Purpose: We aimed to analyze the reliability of the test for choice stepping reaction time (CSRT) under an unstable surface and determine whether there were differences in CSRT between support surface conditions (stable vs. unstable conditions) and between age groups (young adults vs. community-dwelling older adults).
Methods: Twenty healthy community-dwelling older adults and twenty young adults performed the stepping task under an unstable condition over two visits. The mean of the two trials measured for each visit was used for the analysis. The test-retest reliability was analyzed using intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) with a 95% confidence interval, standard error of measurement (SEM), and minimal detectable change (MDC). Differences in CSRT between support surface conditions and age groups were analyzed using the independent t-test with Bonferroni correction.
Results: Excellent consistency was observed for ICC >0.90 in both groups. Moreover, the SEM and MDC values of the CSRT in older and young adults were 0.03 and 0.09 and 0.01 and 0.04, respectively. There was a significant difference in the CSRT between the age groups under stable (p<0.001) and unstable conditions (p<0.001).
Conclusion: The findings demonstrated that the test for CSRT under an unstable condition had reliable results in both groups. Although older adults demonstrated longer reaction times than younger adults in all surface conditions, increasing the balance control demand by implementing a choice stepping task concomitant with a balance task had no influence on the reaction time in both age groups.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to confirm the effect of static stretching of the plantar flexor for 5 minutes on balance and ankle muscle activity when walking in young adults.
Methods: This study experimented on 20 healthy college students without vestibular and musculoskeletal diseases. Subjects performed static stretching intervention of plantar flexor for 5 minutes on a stretch board set at 15° to 25° Balance was measured four times before intervention (pre), after intervention (post), 5 minutes after intervention (post 5 min), 10 minutes after intervention (post 10 min), and ankle muscle activity was measured during walking. For the analysis and post hoc analysis, one-way Repeated Measure ANOVA and Fisher's LSD (Last Significant Difference) was performed to find out the change in balance and the activity of ankle muscles before static stretching, pre, post, post 5 minutes rest, post 10 minutes rest.
Results: There was no significant difference in weight distribution index (WDI) in balance, but stability index (ST) showed a significant difference, and there was also a significant difference in correlation pre, post, post 5min rest, post 10 minutes rest (p< 0.05). There was no significant difference in ankle muscle activity during walking in Tibialis anterior (TA), Medial gastrocnemius (GM), and Lateral gastrocnemius (GL) (p >0.05).
Conclusion: The stability index (ST) increased significantly immediately after static stretching and decreased after 5 minutes. After static stretching, at least 5 minutes of rest are required to restore balance.

Purpose: This study investigated the effects of open kinetic chain (OKC) exercise for the gastrocnemius (GCM) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles on static and dynamic balance and muscle strength.
Methods: We recruited 21 healthy participants, dividing them into 3 groups (GCM, TA, and non-exercise). Each group contains 7 participants. Two exercise groups (GCM and TA) performed OKC exercise with elastic bands twice per week for 4 weeks, while non-exercise group did nothing. We obtained the data for static and dynamic balance and muscle strength before and after the intervention. We used the Kruskal-Wallis test to compare and analyze the pre-post-intervention differences among the groups.
Results: For static balance, the stability index of the TA group was the lowest for the dynamic platform (p<0.05). The dynamic balance of the TA group increased for the anterior and posteromedial directions (p<0.05). The peak torque increased in the TA group for dorsiflexion (D/F) movement and in the GCM group for plantar flexion movement compared with the other groups, except for the left direction during D/F (p<0.05).
Conclusion: OKC exercises with elastic bands were effective for selectively increasing muscle strength. It is clinically thought that strength training for TA muscles will be effective among the muscles of the ankle.

