Physical Therapy Japan
Online ISSN : 2189-602X
Print ISSN : 0289-3770
ISSN-L : 0289-3770
Volume 38, Issue 7
Displaying 1-9 of 9 articles from this issue
Research Repoerts
  • Yuu KITAJI, Yoshinari HARA, Yuji SATOU, Kouji SHIGEKUNI, Yoshitaka KIY ...
    Article type: Article
    2011 Volume 38 Issue 7 Pages 481-488
    Published: December 20, 2011
    Released on J-STAGE: August 25, 2018
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Purpose: Ambulation is the most common mean of migration and there is a relation between ambulatory ability and space of daily life for aged people. It is required to determine any ambulatory independence based on the evidence since there are various advantages of independent ambulation. The purpose of this study is to obtain a certain cutoff value to determine ambulatory independence for patients of hemiplegia after incipient cerebral arterial disease. Methods: For the patients of hemiplegia after incipient cerebral arterial disease who stayed at our convalescent ward, the Timed Up and Go (TUG), the rate of loading on paralyzed lower extremity (Rate of Loading) and the Functional Balance Scale (FBS) were tested. Then, we examined the cutoff value at these evaluation indicators to determine any ambulatory independence. Results: The cutoff values for ambulatory independence of TUG comfortable speed condition, TUG maximum speed condition, Rate of Loading and FBS were 21.6 seconds, 15.6 seconds, 0.70, and 45.5 points respectively. Conclusion: The cutoff values in this study will provide a better judgment when determining ambulatory independence for patients of hemiplegia after incipient cerebral arterial disease.
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  • Tomoyuki ARAI, Hiroaki FUJITA, Toshiki Hosoi, Yasuhiro MORITA, Hideaki ...
    Article type: Article
    2011 Volume 38 Issue 7 Pages 489-496
    Published: December 20, 2011
    Released on J-STAGE: August 25, 2018
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to show the validity of toe flexor muscle strength as a measure of motor function in community-dwelling elderly people. Methods: We selected 240 community-dwelling elderly people (age, 75.8±6.3 years [mean±standard deviation]). Toe flexor muscle strength was measured by a toe dynamometer that was developed in our department. The knee extension power, single-stance time, functional reach test (FRT) scores, maximum walking velocity, and timed "up-and-go" test (TUGT) scores were measured to evaluate the motor function. Analysis of variance and t tests were used to assess age and gender differences in toe flexor muscle strength and motor function measures. Correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were performed to determine the relationships between toe flexor muscle strength and motor function measures. Results: All motor functions were found to deteriorate with age. Toe flexor muscle strength was significantly different between individuals of the>85-year age group and those of younger age groups. Further, toe flexor muscle strength and knee extension power were found to differ significantly in men and women. Toe flexor muscle strength was found to be correlated with balance and mobility performance measures. Multiple regression analysis revealed that toe flexor muscle strength was a significant and independent predictor of the single-stance time, FRT scores, maximum walking velocity, and TUGT scores. Conclusion: Toe flexor muscle strength was found to be a significant and independent predictor of the balance and mobility functions in community-dwelling elderly people, and was also found to decrease significantly with age. Therefore, toe flexor muscle strength is a useful measure of motor function, and it is a parameter to be considered in health promotion programs for elderly individuals.
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  • Atsuyoshi KAWAGOSHI, Noritaka KIYOKAWA, Keiyu SUGAWARA, Hitomi TAKAHAS ...
    Article type: Article
    2011 Volume 38 Issue 7 Pages 497-504
    Published: December 20, 2011
    Released on J-STAGE: August 25, 2018
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to quantitate physical activities (PA) of stable elderly patients with COPD in daily life using an activity monitoring and evaluation system. Methods: Twenty-six patients with stable elderly COPD (age: 76.8±6.2 years; % FEV_1: 52.9±26.3%) and age-matched twenty elderly subjects (age: 73.0±4.2 years; % FEV_1: 124.0±22.3%) were participated in this study. Total walking, standing, sitting, lying time and frequency of body change times were measured as PA. PA was assessed for 7 consecutive days using an activity monitoring and evaluation system (A-MES^<TM>; Solid Brains, Inc, Kumamoto, Japan). We analyzed the relationship among PA, bodily function and pulmonary function in these COPD patients. Results: Total walking time and the frequency of stands in stable elderly COPD patients were significantly lower than those of age-matched elderly subjects (p<0.01). Total lying time was significantly longer in these COPD patients (p<0.01). Total walking time in daily life was significantly correlated with 6-min walk distance, quadriceps force and dyspnea (p<0.01). Conclusion: These data suggested that PA were significantly decreased in stable elderly patients with COPD and that measuring of walking and lying time in daily life in COPD patients by an activity monitoring and evaluation system might be a good clinical index of patients condition.
