The purpose of this study was to verify the initial mechanism of shear force in comfortable sitting position on chair. With 10 healthy men as subjects, we measured the displacement width of sitting pressure distribution with trunk backward inclining and the time difference from contact with the backrest until the beginning of the shift of the sitting pressure center position under two conditions of "with" and "without" backrest using a pressure distribution meter. The results show that the sitting pressure center position gradually moves backwards with trunk backward inclining, and in the case of "with" backrest turned forward just after the inclining (0.2 ± 0.1 sec). The displacement width was a shift forward from the base sitting position of 0.5 ± 1.2 cm "with" backrest and a shift backward of 2.0 ± 1.1 cm "without" backrest, showing a significant difference between them (p<0.01). These results suggest the intervention of backrest is indispensable in the initiation of shear force.

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Visual feedback is very common technique for rehabilitation. In this study, the effects of visual feedback on voluntary finger movement were examined by functional MRI, and the activated distribution of the cortical area was also examined. In addition, the results of subjects were compared between eyes closed and eyes open with checking of their own movement in the mirror. The activated distribution of the ipsilateral sensory motor area tended to be enlarged when subjects had their eyes open during the assignment. In addition to the occipital area, the frontal, parietal and temporal areas also tended to be more active with visual feedback. Moreover, bilateral brain activation was also increased when there was visual feedback. In conclusion, visual feedback is considered to be helpful for improving physical exercise in rehabilitation because visual feedback possibly develops the activated distribution of the sensory motor area.

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In this study, with respect to lower limb loading force measurement which has been introduced as a simple lower limb function assessment method, we measured the femoral region electromyogram and lower limb loading in real time, and examined the role of femoral muscles in lower limb loading force relevant to dynamic shifts. The subjects were 9 healthy men at the time of measurement of loading force their loading capacity, and electromyograms of quadriceps femoris and biceps femoris were measured. On the measurement of lower limb loading force, the muscle discharge amount of both quadriceps femoris and biceps femoris were increased, but it was greater in quadriceps femoris, suggesting that the contribution of the muscle action of quadriceps femoris to loading force exertion is large. From the difference of arrival time to peak value between the amount of muscle discharge and loading, we consider that factors other than lower limb muscle strength participate in lower limb loading forces.

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The purpose of this study was to reveal the characteristics of backward walking of healthy adults. The subjects were 27 undergraduate students of Seirei Christopher University (17 men and 10 women). The items measured were 10 m forward walking, 10 m backward walking, and a VAS (Visual Analog Scale) was used to measure subjective sense of fear just after the backward walking. The speed of walking was free for each subject (free walking) and the walking time (time distance), step number and actual walking distance was measured. From these results, backward walking was found to reduce step width (p<0.001), step rate (p<0.05), walking speed (p<0.001) and walking ratio (p<0.001) compared with forward walking. Sense of fear had no relevance to backward walking. The backward walking of healthy adults was not influenced by psychogenic factor, suggesting that the large reduction in step width controlled the walking speed and rate.

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We studied the characteristics of backward walking of elderly people and the relationship between walking and balance ability for the purpose of revealing the characteristics of backward moving of elderly people. The subjects were 11 healthy elderly people participating in a fall prevention class. The measurement items were 10 m forward walking, 10 m backward walking, the Functional Reach Test and the one-leg standing test. To examine the difference between forward and backward walking, the t-test was used and the relationship between backward walking and balance ability was analyzed with Pearson's correlation coefficient. The results show that in backward walking of elderly people step width (p<0.001), walking speed (p<0.001) and walking ratio (p<0.001) were reduced compared with forward walking, and that their relationships with balance ability were low. From these results, it became clear that in backward walking of elderly people, walking speed and ratio are reduced by adjustment of step width, suggesting it is possible to evaluate the backward balance shift.

