Abstract.[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to determine the reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) for hemiplegic patients.[Subjects] For the reliability and validity study, 50 patients with stroke (26 males, 24 females) were recruited. For the responsiveness study, 16 hemiplegic patients (8 males, 8 females) participated.[Methods] Two physical therapists and one occupational therapist rated 50 video recordings of hemiplegic patients using the FMA to test the inter-rater reliability, and one physical therapist (rater A) rated each of the 50 video clips on two occasions, two weeks apart, to evaluate the test-retest reliability. Responsiveness was calculated three months after the baseline assessment. Reliability was calculated using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), standard error of measurement (SEM), and smallest real difference (SRD). Concurrent validity was examined using Pearson's correlation coefficient and responsiveness was calculated using the effect size (ES) and standardized response mean (SRM).[Results] Assessment using the FMA showed high relative reliability, and the absolute reliability was satisfactory for the inter-rater and test-retest reliabilities. The correlations between motor function of the FMA and the Jebsen-Taylor hand function, grip power, motor assessment scale (MAS), and the Berg balance scale (BBS) were moderate to good, and were highly significant (p<0.05), while responsiveness was moderate to large. [Conclusion] The results indicate that the FMA is a reasonable assessment of the function of the upper and lower extremities of patient with stroke.

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of motor dual-task training (MDT), cognitive dual-task training (CDT), and motor and cognitive dual-task training (MCDT) on balance and daily living abilities of stroke patients. In addition, the relationships among assessment tools such as center of pressure (COP), Korean version of Berg Balance Scale (K-BBS), and the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) were investigated. [Subjects and Method] Thirty-eight stroke patients were randomly allocated to a MDT group, a CDT group, and a MCDT group, and training was performed three times a week for six weeks. The patients' balance was assessed with the mean area of COP movement and K-BBS, and the daily living abilities were evaluated with FIM before and after the training. [Results] Post-training, a significant difference in COP was found in each of the three groups, and between the CDT group and the MCDT group. K-BBS and FIM also showed a significant difference in each of the three groups, and comparison among the three groups showed that the improvement in the MCDT group was significantly better than those of the other two groups. Highly negative correlations were found between COP and K-BBS and between COP and FIM (r=-0.960,-0.874, respectively), and a highly positive correlation was found between K-BBS and FIM (r=0.870). [Conclusion] For effective training of balance and daily living abilities for stroke patients, it is more effective to implement both motor and cognitive dual-tasks than motor or cognitive dualtasks alone.

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Abstract.[Purpose] To determine inter-rater and intra-rater reliability using video recordings, and the concurrent validity of the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS).[Subjects] The subjects who were assessed were 71 children with cerebral palsy (CP; 46 boys, 25 girls) who were divided into three age groups according to the GMFCS guidelines; 0-2 years, 2-4 years, and 4-6 years.[Methods] Eleven pediatric physical therapists rated 71 video recordings of children with CP to test inter-rater reliability. Two of them rescored the same video recordings to test intra-rater reliability at an interval of one month. Concurrent validity was evaluated by comparing GMFCS levels with the subscale of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI) such as self-care, mobility, and social ability.[Results] By age group, inter-rater reliability was high (ICC = 0.994, 0.993, and 0.996 respectively). Intra-rater reliability was also high (ICC = 0.972-0.996), and correlation was higher between GMFCS level and the mobility domain of PEDI than between GMFCS level and non-motor domains of PEDI. [Conclusion] This study confirmed the reliability and validity of the GMFCS, supporting its use in clinical practice and research.

Background. Computers are used as a means of social communication, for work and other purposes. However, patients with spinal cord injuries may have a higher risk than normal individuals with musculoskeletal problems when using computers owing to their inability to control respective postures due to problems in motor and sensory functioning.Objectives. This study is aimed at identifying the effect of computer desk heights on musculoskeletal discomforts of the neck and upper extremities and EMG activities in patients with spinal cord (C6) and upper thoracic spinal cord injuries.Methods. Participants of the present study were the patients diagnosed with ASIA A or B. The patients were divided into two groups according to their spinal cord injuries: C6 group and T2-T6 group. The level of the desk was set at 5 cm below the elbow, at the elbow level, and 5 cm above the elbow level. Electromyography was used to measure the duration of typing task EMG(%RVC) of the cervical erector spinae, upper trapezius, anterior deltoid, and wrist extensor. Subjective musculoskeletal discomfort (Borg-RPE) was measured at the end of the experiment.Results. The two groups showed differences in terms of RPE corresponding to each level of the computer desk (p<.05). Postanalysis revealed the C6 group had decreased RPE as the level of computer desk increased, whereas the subjects in the T2-T6 group had decreased RPE values in accordance with the decreasing level of computer desk (p<.05). In EMG, both groups had no significant differences (p>.05). However, in terms of the interaction between the muscles and the level of computer desk in both groups, the differences in the interactions of the upper trapezius and wrist extensor with each level of the desk were found (p<.05).Conclusion. This study is meaningful in that it confirms computer work posture and preference of spinal cord-injured individuals.