The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of hypokinesia/hypodynamia (H/H) on anthropometric, histochemical and histologic characteristics of medial gastrocnemius muscles (MG) in adult versus immature mice. Hindlimb suspension for two weeks was used to produce atrophy in two groups of mice, ages 4 and 12 weeks, with non-suspended animals serving as controls. Young H/H mice exhibited marked decreases in body weight and muscle weight. H/H reduced the diameter of both type 1 and type 2 fibers, increased the percentage of type 1 fibers, and decreased the percentage of type 2 fibers in young MG. For all measurements young mice were more affected than adult mice. The greater effect on young mice suggests that most of the atrophy occurring with H/H was due to developmental arrest.

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Disuse atrophy induced by limb-immobilization reportedly protects dystrophic mouse muscle from histopathological changes. This experiment was conducted to determine whether disuse atrophy induced by hypokinesia/hypodynamia (H/H) limits the histopathology and contractile abnormalities typically observed in the dystrophic mouse. Two weeks of H/H suspension was induced in 16 Line 129B6F₁ dystrophic mice at two ages, 4 weeks (8 mice) and 12 weeks (8 mice). Fifteen untreated dystrophic mice served as controls. In general, H/H exaggerated the dystrophic symptoms, especially in the younger mice; it reduced animal weight, muscle weight, maximum twitch and tetanic tension, and rate of twitch and tetanic tension development. H/H reduced the size of type 1 and type 2 fibers, increased the percentage of type 1 fibers, and decreased the percentage of type 2 fibers in both young and adult muscles. H/H did not alleviate the fiber size variability, degree of necrosis, central nucleation, inflammation, or muscle fibrosis in dystrophic muscles. The data demonstrate that disuse by H/H does not prevent the histopathological deterioration or loss of muscle function in 6 and 14 week old dystrophic mice. This suggests that physical interventions which prevent muscle deterioration must be applied to immature muscles, prior to onset of necrosis.

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There are specific starting positions for each PNF (proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation) pattern. In this study, using 18 normal males as subjects, we examined H-reflexes of the left soleus muscle at anatomical position and at 8 unilateral and 16 bilateral starting PNF positions to see if the PNF positions facilitated the alpha-motoneuron pool of the soleus.
Compared to the H-reflex at anatomical position, the amplitude of the reflex was greater at the extended, abducted, and internally rotated position of the shoulder joint, whether ipsilateral, contralateral, or bilateral. Increase in the amplitude of the H-reflex was also seen when ipsilateral (left) shoulder was extended, abducted, and internally rotated, while the contralateral shoulder was extended, adducted, and internally rotated. At all the other PNF positions, the amplitude of H-reflex was not significantly different from that seen in anatomical position.
The results of this study did not coincide with Delwaide's report, which indicated a reciprocal effect of both upper extremities' positions on the H-reflex of the soleus muscle. It is assumed that facilitation of the H-reflex by a certain position of the shoulder joint was due to the cortical arousal induced by postural changes.

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We gave the muscle hot and ice stimulations, which have been used as a means of physical therapy, and analyzed the variety of muscle action using IEMG (integrated electro myography).
Subjects were eleven healthy men (18-29 years old). The muscles measured were their rt-biceps brachii. Subjects practiced isometric contraction (elbow joint flexed 90 degree), then weighted 5-kg on the wrist joint. First, we measured IEMG for 5 seconds without stimulation, secondly with hot stimulation (a skin temperature 40℃-10 min), and with ice stimulation (a skin temperature 20℃-5 min).
IEMG at the ice stimulation was 82-201% of that without stimulation, of 8 subjects showing an increase. IEMG at the hot stimulation was 62-92% of that without stimulation of 9 subjects showing a decrease.
These results suggest that hot and ice stimulations produce contrastive muscle activity.

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By computing the ECG R-R intervals and using their coefficients of variation and the autoregressive model, we investigated the characteristics of respiratory-circulatory functions in elderly persons.
Especially for the purpose of analyzing the influences of being bedridden, a comparison was made between a group of those confined to bed and an ADL independent group in the house.
The obtained mean coefficient of variation of the R-R intervals was 1.63±0.62%, showing a tendency to decrease in those older than 60 as their age advanced. Also, of the above two groups, the CV was significantly lower for the group confined to bed than for the other group.
By applying a time series of R-R intervals to the autoregressive model, we found, in the group confined to bed, reductions of 0.2〜0.3 (beat)^-1 rhythm, (which represents variation due to respiration); this was attributed to the decline of respiratory-circulatory functions caused by disuse.