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The purpose of this study was to investigate the tracking of the center of pressure (COP) of healthy women and study classification of tracking of the COP from the point of view of medial or lateral deviation. Seventy-five healthy women participated in this study. Tracking of the COP was measured while the subjects were walking by the Parotec system pressure distribution measuring system and classified by original classifications grouping catastasis coordinates into a group that indicated average tracking of the COP or groups that indicates medial or lateral deviation. The results show that the tracking of the COP of each group was significantly different each they were characteristic. The classification can classify subjects from the point of view of medial or lateral deviation. We should study the effect of the insole on tracking of the COP considering characteristics of the tracking of the COP.

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In this study we used a bicycle ergometer and analyzed the influence of different pedal rates on oxygen intake (VO₂/W) and mean arterial pressure (MAP). The subjects were 14 young healthy men and the pedal rates were set as 60 rpm and 80 rpm. The method was 25 minutes exercise including 3 minutes rest and 5 minutes warm-up (W-up). The exercise intensity was set as constant heart rate load with an objective heart rate of (220 - age) × 0.6, and VO₂/W and blood pressure were measured in every minute of rest, W-up and 20 minutes exercise. Then, 20 minutes of exercise with constant heart rate load was divided into 4 stages, one stage for every five minutes, and the mean value of each stage was compared VO₂/W at 80 rpm was significantly higher in stage 1, and MAP at 80 rpm was significantly lower than at 60 rpm in every stage. Therefore, it is thought that exercise at 80 rpm can be performed with better efficiency and safety.

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In this study we measured the postural sway of 28 healthy people while keeping the standing position and providing visually confusing information of other people coming near and passing by on both their sides. The measured conditions were standing between parallel flat bars or without the bars, and with vision fixed or free. The results show that postural sway was not influenced by the presence or absence of the parallel flat bars and the different vision conditions. In the group who were strongly conscious of others' passing, a higher value of postural sway area was only shown with free vision with the parallel flat bars compared to fixed vision. Therefore, we consider that healthy people with free vision who were strongly conscious of others' passing were influenced by the passing people with the parallel flat bars visual information input as peripheral vision, and showed a bigger postural sway than with fixed vision.

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The 30-second chair-stand test (CS-30 test) is considered to be useful for testing the handicapped as well as the elderly with low levels of fitness, but few reports have been made on the test conducted among these people so far. This paper is a report of the test given to the elderly. We tried to find the relationships between the CS-30 test and the maximum extension muscle strength of lower limbs as well as the functioning of daily living. The subjects were elderly people who were participating in a training program for preventive care. During the test neither joint pains, subjective symptoms nor objective symptoms were present. A correlation was found between the CS-30 test and the maximum extension muscle strength of lower limbs (r=0.90, p<0.05), but there was no relation between test and the functioning of daily living as assessed by the Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology (TMIG) index of competence (instrumental self-maintenance r=0.45, intellectual activity r=0.11, social role r=0.07). The results depended much on the personal physical abilities of the elderly people. The number of subjects was not enough to fully prove the results of the test mentioned above. However, these measurements and research using the CS-30 test have identified a method for identifying weak elderly people and their risk management.

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In this study, we took images of geometry variation of the gastrocnemius muscle of healthy people in passive foot joint dorsiflexion position retention in the sagittal plane by a non-invasive ultrasound method, which is widely used as a physical therapy procedure. The purpose of this study was to consider how the ultrasound method can help the study of the effectiveness of physical therapy by measuring in the obtained images the angle made by the tendon of insertion and muscle fascicle (pinnation angle) and the torque value of the plantar flexor muscle -pressure against the planta pedis- which is antagonistic to dorsiflexion retention. Each measurement value was found to be reliable. Furthermore, we found an increase in planta pedis pressure with decrease in pinnate angle in dorsiflex compared to plantar flexion. In conclusion, as macroscopic, basic information about muscle geometry variation in passive dosiflexion retention, the decrease if pinnation angle generated by passive tendon is suggested, and we consider the ultrasound method can be used to study the effectiveness of the physical therapy.