Purpose: This study aims to measure the improvement of balanced ability and rapid response of 30 healthy adults by performing dynamic stretching, static stretching, and sargent jump.
Methods: The sample 30 peoples without any musculoskeletal disease who volunteered to be the subject of the study. We measured all subjects on following metrics to evaluate the function and stability under the normal condition, with dynamic stretching (DS) group, static stretching (SS) group: vertical jump height and reaching distance Anterior, Posteromedial, Posterolateral and NO (Normal eye open), NC (Normal eye close), PO (Pillow with eye open), and PC (Pillow with close eye) were evaluated. All measures were analyzed using independent t-test and One-way repeated Anova.
Results: There was a significant increase in SJH (Sargent jump) in both groups (p<0.05). In Y-balance test, there was a significant increase in both groups except for the ANT (Anterior) direction, and there was a significant increase only in the SS group in the ANT (Anterior) direction (p< 0.05). There was no significant difference between the DS group and the SS group (p >0.05). There was no significant improvement in ST (Stability Index) and WDI (Weight Distribution Index) in both groups (p>0.05).
Conclusion: Both DS and SS showed significant improvement in SJH and Y-balance tests, which are dynamic functions, but had no significant effect on static balance ability.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the exercise effect of two types of training with a recumbent cycle ergometer on ankle muscle strength (dorsiflexor strength, DFS; dorsiflexor strength/weight, DFS/kg; plantar flexor strength, PFS; and plantar flexor strength/weight, PFS/kg) in healthy male subjects.
Methods: Twenty-three healthy males (27.91±8.66 yr) were randomly allocated into two groups (high-intensity interval training (HIIT), and aerobic exercise training (AET) after the first measurement. The subjects were trained for 24 sessions (40 min/rep, three times/week) and ankle strength was measured for a second time. Two-way mixed model analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to identify significant differences between changes in ankle muscle strength between before and after training (within factors) in the HIIT and AET groups (between factors). The statistical significance level was set at α=0.05.
Results: In both HIIT and AET groups, all variables of ankle muscle strength were significantly increased after training compared to before training (p=0.001). However, there were no differences in all variables of ankle strength between the HIIT and AET group (p>0.05).
Conclusion: Both types (HIIT and AET) of recumbent cycle exercise training could be effective training methods to increase ankle muscle strength in healthy individuals, and the HIIT type with high intensity and low frequency pedaling could be recommended more to strengthen ankle muscles.

Purpose: The mass of facial muscles can be increased through exercise, as is also the case for muscles in the extremities. This systematic review was conducted to investigate the effect of facial exercises on facial muscle strengthening and facial rejuvenation, focusing on recent studies.
Methods: A literature search was performed using the PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Web of Science databases. The quality of the trials was evaluated according to the PEDro scale. In total, 11 studies were included in this review: four studies on facial exercise for facial rejuvenation and seven studies on strengthening the muscles of the face.
Results: Facial exercises for facial rejuvenation increased the mechanical properties and elasticity of the skin of the face and neck, the thickness and cross-sectional area of the facial muscles, and the fullness of the upper and lower cheeks.
Conclusion: A study aimed at strengthening facial muscles showed improvements in labial closure strength and tongue elevation strength. Despite the positive results for facial rejuvenation and muscle strengthening, the level of evidence was low. Therefore, in future research, it will be necessary to investigate the effects of facial exercise in a thoroughly controlled experiment with a sufficient sample size to increase the level of evidence.

Objectives: We report on a patient who showed mild bradykinesia due to injury of the corticofugal tract (CFT) from the secondary motor area following direct head trauma, which was demonstrated on diffusion tensor tractography (DTT).
Case summary: A 58-year-old male patient underwent conservative management for subarachnoid hemorrhages caused by direct head trauma resulting from a fall from six-meter height at the department of neurosurgery of a local hospital. His Glasgow Coma Scale score was 3. He developed mildly slow movements following the head trauma and visited the rehabilitation department of a university hospital at ten weeks after the fall. The patient exhibited mild bradykinesia during walking and arm movements with mild weakness in all four extremities (G/G-).
Results: On ten-week DTT, narrowing of the right CFT from the supplementary motor area (SMA-CFT), and partial tearing of the left SMA-CFT, left CFTs from the dorsal premotor cortex (dPMC-CFT) and both corticospinal tracts (CSTs) at the subcortical white matter were observed.
Conclusion: This case demonstrated abnormalities in both CSTs (partial tearing at the subcortical white matter and narrowing), both SMA-CFTs (narrowing and partial tearing) and left dPMC-CFT. We believe our findings suggest the necessity of assessment of the CFTs from the secondary motor area for patients with unexplained bradykinesia following direct head trauma.

Purpose: This study was to the investigate recognition of physical activity between physical therapy students (PTS) and non-physical therapy students (NPTS) by measuring the level of physical activity using International Physical Activity Questionnaires (IPAQ).
Methods: A cross-sectional survey was completed by 191 university students. The IPAQ with an additional question (Is physical activity necessary for your future job?) was used to evaluate the recognition and the amount of physical activity. The collected data were calculated as MET-minutes scores and were classified as walking, moderate, and vigorous level of physical activity. The students were analyzed by dividing them into those who had a part-time employment (16 PTS and 12 NPTS) and those who did not have a part-time employment (80 PTS and 83 NPTS).
Results: In students with a part-time employment, no significances were observed between the PTS and NPTS, in terms of MET, frequency and time of physical activity, and sitting time (p>0.05). In students without a part-time employment, the NPTS was significantly higher than the PTS for the MET and frequency of physical activity in a vigorous level (p< 0.05), and there were no significant differences in other levels of physical activity (p >0.05). In the additional question, the PTS showed a slightly higher than the NPTS (p<0.05).
Conclusion: The physical therapy students did not remarkable barrier to recognition of physical activity, but there was a difference in their recognition of the vigorous level of physical activity. Therefore, the understanding of physical activity for PTS would play an important role in the recognition of how physical activity can be promoted.