【Introduction】Individuals with acquired brain injury (ABI) often face significant challenges related to self-awareness, which can hinder their rehabilitation and daily functioning. Impaired self-awareness is one of the most disruptive cognitive deficits post-ABI, impacting social reintegration and long-term outcomes. Improving self-awareness is therefore essential for recovery, as it enables individuals to recognize cognitive deficits, develop compensatory strategies, and participate more effectively in rehabilitation. 【Methods】 Using a single-system ABA design, 20 participants with ABI were enrolled in a 3-month GT program consisting of 13 weekly sessions. The intervention included psychoeducation, self-monitoring, and structured feedback within small-group activities. Self-awareness was assessed at four time points using the Self-Regulation Skills Interview─Japanese version (SRSI-J). Repeated-measures ANOVA and Bonferroni-adjusted comparisons were conducted, and effect sizes (η2) were calculated. 【Results】 Eighteen participants completed the study. Significant improvements were observed in EA, AA, SU, and SE between pre- and post-intervention, which were maintained at follow-up (p＜0.05). No significant changes were found in SG and MC, but their stability may reflect sustained motivation. Qualitative analysis of three illustrative cases revealed personalized gains in task performance and self-monitoring. 【Conclusion】 This study demonstrates that short-term GT can effectively improve key aspects of self-awareness. Its structured yet time-efficient format may offer practical benefits for rehabilitation programs in outpatient and community settings. These findings suggest the potential utility of brief group interventions for enhancing metacognitive function in individuals with ABI.

【Introduction】 We devised an elastic elbow supporter made of thermoplastic styrene elastomer (TPS) to help prevent throwing injuries and facilitate a safe return to pitching after injury. However, the effects of TPS hardness and elongation on valgus restraining torque have not been clarified. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of TPS hardness and elongation on valgus restraining torque using an elbow model. 【Methods】 The elbow model was attached to a torque tester, and the valgus restraining torque exerted by the TPS against passive valgus motion was measured. TPS (40 mm in width and 80 mm in length) was attached to the medial side of the elbow model. Measurements were performed under 12 conditions, combining four levels of TPS hardness (5, 15, 20, and 30) with three levels of elongation (1×, 2×,and3×). The movement was performed with a valgus angle of 10° and varus/valgus angular velocity of 10°/s for 75 repetitions. Statistical analysis was performed using the Kruskal‐Wallis test and Bonferroni correction, with a significance level of 5%. 【Results】 The maximum valgus restraining torques (Nm) exerted by the TPS against valgus motion with 1×/2×/3× elongation were 0.22/0.28/0.33 for hardness 5, 0.23/0.40/0.52 for hardness 15, 0.25/0.58/0.80 for hardness 20, and 0.25/0.76/1.16 for hardness 30. Except for the 1× elongation between hardness levels 20 and 30, the maximum valgus restraining torque exerted by the TPS increased significantly as the hardness and elongation increased (p＜0.05). 【Conclusion】 The maximum valgus restraining torque against valgus motion intheelbowmodelincreasedwithincreasingTPShard ness and elongation. Key words: thermoplastic styrene elastomer, elbow model, elbow valgus restraining torque

ABSTRACT 【Introduction】This study compared the motor abilities of five‐year‐old children between 2018 and 2023, encompassing the period from nationwide school closures and state of emergency declarations due to the COVID‐19 pandemic in 2020 to the reclassification of COVID‐19 as a Category V infectious disease in May 2023. This study aimed to establish baseline data on recent trends in motor abilities among young children. 【Methods】This study was conducted at three nursery schools in Cities A and B, targeting five‐year‐old childrenwhose parents provided informed consent. The assessment included measurements of height and weight, along with seven motor performance tests: a 25‐meter run, softball throw, catching, body support duration, standing long jump, continuous twofoot hopping and grip strength. Statistical analyses were performed using the Mann‐Whitney U test and independent t‐ test, and the effect sizes were calculated. 【Results】Significant declines in performance were observed in the 25‐meter run and continuous two‐foot hopping, while body support duration and grip strength showed significantly lower values, with small to moderate effect sizes. In contrast, no significant differences were observed in height, weight, softball throw, catching, and standing long jump. 【Conclusion】The findings suggest that restrictions on physical activity during the COVID‐19 pandemic may have adversely affected motor development during early childhood. Given that early childhood is regarded as the “pre‐golden age” for motor development, a lack of diverse physical experiences during this critical period may have long‐term consequences. Ensuring sufficient physical activity opportunities in the post‐pandemic era is essential for supporting the healthy growth and development of young children.

