. However, although a higher emergence of shoulder pain and a lower accuracy for joint reposition sense were detected in the cane usage group in comparison to the non-cane usage group, there were no significant differences between the two groups. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that long-term cane usage could induce to decrease in delicate movement and coordination in the non-affected upper arm in stroke patients. In addition, they could experience high frequency of shoulder pain and poor joint reposition sense. Therefore, careful evaluation and observation will be required concerning stroke patients with long-term cane usage.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.113-117
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• 2012

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze the weight bearing of the cane and foot for the different walking aids during walking. Methods: A total of 12 subjects (6 males, 6 female) with stroke were enrolled in the study. Foot sensor and an instrumented cane were integrated to analyze the vertical peak force on the foot and cane. Results: The vertical peak force applied on the quad cane gait resulted in a significantly higher rate, which was $10.60{\pm}6.48%$ of the body weight, when compared to that of mono cane gait which was $7.91{\pm}4.11%$. The results indicated significantly lower vertical peak force on the affected foot, without the help of a walking aid, as compared to that of walking with a cane (respectively, p<0.05). However, results showed that the differences in vertical peak force on the affected foot, between mono cane and quad cane, were not significant. Conclusion: In conclusion, the vertical peak forces were significantly greater, during a comparison between walking with a quad cane and walking with a mono cane. On the contrary, no significant difference in the vertical peak force on the affected foot between walking with quad cane and walking with a mono cane. Muscle activation pattern and walking pattern should be measured in future studies, to study the differences between walking with various walking aids in the lower and higher functioning hemiparetic subjects, as its use may mask underlying gait impairment.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.108-114
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• 2016

This paper presents a sensor-based cane mechanism for walking aid of the visually impaired person. We also describe an approach to decide properly the length of the specified cane mechanism. The cane mechanism has some sensors to identify the possibility of a collision between the cane user and an object and/or a person, and a signal processing unit that enables the user to recognize such a collision is attached in the mechanism. Thus, the walker using this cane can recognize in advance the possibility of such a collision in his walking process. Consequently, it is helpful for the visually impaired person to walk on a pedestrian road safely. The feature of the proposed cane mechanism and its availability have been shown through experimental works in a typical walking environment.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.7-13
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• 2008

Purpose: We compared T-type and I-type canes on postural balance in 28 hemiplegic patients. Methods: Subjects were allocated randomly into two groups: a T-shape cane group (n=14) and an I-shape cane group (n=14). Before the test, subjects were trained by a physical therapist to walk with a cane for 6 weeks. The Main Outcome Measures were measured as maximal sway velocity, sway path, sway area, and partial weight bearing using a Balance Performance Monitor (BPM) and ambulation velocity using a 'Timed up and go test'. We also measured the maximal ambulation velocity. Results: The distribution of weight bearing on the affected side without the cane was 35% in the I-shape cane group and 36% in the T-shape cane group. After training, weight bearing on the affected side increased by 45% in the I-shape cane group and 40% in the T-shape cane group. With the cane held in the hand, weight bearing on the affected side in the T-shape cane group decreased by 3%. Conclusion: The I-shaped cane increased static standing balance, including hemiplegic side weight bearing. Therefore, I-shape canes can improve the balance of hemiplegic patients.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.1-7
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• 1996

Two standard methods of cane length measurements were compared to find which methods really achieve the elbow flexion of 20 degrees to 30 degrees Twenty-four patients with hemiplegia who were ambulatory participated in this study. Method I : Length of the cane measured from the floor to the top of the greater trochanter. Method II : Length of the cane measured from the floor to the distal wrist crease with the arm at the side. Using an adjustable cane, each individual was fitted according to the two methods, and elbow angle was measured after each adjustment. The elbow angle according to Method I and Method II was $46.4{\pm}20$, $44.3{\pm}12.2$, respectively. No significant difference was found in the elbow angle or the cane length between the two methods. Of the 24 participants, 5(20.8%) measured according to method I and 3(12.5%) measured according to method II showed the elbow angle between 20 degrees and 30 degrees. These low predictive rates of agreement between ideal cane length and actually achieved elbow angle showed that these two methods which have conventionally been accepted as a standard to measure ideal cane length need to be revised through further research.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.8
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• pp.1125-1129
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• 2005

A study was conducted to determine the effect of feeding sugar cane silage compared to chopped whole sugar cane or grass silage on performances of lactating dairy cows during the dry season. Twenty four Holstein Friesian crossbred (>87.5% Holstein Friesian) lactating dairy cows in mid lactation; averaging 15.4${\pm}$3.2 kg of milk, 120${\pm}$23 days in milk, 50.5${\pm}$6.5 months old and 432${\pm}$39 kg live weight, were stratified for milk yield, days in milk, age, stage of lactation and body weight, and then randomly allocated to three treatment groups (8 cows in each group). All cows were fed 7.5 kg/d commercial concentrate plus ad libitum roughage according to treatment groups, which were grass silage, sugar cane silage or chopped whole sugar cane respectively. All cows consumed similar DM and produced similar milk and milk composition yields. However, cows on grass silage lost more weight than the other cows. The present study indicated that, during the dry season, sugar cane silage can be fed to lactating dairy cows, while giving similar milk yield to grass silage or chopped whole sugar cane.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.54-59
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• 2017

Background: Light touch cue is a sensory input that could potentially help in the control of posture. The immediate stimulatory effect of light touch cues using a cane during gait is associated with postural stability. This strategy can help post-stroke individuals regain their ability to perform the sit-to-stand (STS) transfer safely. Objects: The effects of light grip on postural control during the STS transfer in post-stroke subjects were investigated. Methods: Eleven participants (6 men, 5 women) with hemiplegia due to stroke were recruited in the study. The subjects with hemiparesis performed STS transfer in three randomly assigned conditions (1) without a cane (2) light grip with a cane (3) strong grip with a cane. Results: The difference in weight-bearing distribution between the left and right feet, when the subjects were instructed to stand up, was $52.73{\pm}2.13%$ without a cane, $42.75{\pm}3.26%$ with a strong grip, and $43.00{\pm}2.55%$ with a light grip (p<.05). The rate of rise in force indicates the peak power provided by subjects during their STS transfers. The rate of rise in force was statistically significantly lower without a cane than that with a light grip or a strong grip (p<.05). The subjects' centers of pressure sway on the mediolateral side during STS transfers statistically significantly declined with a light grip or a strong grip when compared to those without a cane (p<.05). Conclusion: When the subjects with hemiparesis used a cane during STS transfers, their duration, center of pressure sway, and difference in weight-bearing distribution were all reduced. The subjects also exhibited similar results during STS transfers with a cane gripped lightly. This result may provide guidelines for the use of assistive devices when patients with hemiparesis practice STS transfers in clinical settings.