• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.75-83
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• 2007

Why do some countries walk on the right and others on the left? People have a dominant hand which leads to a natural tendency to favor one side of the road or another depending on the means of transportation being used. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the stereotype of Korean regarding preferred walking direction in encountering various facilities and provide the appropriate information to traffic policy makers. Six hundred Korean male and female subjects aging from 12 to 83 were selected to investigate the various statistics about their preferred walking direction and their employment characteristics on walking diverse facilities. The walking directions of eleven different facilities were asked along with other relative subjects' characteristics(e.g., age, gender, hand and foot dominance) to determine the relationship among these obtained data. The descriptive statistics showed that 73.7% and 26.3% were preferred walking right and left direction respectively. Moreover, various statistical analysis revealed that general tendency of walking direction was varied by hand and foot dominances. There were strong tendency that right-handed people prefer walking right side of the road and vise versa, hence this should be considered in setting up traffic policies. As a concluding remark, it is better to design traffic policies and regulations in the way that peoples' preference and expectation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.459-469
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• 2012

PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study was to examine changes caused by asymmetric bag carrying methods to carry the bag with one shoulder only to plantar pressure during walking. METHODS: Twenty three normal adults without any gait problem participated in the present study. Experimental conditions used consisted of walking without carrying any bag(condition 1), walking wearing a bag on both shouders (condition 2), and walking wearing a bag on the right shoulder(condition 3) and the weight of the bag was set to 15% of each subject's body weight. All the subjects were instructed to participate in all experiments under these three conditions and plantar pressures were measured from the subjects' right and left feet using an F-scan system while the subjects were walking under the three conditions. To analyze the measured plantar pressure, the sole was divided into seven areas (Hallux, Toe, Met1, Met23, Met45, Mid foot and Heel) and maximum plantar pressures in individual areas were measured. RESULTS: The results of measurement of plantar pressures under three walking conditions did not show significant changes in any areas of the left and right feet except for the mid foot area of the right food. The asymmetry between the left and right feet was examined and the results showed significant differences only in area Met23 under condition 2 and did not show significant differences in any other areas. CONCLUSION: On comprehensively considering the results of the present study, it could be seen that asymmetric bag carrying did not have large effects on changes in plantar pressure during walking compared to symmetric carrying. The reason for this is considered to be posture adjusting mechanisms against load positions.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.279-284
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• 2022

Objective: This study was conducted to confirm the effect of physiotherapy on the balance and walking in dog with sciatic nerve injury and degenerative arthritis of stifle joints. Design: Single case study Methods: The dog walked abnormally for six months and was administrated in S animal hospital. The dog's right hindlimb was operated for cranial cruciate ligament repair and the dog had been taking a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory analgesic before being refered. There was severe degenerated osteoarthritis in the right hindlimb. During stance and walking, the right hindlimb was often shown partial weight bearing. The dog's left hindlimb was shown plantigrade stance and walking. The radiograph was shown an intact calcaneal tendon in the left hindlimb. In the neurologic examination, sciatic nerve injury in the left hindlimb was confirmed. The dog was treated using muscle strengthening, proprioceptive exercise, underwater treadmill and Laser therapy two, or three times a week for 3 months. At the 10th and 17th treatment, it was evaluated through stance and gait analyzer system to measure dog's balance and walking. Results: 3 months following physiotherapy, the dog's balance was improved in center of pressure(COP). And peak vertical force(PVF), vertical impulse(VI) was increased in right hindlimb and double stance was decreased. Conclusions: Physiotherapy may have improved the prognosis in this dog with severe osteoarthritis and sciatic nerve injury. This study suggested that animal physiotherapy is a valuable way to improve balance and walking.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.53-61
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• 2010

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to compare the distribution of foot pressure, knee and ankle joint angle between treadmill walking and ground walking in normal person. Methods : 18 Person of subject has participated this study, let subject to walk in ground and treadmill in order to gain data of foot distribution and knee, ankle joint angle using by parotec system. and Dartfish system. Walking velocity was constrained by 2Km/h and more 10sec. Date analysis was used by paired-t test using SPSS/PC statistical programs for window. Results : Result show that total contact times has shown symmetry between both legs, and more increase of left foot pressure in treadmill walking. Foot pressure of treadmill walking was significantly decreased in right hind foot and fore foot and hallux area. The ankle joint angle of treadmill walking was significantly decreased in initial contact phase. Conclusion : Results of this study show that foot pressure of treadmill walking was more decreased than ground walking in right hind foot and fore foot, hallux area. And the ankle joint angle of treadmill walking was significantly decreased in initial contact phase.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.30 no.1D
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• pp.17-25
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• 2010

In Korea, the importance of walking has not been stood out in relief because of the rapid increase of a car on a drastic economic growth in the past half a century. Walking has failed to be recognized as a traffic measure or one of basic human rights. Therefore this study brings up problems of weakened walking right from increase of cars and examines reinforcing policies for walking right of advanced countries. And this study presents institutional devices for introducing walking safety measures of advanced countries reflecting pedestrian satisfaction and opinions about walking right. The results of this study are, First, pedestrians' walking liberty is guaranteed, Second, how to repair walking environment is searched and practical measures are analyzed to find out what is applicable to Korea, can reduce pedestrian accidents and is wanted by pedestrians using GAP analysis and Structural Equation. Third, basic data for upcoming selection of policies are presented by analyzing pedestrian satisfaction assuming that selected measures are operated.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics and Information Engineers
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.109-119
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• 2017