ABSTRACT 【Introduction】This study attempted to identify the threshold of the “Catch” phenomenon, which is a stretch reflex that occurs during passive movement, based on the speed of passive angular movement that induces a Catch and the size of the Catch. We also observed the effects of different starting positions of movement on the appearance angle and catch size. 【Methods】The participants were six hemiplegic residents with spasticity in the local area. The speed of passive angular movement of the Catch, from the maximum flexion position of the elbow joint to the intermediate position, was recorded using an inertial sensor. The speed of passive angular movement was determined using the up‐and‐down method based on the subjective presence or absence of a Catch. Moreover, 20 trials were conducted for all participants under each condition. The threshold was determined from the speed of passive angular movement and Catch size. Additionally, Catch trials at the threshold level were analyzed. 【Results】Threshold‐level Catch trials were identified in all cases. Significant differences were observed in the amount and position of movement at which the Catch appeared due to the differences in the starting position of the movement. However, no significant differences were reported in the relative angle or size of the Catch within the range of movements in which the Catch appeared. 【Conclusion】As the threshold was identified from the speed of passive angular movement and Catch size, it was demonstrated that controlling the speed of passive angular movement to the threshold and observing the Catch was possible. Although the starting position of the movement influenced the angle at which the Catch appeared, it did not affect the relative angle of appearance. This suggests that the relative angle of Catch emergence can serve as a quantitative index that is less influenced by the position at which the movement begins.

ABSTRACT 【Introduction】We herein present a case of a patient who sought medical attention owing to difficulties in producing sentence‐level speech, despite demonstrating fluency at the word level. When speaking in sentences, the patient exhibited disfluencies characterized by hesitation, pauses, and uneven sound connections. The patient was aware of these difficulties and noted a decline in speech rate. Over time, the disfluency progressively worsened. 【Subject】The patient was a right‐handed individual in his 80s. Cognitive function tests conducted during the initial evaluation and at a 15‐month follow‐up indicated normal cognitive performance. The Standard Language Test of Aphasia revealed disfluency during sentence‐level speech tasks, but no decline was observed in other tasks. These findings suggested that the patient did not present with typical aphasia. No motor dysfunctions of the orofacial muscles or tongue, orofacial apraxia, or dysarthria were detected. Additionally, no consistent sound distortions were noted. 【Evaluations】The patient’s clinical symptoms were analyzed using medical records and longitudinal speech data obtained from follow‐up evaluations during outpatient visits. The factors contributing to his speech difficulties were examined from the perspectives of primary progressive aphasia and primary progressive apraxia of speech (PPAOS). 【Conclusion】PPAOS is a syndrome associated with neurodegenerative disease, characterized by the progressive development of apraxia of speech without accompanying aphasia. Key features include a “slow overall speech rate,” “extended intervals between syllables, words, or phrases,” and “increased speech difficulty with longer or more complex utterances.” The clinical symptoms observed in this patient aligned with the diagnostic criteria for PPAOS and were classified as the prosodic variant of PPAOS.

