The gait pattern of elderly people has been investigated by measuring the foot angle and step width during normal walking. The subjects were 95 men and 123 women aged in 74.2±7.2 years old, and 126 younger subjects as controls. The average foot angles, defined as the angles between both feet, were 20.8° for men and 9.6°for women in the elderly group, which were significantly greater than those in the young men (13.6°) and women (0.4°), respectively. As for gender difference, men's groups both in elderly and young showed significantly greater foot angles than their respective women's group. In the elderly, the foot angles did not change with age, whereas the foot width increased significantly with age. The more fit elderly people tended to show stronger muscle strength, better body balance, greater foot angles, and smaller foot widths.

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To evaluate the effects of comfort in a hypnagogic posture on sleep feelings estimated by standardized OSA sleep inventory MA version and sleep quality measured by actigraph, eighteen healthy subjects (8 males, 10 females), aged 61-65, were recorded, sleeping in their homes for 15 consecutive nights under two crossover designed conditions from Friday. A subject slept for 7 consecutive nights (4 adaptation nights and 3 nights for analysis) on a relatively comfortable mattress first and then for 8 consecutive nights (4 adaptation nights, 3 nights for analysis and excluded last night) on a relatively uncomfortable mattress. The results showed the sleep on a relatively comfortable mattress indicated better sleep quality and feelings.

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We examined the influences of music and massage on the body based on reactions to feeling and the autonomic nervous system in six healthy adult women. We performed the following four kinds of experimental stimuli on the subject : 1) massage with music, 2) only music, 3) only massage, and 4) no massage, no music in the dorsal position (controls). When parasympathetic. nerve activity fell after the subtraction load, the HF value 15 minutes after music with massage only showed a high correlation compared with massage, thus and proved some significant statistical difference. When saliva chromogranin A increased by the subtraction load, saliva chromogranin A showed a tendency to go down after the start of the stimulus.

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A survey of the activity level and nutritional intake was performed for 1 week in May in 64 students admitted to a nursing school in April, 2005. Of the subjects, 1.6% were obese, and 21.9% were lean. The mean number of steps of walking/day was 10, 419, which was about 2, 500 higher than the average in females of comparable age. The activity level was significantly correlated with the time of walking to school and whether there was a gym class or extracurricular sports activity on the day. The duration of exercise of all intensity levels from mild to hard was longer on the days with than those without a gym class or extracurricular sports activity. Their diet was characterized by a high fat-energy ratio, deficiency of Ca and Fe, frequent omission of meals, and a small number of food items eaten. The energy intake was inadequate for the activity level. These results suggest the importance of practical health education that helps young females correctly perceive their physique and promotes desirable behavioral changes concerning the diet and exercise.

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We developed a real-time measurement system for quantities of movement using hydraulic resistance exercise (HRE) machine-based circuit training that is a promising method for health promotion of aged people. Muscular strength and displacement of motion are measured as fundamental quantities with hydraulic pressure gauges that are connected to the hydraulic cylinders of HRE machine. The time series data of the fundamental quantities are transferred to the computer, by using them, the velocities of motion, the angles of bend, the muscle powers and total energy consumption are calculated and displayed by graphical representation on the monitor. Batch processing by single computer was performed to all resistance machines in circuit training. This system makes possible to accumulate the scientific proofs steadily for the hydraulic resistance exercise.

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