Sit-to-stand movements were measured and compared between a flat seat and a toilet seat to investigate the motion patterns required for these movements in a toilet environment. Participants were 20 young people who underwent measurements during stationary sitting and sit-to-stand movements from a flat seat and a toilet seat using a 3D motion capture system and force plates. During stationary sitting, pelvic tilt was more backward and thoracic tilt was more forward on the toilet seat than on the flat seat. During sit-to-stand movements from the toilet seat, the trunk flexion angle was larger before lift-off and the switch to extension movement occurred earlier. At lift-off from the toilet seat, the flexion angle of the hip joint was larger and the flexion angle of the knee joint and dorsiflexion angle of the ankle joint were smaller. In addition, the extension moment of the knee joint was smaller after lift-off from the toilet seat. Taken together, these results show that motion patterns of the sit-to-stand motions differed between a toilet seat and a flat seat in healthy young people.

We aimed to identify the effects of shoe type on dorsal foot contact pressure during gait. We included 36 healthy young men (age, 22.6±1.2 years) without foot-related disorders, who were assigned into 2 groups based on the shoe type used in walking: business shoes and walking shoes groups. Prior to the experiment, foot measurements were performed to identify the appropriate shoe size for each participant. Subsequently, to measure the contact pressure during walking, FlexiForce^® sensors were attached to the first metatarsophalangeal joint dorsum, the medial aspect of the first interphalangeal joint, the metatarsal fibulare, the fifth metatarsophalangeal joint dorsum, the intermediate cuneiform dorsum, and the pternion. Contact pressure measurements were recorded, and the average values were calculated for each gait phase: the loading response, mid stance, terminal stance, pre-swing, and swing phases. In the loading response phase, contact pressure was significantly higher on the intermediate cuneiform dorsum for participants in the business shoes group. This could be due to a higher dorsiflexion moment associated with walking with business shoes in the loading response phase, which leads to restrictions in the plantar flexion of the foot.

Walking-sticks are assistive products which can be purchased by anyone. Information on what made walking-stick users start using a walking-stick may help the selection of walking-sticks and design of the environment in which they are used in the future. In addition, learning the views of users about walking-sticks will help design walking-sticks that suit the physical and living conditions of users. In this study, a questionnaire survey of walking-stick users was conducted to elucidate the main reasons why users started using walking-sticks, and the roles of walking-sticks for users. The results revealed that walking-stick users had difficulty walking, and that many were using walking-sticks because they were worried about walking. As to the roles of walking-sticks, the responses could be classified into “assistive product,” “psychological support and safety,” and “a part of the body.” Since walking-sticks also help to draw out residual functions, some people seemed to consider them as extensions of their bodies.