ABSTRACT Introduction: We report a case of dementia with a speech pattern characterized by sound prolongation, describing the evolution of language symptoms. The characteristic of this case is that, although the lesion was located in the medial temporal lobe, parietal lobe, and posterior regions, their language symptoms exhibited characteristics typically associated with anterior lesions, such as disturbances in prosody. Methods: Initially diagnosed with suspected Alzheimer’s disease in year X, the patient underwent monthly cognitive and language function assessments by a speech‐language pathologist during outpatient visits from X＋6 years to X＋6 years and 49 months. Results: Although the patient exhibited symptoms consistent with Alzheimer’s‐type dementia, the observed speech pattern could not be entirely attributed to dementia alone. Prolongation of articulatory movements, syllable segregation, effortful articulations and unintelligible utterances were reported during resting states. The symptoms were analyzed based on the functional aspects of the speech production mechanism and compared with characteristics of apraxia of phonation, motor dysarthria, apraxia of speech, primary progressive apraxia of speech(PPAOS), aphasia, and vocal tics. Unlike previous reports linking similar symptoms to anterior brain lesions, the patient’s repetitive speech patterns resembling perseverative language did not entirely align with the identified lesion sites or clinical findings. Conclusion: The patient had severe hearing loss, which limited the assessment. Although it is difficult to determine which of these factors was the primary factor and how they interacted with each other, recording language symptoms over the course of several years elucidated valuable insights into the evolving speech characteristics in dementia.

【Purpose】This case report aimed to examine the effects of a physical therapy intervention aimed at achieving independent toileting postoperatively, along with the assessment of and instruction in caregiving techniques provided to a nursing assistant, in a patient with a proximal femoral fracture and fear of falling. 【Participants and Methods】The patient was a man in his 60s, who underwent hemiarthroplasty after a fall during transfer. Prior to hospitalization, the patient had a history of left hemiparesis, although he had independent toileting skills using a portable toilet. At the initial evaluation, moderate assistance was required for toileting, and his fear of falling was rated 10 (indicating extreme fear). The Brunnstrom Recovery Stage (BRS) was II for the left upper limb, hand, and lower limb, and manual muscle testing revealed grade 4 strength in the right upper and lower limbs. Assessment of the nursing assistant’s caregiving technique by a physical therapist using a toileting‐specific test yielded a score of 12. Among the evaluation items, the lowest scores were related to whether the assistant was able to provide support in accordance with the patient’s movement, and whether the support was provided from a position that did not interfere with the patient’s motion. Based on the test results, the nursing assistant was instructed regarding physical therapy focused on promoting independent toileting and caregiving techniques. 【Results】On postoperative day six, the patient required toilet supervision only. The nursing assistant’s scores on the caregiving technique test improved to 30. At the final evaluation, the patient had regained independence in toileting skills using a portable toilet, and his fear of falling was rated 0 (not at all). No marked changes were observed in the BRS stage or muscle strength on the left side. 【Conclusion】In addition to physical therapy interventions, the assessment of and instructions in caregiving techniques given to nursing assistants may represent key components in promoting independence in toileting activities postoperatively among patients with fear of falling.

【Introduction】 In this report, we describe the services of uninsured rehabilitation based on the course of the cases. 【Case presentation】 Case 1 was a 60‐year‐old woman with right hemiplegia due to left cerebral infarction; Case 2 was a 70‐year‐old woman with left hemiplegia due to right cerebral infarction; and Case 3 was a 50‐year‐old woman with left hemiplegia due to subarachnoid hemorrhage. For the cases in order, the SIAS lower limb motor items (Hip/Knee/Ankle) were (4/4/3), (3/3/0) and (2/1/0), respectively, while gait speeds were (0.74m/s), (0.37m/s) and (0.24m/s), respectively. 【Intervention and progress】 Eachofthethreecasesenrolledinaneight‐session plan (90 min per session; total cost ¥158,400) and received rehabilitation once weekly for two months. In all cases, a medical interview was conducted with the rehabilitation physician in addition to the functional training by the therapist. In the medical interviews, along with goals, prognosis and rehabilitation strategy, Case 1 discussed spasticity symptoms appearing during long‐distance walking, Case 2 examined exercise routines and medication management, and Case 3 considered orthosis. Among the three cases, the rehabilitation physician recommended botulinum‐toxin injections to treat spasticity in Case 1; the injections were subsequently administered at a nearby hospital, after which the patient showed improved gait performance and, ultimately, an increased frequency of community outings. 【Conclusion】 Integrating functional training with medical coordination was considered important not only for functional recovery but also for enhancing participants’ activity levels and social participation.