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Standing postural sway was analyzed in healthy subjects who maintained a stable standing posture (single attention-demanding task), and who simultaneously performed both the stable standing posture and a numerical subtraction task presented visually and/or aurally (concurrent dual attention-demanding task), in order to clarify the nature of cognitive influence on standing postural stability. The standing postural sway while performing the concurrent dual attention-demanding task significantly deteriorated compared to that in the single attention-demanding task, thus confirming that standing postural stability is effectively controlled by carrying out a concurrent dual attention-demanding task. These findings are discussed in relation to the resource-limited and data-limited processes developed in researches concerning selective attention.

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We asked 13 residents of a welfare facility who self-operate wheelchairs to train trunk rotation movement using machine 5 times a week for 3 weeks. Eight with one-hand and leg operators and 5 both-hands operators were measured for trunk rotation strength and wheelchair propulsion ability before and after the training, and the differences of the effect on the wheelchair propulsion methods was assessed. In both groups the trunk rotation strength improved significantly. The wheelchair propulsion ability showed no changes in to and fro 2.5-m propulsion time and 6-minutes propulsion distance in both groups. Both-hands operators took significantly longer than one-hand and leg operators in 5-m propulsion time before the training, but there were no differences between both groups after the training. These results suggest that 3 weeks training of trunk rotation exercise improved the trunk rotation strength in both groups and that the propulsion speed of both-hands operators is improved to the same level as that one-hand and leg operators.

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It is necessary to support the forefoot and toe in the forward reach task. Toe flexor force (hallux and 2-5 toes) while standing and the location of center of pressure (COP) while reaching were measured in 19 young females (mean age 20.1, S.D.1.8). Subjects were ordered to perform the reaching tasks under two conditions. In the 10 degree forward reaching task, there was a correlation with hallux flexor force and the location of COP. On the other hand, in the maximum forward reaching task, a greater forward weight shift was neede in this condition, and there were correlations with not only hallux but also 2-5 toe flexor force and the COP. The results suggest that toe flexor force is important for maintaining balance in performance of forward reaching tasks while standing.

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For the purpose of revealing the influence of unilateral upper limb on the opposite side lower limb, we performed an isometric resistance exercise at the start, the middle and the final positions of right upper limb proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) flexion-abduction-external rotation pattern for 25 healthy male. The extension force of both lower limbs during each exercise for upper limb was measured by hand-held dynamometer. The extension force of left lower limb showed a significantly high value in an isometric resistance exercise to the final position of the right upper limb. The extension force of right lower limb did not show any significant difference between each upper limb position. On the isometric resistance exercise by each right upper limb, every extension force of the left lower limb showed a significantly high value. Isometric resistance exercises of unilateral upper limb flexion-abduction-external rotation pattern may be suitable as a method for muscle strength of the opposite lower limb.

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In this study we investigated the influence of different levels of sustained handgrip exercise on the blood pressure responses of 12 young healthy men (mean age 21.0 ± 2.3). The exercise levels were set as 10, 30 and 50% of the maximum grip force. After 5 minutes rest, 2 minutes sustained grip movement at each level was performed, and blood pressure was measured after the rest and the grip exercise. We used the t-test for the statistical analysis for comparison of blood pressure at rest and after the grip exercise and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and a post-hoc test for the effects of load intensity. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significantly increased at 50% load compared to both 10% load and 30% load (p<0.05). From these results, it is probable that the trigger for raising the blood pressure lies between the load intensities of 30% and 50%.

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At the medical department of physical therapy where the authors work, "physical condition change cards" were made and 119 cases analyzed. Various causes of physical condition change were found, such as variations of cardiovascular, locomotory and mental and psychology. We mad the cards available on the hospital LAN and try to get them to be used effectively. With this system, all staff could recognize the condition of patients who were being given physical therapy. The content of the accident report provided in the hospital has improved. The cards offered information on risk management from the department of physical therapy suggesting the possibility of accident avoidance.

