The purpose of this study is to reveal that early sitting up of stroke patients doesn't induce recurrence or progression of stroke. For this purpose, we investigated the relation between early sitting and recurrence or progression of stroke.
We selected 384 consecutive stroke patients that were admitted to a community hospital within 7 days after the onset and were discharged between 1985 and 1986. The average age was 69.7 years. TIA and RIND were also included. Sitting up in any situation, such as sitting tolerance exercise, physician's examination, nursing care and without permission, were regarded as sitting up.
The following results were obtained: (1) Among 384 patients, 281 patients had no consciousness disturbance (Japan Coma Scale: Level 0) or senseless level consciousness (Level 1) on admission. (2) The recurrence or progression occurred in 42 patients (14.9%) out of 281 patients, who could be sitting up from an early phase. (3) Among 281 patients, a much higher percentage, 25.9% (21 out of 81 patients) was observed in patients without sitting up on admission day, versus 10.5% (21 out of 200 patients) in sitting up patients on admission day. (4) After patients who had recurrence or progression on admission day were excluded, the rate of recurrence or progression became a similar level to each other (9.1% vs 10.1%). (5) There was no change in the result after patients were classified by severity, diagnosis, region and general status.
These results indicate that recurrence or progression does not occur due to early sitting, but occur in a certain rate which depends on the severity of stroke on admission.

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The Jebsen-Taylor developmental hand function test was performed on 25 patients with myelomeningocele, 6-12 years of age (elementary school age). Compared with normal individuals (n=24), matched for age, patients with myelomeningocele demonstrated impaired hand function.
Within the group of children with myelomeningocele, hand function was significantly better in those of 9-42 years old, compared with those of 6-8 years old. This follows, at a low level, the general pattern of hand function developmemt by age observed in the normal group. Therefore, development based on experience and age can be expected even in myelomeningocele group. In those where Arnold-Chiari malformation was not found by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), hand function was also better. However there was no relationship between the number of shunt operations and hand function.
To overcome some abnormalities of hand function, we suggested the following; 1) an exercise program to develop skillful use of the hands at pre-school age, 2) a regular survey of the brain and spine by MRI.

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Th12 Brown-Séquard type spinal cord injury patient causing crowbar was reported. The patient was 24-year-old carpenter. On falling from the stepladder, the crowbar in nail bag stabbed his back to the spinal column at Th11 vertebrae. On neurological examination a month after injury, he was almost complete paraplegia below the level of Th12 (classified in Frankel B). Six months later, his left leg was recoverd it's motor function but still impaired superficial sensation. On the other leg superficial sensation was recovered but still existed motor function damages. Deep sensory was impaired severely on both side. Left leg was classified in Frankel D, but right leg was still in Frankel B. The MRI on one month after injury showed bleeding degeneration and edema on the Th12 spinal cord. The MRI on six months after injury revealed spinal damage on both posterior funiculus and right lateral funiculus clearly.

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