PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of biofeedback exercise training on muscle activity and activities of daily livings (ADL) in hemiplegic patients. An experimental group consisting of 17 people, was given biofeedback exercise training for 30- 60 minutes per week for 5 weeks, while a control group consisting of 18 people, was given normal exercise with quasi-experimental design. RESULT: The results of the study show that biofeedback exercise is effective for improving muscle activity in hemiplegic patients, especially in the hemiplegic limbs. However, this study found no significant differences in ADL and IADL between the experimental and the control groups. It implies that ADL and IADL may not be improved for a short period of time, such as 5 weeks, for people with more than five years of hemiplegia. The study suggests that the effect of biofeedback exercise on ADL and IADL should be determined in hemiplegic patients in acute stage.

This study was attempted to evaluate how the self efficacy promotion and exercise training program effect on the postoperative general conditions of transplant recipients after kidney transplantations. The subjects were selected randomly among the patients who underwent renal trans- plantations at three major transplantation hospitals in Seoul, Korea. This study was carried out between November 1999 and March 2000. The observed subjects in this study consisted of 56 patients. The exercise training group(n=16) received the self efficacy promotion and exercise training program for 12 weeks which contained general knowledge for compliance instruction, exercise training and self efficacy promotion education. The self efficacy group(n=18) received general knowledge for compliance instruction and self efficacy promotion education but no exercise training was given. The control group(n=22) were not offered any education. The knowledge for compliance, self efficacy, physical conditions(weight, muscle strength, muscle endurance, flexibility), lab studies (hemoglobin, creatinine, cholesterol), activities of daily living and quality of life were evaluated 3 times, before the experiment, at 8 weeks and at 12 weeks. The data were analyzed with mean, standard deviation, Chi-square test, ANOVA and Scheff test. The results were as follows: 1. The knowledge and self efficacy score of the exercise training group and self efficacy group were significantly increased than those of the control group(p=.0001). 2. The weight of the exercise training group was significantly decreased compared to those of the self efficacy group and the control group(p=.0001). Muscle strength (grip strength, back lift strength), and flexibility of all 3 groups were significantly changed(p=.0001). However, muscle endurance in all 3 groups showed no significant differences. 3. The hemoglobin level of the exercise training group and the self efficacy group were significantly increased compared to that of the control group(p=.0001) and the cholesterol levels of the exercise training group and the self efficacy group were significantly decreased compared to that of the control group(p=,0001). However, the creatinine levels in all 3 groups showed no significant differences. 4. The activities of daily living scores of the exercise training group was significantly increased than that of the control group (p=.0003), and the quality of life scores of the exercise training group and the self efficacy group were significantly better than that of the control group(p=.0001). It would be expected that this self efficacy promotion and exercise training program could be applied widely as an effective nursing intervention for kidney transplant recipients.