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We investigated the daily living situation, fall situation, physical balance ability, gait ability and bone density of 30 patients admitted to a psychiatric hospital. Twenty-eight patients spent daily activities in the hospital and the others did so in their room. Four out of 30 (13.3%) had experienced falls. The patient's physical balance ability was at the same level as that of frail elderly people who had experienced falls. Maximum walking speed and bone density were relatively lower than those of people of similar ages. In the field of psychiatry the aging of patients in progressing, and the improvement of physical exercise, the enlargement the range of daily living activities, and affirmative intervention of physical therapists is required.

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Focusing on the extension of lower limb sensation, we asked a patient with right lower extremity prosthesis to do a sensation assignment, and examined the sensation condition and analyzed conscious experience from a self-assessment report. The subject was an 81-year-old man who had experienced right below-knee amputation. For four weeks, as a sensation assignment, we asked the subject to distinguish 4 items, material, configuration, hardness and weight on the left sole, right stump, right prosthesis sole, and analyzed the correct answer percentages in the self-assessment report. The highest percentages of correct answers were hardness, material, configuration and weight (weight on left sole and the right prosthesis sole) in this order. In the self-assessment report description, a temporal change was seen, compared to the other items, with a shift from passive to active contact, but a big change was not seen in hardness and weight.

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The purpose of this study was to show the effect of change in posture and movement during pregnancy on the lower back using a three-dimensional motion analysis system. Three pregnant women participated in this study when they were in the sixth and eighth months of pregnancy. Trunk forward and backward moments during static standing and level walking were analyzed. The trunk forward and backward moments were in proportion to trunk bending angle in two subjects. However, the trunk forward and backward moments decreased in spite of the increase in trunk bending angle with pregnancy progress in one subject. These results suggest that center of gravity of HAT (head, arm, trunk) moved anteroinferior due to abdominal swelling in pregnancy resulting in shorter lever arm between joint centre and gravitational force. The trunk backward moment decreased in the second half of a double stance phase in walking because inertial force applied to centre of gravity in HAT and trunk angle affected trunk moment. However, one subject did not exert trunk backward moment in spite of increased trunk forward bending angle and backward component of floor reaction force. This was also due to center of gravity of HAT moving anteroinferior resulting in shorter lever arm.

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We studied the relationship between the ability of recognition of object height and time and fall among 44 young people and 64 elderly local residents. We measured the distance from a 20 cm cube and cognition differences (a difference of predicted and actual value) with the Timed Up and Go test (TUG). The results show differences between the young and the elderly, especially for the group with experience of fall. After logistic regression analysis with the objective variable as "fall experience in the past 1 year", we made up a fall prediction scale from the extracted data of TUG actual value, TUG cognition differences and right hand cognition differences. From the evaluation of the ROC curve, the area below the curve was 0.801, and the two cut-off values gave sensitivity and specificity for fall of 75%, respectively. The results suggest cognition differences are an effective way of assessing risk of fall.

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We measured lower limb loading force of hemiplegics patients with a commercially available scale and studied the relationship with sit-to-stand movement ability. The subjects, 40 hemiplegics patients (17 men and 23 women, mean age 72.7) were divided into 3 groups, need care for sit-to-stand, self-supporter with condition (need upper limb support) and self-supporter, and compared each group with lower limb loading force. The total value of lower limb loading force of the non-paralyzed and paralyzed sides showed significant differences in sit-to-stand ability. The more independent at sit-to-stand the patients were, the bigger the value of lower limb loading force was. This knowledge suggests that the measurement of lower limb loading force in the sitting position is useful for a simple lower limb function assessment reflecting sit-to-stand movement. Especially, since this method is possible in the sitting position, it can be used for hemiplegic patients whose treatment does not allow sit-to-stand movement to predict the prognosis of sit-to-stand movement.

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Cognitive therapeutic exercise is an approach based on cognitive theory that focuses on the cognitive process of the brain while regarding the rehabilitation of motor function as one process of learning. This report introduces the background and a brief description of cognitive therapeutic exercise.

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This paper will examine the concept and services of Horticultural Therapy (HT). Also, the clinical programs, the case studies, and the research of HT will be discussed.

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