Abstract
Various physical exercises aimed at preventing frailty are carried out at community gatherings. Among these, ankle
dorsiflexion exercises are often performed, with the most common method being to hold onto the back of a chair while
standing and perform dorsiflexion on both sides simultaneously for about 10 seconds. However, the conventional method
tends to induce hip flexion at the same time, suggesting that dorsiflexion may not be sufficiently effective.To address this, a resident-led program was conducted over two months for participants in Hatsuratz, incorporating a modified method of performing dorsiflexion exercises on one leg at a time with the hip joint flexed at 30 degrees, as determined from the results of a preliminary survey. The program resulted in significant improvements in both ankle dorsiflexion angle and dorsiflexion strength. The proposed method, performed with the hip flexed at 30 degrees from the starting position, reduced compensatory hip movements and expanded the ankle joint cavity. This was due to the lower leg forming an obtuse angle with the plantar surface, which is thought to have increased the dorsiflexion range during exercise. The expanded range likely increased the resistance from the antagonist muscles to dorsiflexion, leading to improved muscle strength.
In the future, as the number of rehabilitation professionals in mountainous and hilly areas declines, it will become
increasingly necessary for residents to practice frailty prevention together. Exercise methods that can be effectively
performed in group settings, such as the ankle dorsiflexion exercise described in this study, are expected to become
increasingly important.