In the present study, to determine walking imbalance using the walking analysis method, where limitations in the existing walking analysis have been minimized, we propose a new walking analysis method that adopts the following: self-developed equipment to measure the angles of left-right hip joints and knee joints; a determination system using symmetry index (SI); and dynamic time warping (DTW) similarity analysis algorithm to analyze individual walking styles. Normal and imbalanced walking tests were conducted for 12 subjects without walking disorder. From the SI calculation to determine imbalanced walking, both the normal and imbalanced walking styles can be determined using the angle measurements of the left-right hip joints and knee joints. In the analysis of the individual walking styles, the similarities at the center of the lower back, left-right thighs, and dorsum of the feet of the 12 subjects in both normal and imbalanced walking cases were compared. From the similarity analysis of the measured values during the normal and imbalanced walking tests, I determined that the walking pattern does not maintain the same stance when the body parts move during walking.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.65-75
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of regular Nordic walking exercise on the physical indicators and subjective happiness of middle-aged rural residents. Methods: A pretest and posttest design with a non-equivalent control group was conducted. The participants of experimental and control group were each 21 subjects from 40 to 64 years old. The Nordic walking exercise program consisted of 24 sessions which were focused on group exercise, and was conducted three times a week for eight weeks. Results: The experimental group showed significant decreases in body mass index (p=.042), body fat (p<.001), and abdominal fat (p=.026). The experimental group showed significant increases in muscle mass of right lower limb (p=.009) and left lower limb (p=.016) but was not statistically significant in right, left upper limbs and body. On the other hand, the control group showed significant decreases in muscle mass of right upper limb (p=.034), left upper limb (p=.038), and body (p=.034). There were no significant differences in systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and subjective happiness between the experimental and the control group. Conclusion: The Nordic walking exercise should be actively encouraged to improve health of the middle-aged in rural area.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 2017

Purpose: This study examined the effects of upper- and lower-limb coordinated exercise with proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) on stroke patients' recovery of their balancing and walking abilities. Methods: This study was conducted with 30 patients aged at least 60 years and diagnosed with stroke. The patients were randomly assigned to either a PNF upper- and lower-limb coordinated exercise group of 15 patients or an aero-step balance exercise group of 15 patients. To test the subjects' balancing and walking abilities, balancing ability tests and 10-m walking speed tests were conducted before and after the interventions. The patients performed their respective exercises for 30 minutes per session, three times per week for four weeks. The PNF exercise group performed six stages of exercise consisting of a combination of PNF patterns such as sprinting, skating, and striking. The six stages (right striking, right skating, right sprinting, left striking, left skating, and left sprinting) were performed continuously with a rest period of 1 min. after training for 4 min. The exercises for the aero-step balance group consisted of balancing in a two-leg standing position, weight shifting in a two-leg standing position, one-leg standing, squat exercises, marching in place, and squatting on an aero step. Results: The PNF exercise group showed significant improvements in their balancing ability evaluations compared to the aero-step balance group and also showed significant improvements in their 10-m walking speed tests. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, PNF upper- and lower-limb coordinated exercise resulted in clinical improvements of stroke patients' balancing and walking abilities. Therefore, this type of exercise is recommended as a clinical intervention for the recovery of stroke patients' lower-limb function. Future studies should be conducted with longer intervention periods and more subjects to generalize the study results.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.9-14
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to privide basic data for footwear development according to walking mechanics by comparing gait cycle difference between barefoot walking and walking shoes. The walking period was measured in 30 normal adult women with no foot deformity and abnormality. The first subject walked in sneakers and measured the cycle. And then, the subjects walked barefoot and the period was measured to obtain data. The data were taken form corresponding paired T-test. The results were as follows: In barefoot walking, the stance phase left side(p <.001), right side(p <.005), the loading response left side(p <.009), right side(p <.002) ), the pre-swing left side(p <.002), right side (p <.011), the double stance phase(p <.004) were increased and the mid-stance left side (p <.016), right side(p. 001), the swing phase left side(p<.001) was decreased. This suggests that barefoot walking increases the input of various senses of the foot, which makes stable walking possible. It is necessary to improve shoes based on the walking cycle in the future.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Intelligent Systems
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.793-798
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• 2010

In this paper we propose a low-power walking compensation method for biped robot based on consumption energy analysis. Firstly, basic walking motions that can reduce energy consumption of robot movements are implemented based on consumption energy analysis according to robot axes. We define knee bent motion as a basic walking motion. It can improve energy consumption and motion stability by lowering center of gravity of the biped robot. We analyze consumption energy of left and right leg of the robot using motor currents and propose a compensation method of walking motions to reduce unbalance of consumption energy between left leg and right leg. It can also improve energy consumption and walking stability of the robot. The proposed low-power compensation method based on consumption energy analysis is verified by walking experiments of a small biped robot with an embedded system.