This study investigated the reliability and validity of measuring reaction time by employing the sit-to-stand (STS) movement and examined its relationship with groundreaction force. The participants included 42 healthy young women (mean age 20.6±0.8 years). Whole body reaction time and STS reaction time as a measure of agility were evaluated. The peak reaction force per body weight, rate of force development and center of pressure moving distance were evaluated to measure ground-reaction force during STS movement. The Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for measuring the STS reaction time was high (ICC (1, 1)=0.735), thus confirming the reliability of the measurement. However, a significant relationship was shown between the STS reaction time and whole body reaction time (r=0.375, P=0.014). However, when the relationship with the ground-reaction force was examined, no relationship was found with all the ground reaction force variables. These results indicate that the STS reaction time is reliability and validity, it was suggested that there may be no association with the ground reaction force.

Drinking alcohol has been reported as a risk factor for a reduced healthy life expectancy. However, several studies suggested that drinking has a positive effect on health. The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in physical functions of elderly men living in the community by classifying them into three groups according to the frequency of drinking (no drinking group, occasional drinking group, and daily drinking group). As a result of the comparison of the three groups, the enveloped area representing standing balance was significantly larger in the daily-drinking groupthaninthe no-drinking group and the occasional-drinking group. This study suggested that daily drinking is one of the factors that reduces standing balance in elderly men living in the community and that occasional drinking does not have an adverse effect on health.

[Purpose] the purpose of this study was to investigate the activity of femoral and crural muscle during the toe pressuring force action, and examine relationship toe pressuring force and femoral and crural muscle. [subjects] subjects were 18 healthy adult females. [method] we compared the normalized integrated electromyogram (%iemg) of tibial anterior muscle, medial head of gastrocnemius muscle, and soleus muscle among dorsal flexion intermediate position, and plantar flexion. [result] the results showed crural muscles was confirmed 19.3 to 25.3% iemg of the maximum voluntary contraction.%iemgof the tibialis anterior muscle and medial head of the gastrocnemius muscle demonstrated a positive correlation with toe pressuring force (r=0.53 and r=0.51, respectively). [conclusion] these results suggested that crural muscle was co‐contracting during the toe pressuring force action, and % iemg reflected toe pressuring force.

This study examined the relationship between the prevalence of low back pain among care workers and assistive technology usage for transfer, based on the results of a survey involving 12 social welfare facilities, as a basis for disseminating “non-lifting care”. The prevalence of low back pain exceeded 50% in 7 facilities, reaching 85% in a facility. On comparing the use rate among various types of assistive technology for transfer, sliding boards and sliding sheets achieved higher rates, whereas that of lifts was lower. Correlation analysis revealed significant correlations between the prevalence of low back pain among care workers and care grade, and rate of using reclining wheelchairs/lifts. There was no significant correlation with the care worker-to-user-ratio, care workersʼage/sex, or rate of using flip-up wheelchairs/sliding boards/sliding sheets. The results suggest the necessity of sufficiently teaching appropriate scopes and methods of sliding board/sheet use to care workers.

Objective: In this study, we investigated sex differences in frail factorsandsite -specific muscle thickness. Methods: The subjects in the study were thirty-seven men and women issued with mild support required 1 to needs nursing care 2. They were classified into 22 men and 15 women. Kihon checklist was used to evaluate frailty. Muscle thickness of six regions of the body, as well as body height, body weight, body mass index (BMI) were measured. Results: The tendency to be housebound was higher in men than in women. The muscle thickness of the anterior thigh, anterior upper arm, posterior upper arm, and anterior lower legs were significantly lower in women than in men. Conclusion: The results of this study revealed that the prevention of frailty while considering the characteristics of sex differences are expected to be practiced.

The objective of this study was to evaluate whether the first metatarsophalangeal angle (hallux valgus (HV) angle) can be reduced by HV correction shoes in middle‐aged to older women with mild hallux valgus. Radiography showed mild hallux valgus (HV angle:16.7‐21.9°)only unilaterally with a normal HV angle (8.7‐13.6°) on the opposite side in all 7 participants. As a result of comparison of the HV angle under 3 conditions, i.e., barefooted, wearing shoes with ordinary soles, and wearing shoes with newly developed soles,significant differences were observed among the 3 conditions on the HV side(Fvalue= 16.18,p<0.01) ,and the HV angle was significantly reduced by wearing shoeswithnewly developed soles compared with the barefooted condition and wearing shoes with ordinary soles. On the non‐HV side, no significant difference among the conditions was observed (F value=0.41,p=0.67).These results suggest that HV correction shoes are effective for reducing the HV angle and do not cause problems when worn by middle-aged or older women with a normal HV angle.