Comparison between the Effects of Horseback Riding Exercise and Trunk Stability Exercise on the Balance of Normal Adults.

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to compare the effects of horseback riding exercise and trunk stability exercise on static and dynamic balance in normal adults. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty-two normal adults residing in communities were randomly divided into a horseback riding exercise group and a trunk stability exercise group, and they conducted exercise for eight weeks. [Results] Sway times of the COG (center of gravity) decreased significantly, and the A-P (anterior-posterior) and M-L (medial-lateral) velocities significantly decreased in both groups. A comparison of sway times of the COG after the intervention between the two groups revealed that the horseback riding exercise group showed larger decreases than the trunk stability exercise group. [Conclusion] In terms of the musculoskeletal factor, horseback riding may result in functional improvement and increased stability, and it may stimulate proprioceptive sense input in neurological terms. It is therefore considered a composite exercise method that may strengthen the two factors simultaneously.

The effects of combination patterns of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation and ball exercise on pain and muscle activity of chronic low back pain patients.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to compare two methods for the muscle stabilization of the trunk of patients with chronic low back pain. The methods comprised combination patterns of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) and ball exercise. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects were 40 volunteers who had low back pain. All subjects were randomly assigned to either a group which received proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation or a group which performed ball exercise. Measurements were taken four times in total, at pre-intervention, two weeks later, four weeks later, and six weeks later. The main measurement methods used were the visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain and electromyography (EMG) for muscle activity. [Results] VAS and EMG activity were significantly reduced in the PNF combination pattern group and the ball exercise group. A comparison of the groups showed significant differences. In VAS and EMG activity; in particular, the combination pattern group using PNF increased EMG activity more than the ball exercise group did after six weeks of intervention. [Conclusion] This study showed that PNF combination pattern training for six weeks was more effective for patients with low back pain than performing ball exercise.

Unilateral renal angiodysplasia in a girl with hypertension.

We report a case of very unusual renal vascular anomaly: angiodysplasia. The patient suffered from acute pyelonephritis immediately after birth. Renal ultrasonography, performed at age 1 day, revealed an enlarged left kidney with heterogeneously increased echogenicity, which involuted rapidly in 3 months. At age 10 years, she presented with severe hypertension during a course of acute pyelonephritis. Peripheral plasma renin activity was high. Computed tomographic angiogram revealed a very small but functioning left kidney. A single, narrow, left renal artery did not have focal stenosis. Pathology examination revealed dysplastic arterioles at the subcapsular area. After left nephrectomy, the blood pressure and the plasma renin activity were normalized. In conclusion, this is an unusual case of renal angiodysplasia, which induced renin-dependent hypertension.

A Case of Diabetic Ketoacidosis Associated with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia during Remission Induction Chemotherapy

No abstract available.