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  • A Six-year Longitudinal Study
    Chika KUWABARA, Yoshitaka SHIBA, Miki SAKAMOTO, Haruhiko SATO, Seiki K ...
    Article type: Article
    2011 Volume 38 Issue 7 Pages 505-515
    Published: December 20, 2011
    Released on J-STAGE: August 25, 2018
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Purpose: The purpose of this study was to demonstrate how the movement of rising from a supine position to an erect stance in healthy children was developed into mature movement, in a longitudinal study. A second aim was to conjecture the factors affecting the development of the rising movement. Methods: The movements of 11 healthy children (mean age 4y, 0mo) were recorded on videotape, beginning from their initial year of kindergarten and continuing through their fourth year of elementary school. We investigated the movement patterns of rising from a supine position to an erect stance, the intra-individual variability of movement patterns, and the time needed to perform rising. Results: The movement patterns changed in a stepwise manner, and the alteration ended at a mean age of 8y, 10mo. During the period of movement pattern alteration, the intra-individual variability of movement patterns was great. The time to perform rising decreased with development, and the time continued to decrease after the end of movement pattern changing. Conclusion: In our longitudinal study, it was clear that the movement pattern used to rise from a supine position to an erect stance was mature by the time a child had reached 9 years of age, and the movement patterns changed nonlinearly. Children showed great intra-individual and inter-individual variability with regard to the development of movement patterns. In the process of maturation of movement, each child selected the most suitable movement pattern from a diversity of movement patterns, depending on their physical situation.
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  • Features of SVVD from the Standpoint of Ipsilateral Pushing and Spatial Neglect
    Yuka NISHIMURA, Masaharu YOSHIO, Hiroyuki MATSUMOTO, Naoki KOZUKA
    Article type: Article
    2011 Volume 38 Issue 7 Pages 516-523
    Published: December 20, 2011
    Released on J-STAGE: August 25, 2018
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Purpose: We aimed to investigate the features of subjective visual vertical deviation (SVVD) of stroke patients with our original measuring device. Methods: We examined 50 healthy subjects (mean age, 50.6 years; 24 men, 26 women) and 53 poststroke patients (mean age, 66.6 years; 35 men, 18 women; right hemiplegia (21); left hemiplegia (32) of which 13 showed ipsilateral pushing and 15, spatial neglect) for SVVD with our original measuring device. This device was applicable in the dark space, excluding visual information from the surroundings. The subjects were asked to adjust a luminous rod line to a position that they considered "vertical," and the angular deviation values from the earth-vertical line were measured. The negative values implied counterclockwise. Results: The normal range was -3.93°-2.77° from which 18 patients (34.0%; 3 right hemiplegics, 15 left hemiplegics) showed a large deviation. The SVVDs of left hemiplegics were significantly larger than those of right hemiplegics and normal subjects (p<0.05, p<0.01, respectively). The SVVDs in patients with spatial neglect showed significantly more deviations than those in healthy subjects, regardless of pushing. The SVVDs in patients with pushing and spatial neglect (mean, 7.37°) were significantly larger than those in patients free of the above signs (mean, 2.44°; p<0.05). Conclusion: The SVVD of patients with spatial neglect and ipsilateral pushing were significantly larger than those of the other groups. Interestingly, the patients with spatial neglect showed significant counterclockwise directions, but the concomitant presence of pushing did not affect the result.
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  • Physical Therapy Maintains Motor Nerves over Time
    Yuji UKAWA, Tadashi NISHIYAMA
    Article type: Article
    2011 Volume 38 Issue 7 Pages 524-530
    Published: December 20, 2011
    Released on J-STAGE: August 25, 2018
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Purpose: Hemiplegic stroke patients using fiber tractography were examined for its usefulness in evaluating the severity of motor impairment after stroke, and investigated the changes in motor function over time. Method: Fifty one hemiplegic stroke patients had their nerve fiber count and motor function evaluated in order to establish a correlation. The nerve fiber counts were carried out for three groups: a control group with healthy subjects, a group with independent gait, and a group with nonindependent gait. Five of the subjects had their nerve fiber count and motor function measured over a time from the acute stage to the chronic stage. Results: A significant correlation (r=0.81, p<0.001) was observed between nerve fiber count and motor function. Comparatively, the highest fiber count was imaged in the healthy subjects, followed by gait independent group, and finally in the non-gait independent group. Of the five patients, favorable recovery in motor function showed considerably increased fiber counts in the affected hemispheres. Patients with poor recovery displayed a low fiber count in the affected hemisphere. However, increase in fiber counts were seen in the unaffected hemisphere. Conclusion: It is suggested that nerve fiber count can be used as one of the index for evaluating the motor function of stroke patients. From the results, it is speculated that in patients with favorable recovery, a significant increase in the affected hemisphere is correlated with reorganization of the corticospinal tract. In patients with poor recovery, there was an increase in the unaffected hemisphere. It is speculated that the ipsilateral corticospinal tract may play an important role.
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