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We tried to determine normal trunk muscle strength (abdominal and back muscle) values of several ages and males and females by using Cybex II isokinetic dinamometer on 132 normal subjects (72 males, 60 females). Their ages were in the 20s, 30s and 40s. And, we discussed influence of trunk muscle strength values by height, weight and lever arm's length. The results showed that abdominal muscle strength was weaker than back muscle strength regardless of sex. Also abdominal and back muscle strength of males versus females showed males were stronger in the long run. These showed the same results in any age group. The ratio of abdominal to back muscle strength in males had a mean value of 43.6%. It was the highest in 20s, and almost the same percentage in 30s and 40s. In females, it was 31.6%, and showed almost the same values in any age group. In addition, height and muscle strength were not related, relation between weight and muscle strength increased significantly in back muscle strength in regards to weight regardless of sex, and relation between lever arm's length and muscle strength increased significantly in the abdominal and back muscle strength compared to arm's length regardless of sex.

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The following are suggestions made by public health nurses for adequate functional training services.
1) Physical therapists should conduct functional training services for the aged once or twice a month.
2) Public health nurses expected physical therapists to guide the aged in better coping with their disabilities. Their advice should be aimed at improving the atmosphere and lifestyle of the aged both at home and in the community.
3) Public health nurses stated that there are problems inherent in conducting functional training services, such as general organizational problems and a shortage of physical therapists.
4) It was felt that in order to conduct such a service it is important that cooperation exists among public health nurses, physical therapists and the other members of the staff. Conferences should be held and a manual for guidelines of functional training services should be prepared.
5) Public health nurses admitted to the necessity of physical therapists working full time in community services. Public health nurses hope that community services will expand to form the core of health centers.
6) Public health nurses stressed the importance of constant communication through regular meetings between public health nurses and physical therapists. They also emphasized the necessity of appropriate training for physical therapists in how community services should be conducted.

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We analyzed shoulder movement during rapid elevation of the arm, from the viewpoint of acceleration and of upward rotation of the scapula during elevation. For the analysis we used a NAC Selgraph SL-2020 System. We studied 30 shoulders of normal men. With the scapular plane as a basis for measurement, acceleration was examined in terms of direction and magnitude. Upward elevation of the scapula was analyzed from 0 degrees of elevation of the arm to 150 degrees, in 10 degree increments.
The scapula manifested characteristic changes within the ranges mentioned below. Between 0 and 30 degrees of elevation the scapula underwent a rapid upward rotation. The direction of acceleration in this range was toward the top of the shoulder. The magnitude of the vertical component of the acceleration reached a peak value in this range, operating to help elevate the arm. From 70 degrees of arm elevation the direction of acceleration became down-ward. This thus marked the beginning of deceleration. In the interval between 140 and 150 degrees of arm elevation, the scapula displayed a sudden braking action. The direction of acceleration in this range was almost vertically down-ward with respect to the long axis of the humerus.
Movement analysis of the shoulder should not be limited to static situations and slowly performed movement, but should also be examined from the viewpoint of rapid speed (acceleration).

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Generally, it is a well-known concept that preoperative physical therapy is very important for patients with Total Hip Replacement (THR). Usually, however, such preoperative approaches are put into practice within an insufficient period of time because of their limited length of hospitalization.
We had an opportunity of physical therapy management of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis who had been sent to hospital for THR to her left affected hip. She had so many functional problems sucn as limitation of ROM, muscle weakness and faulty posture, resulting in restriction of ADL in the ward, that her surgery was deferred.
Through the physical therapy we administered in this case, we were able to reconfirm effects and clinical significane of preoperative physical therapy in THR.
It is summarised as follows :
1) General function of the patient after surgery depends on his achievement of preoperative exercises.
2) Skills a patient gets preoperatively in various activities, including the use of crutches, in the ward will help him a great deal in his early leaving of bed and gait training after THR.
3) Physical effects of preoperative exercises, a result of patient's labor, exert a good influence upon psychological problems, such as fear of surgery or anxiety to functional outcome after surgery.
4) In preoperative physical therapy, it is essential that therapists consider all the aspects of patient as a human being.

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