Abstract
Objective: The objective of the present study was to perform locomotion checks (“loco-checks”) and standing tests on examinees of our health check-up facility and study the findings and actions required to conduct exercise therapy, a strategy against metabolic syndrome (“metabo”), more safely.
Methods: We performed a loco-check, physical constitution/body composition measurements and the standing test, a test of the functional strength of the lower limbs, on 723 persons who underwent a health check-up at our facility from March 13 to November 30 2012. The subjects were divided into a Loco-check (+) Group, a Metabo Group, an Overlap (Metabo and Loco-check (+)) Group and a Healthy Group and we compared subject percentages, physical constitution and body composition measurements, and standing test results among them.
Results: Of the total number of subjects, 20.9% were assigned to the Loco-check (+) group, 12.3% to the Metabo Group, 7.5% to the Overlap Group and 59.3% to the Healthy Group. In males, the results obtained in the standing test were lower in subjects in their 50s in the Overlap Group and in subjects in their 60s in the Loco-check (+) Group than those in the same age groups in the Healthy Group. Regarding the physical constitution and body composition indicators of BMI, body fat percentage (% fat) and lean body mass/height (LBM/m), there were no differences between the Loco-check (+) Group and Healthy Group.
Conclusion: Among subjects coming under the metabo category, there were those who also came under the loco-check (+) category and the functional strength of the lower limbs was lower in such subjects. By the physical constitution and body composition measurements currently conducted in health check-ups, it is difficult to identify loco-check (+) subjects. Therefore, in order to screen for problems with the motor system at an early date and conduct exercise therapy safely as a metabo strategy, it is necessary to match exercise prescriptions to individual motor functions by conducting loco-checks and tests of lower limb functional strength.
