Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze swallowing-related motor function and to investigate the factors related to swallowing disorders.

Methods: Ninety patients with cerebrovascular disorder (45 with swallowing disorder, 45 without swallowing disorder) were recruited. Motor paralysis of upper and lower limbs, gait independence, tongue pressure, strength of suprahyoid muscles, laryngeal position, neck range of motion, spinal kyphosis, trunk function, breathing function, and grip strength were measured as indices of motor function related to swallowing. We analyzed the differences between the two groups of subjects using univariate analysis. Next, multivariate analysis (logistic regression analysis) was performed. Explanatory variables were those with significant differences in univariate analysis. The dependent variable was the presence or absence of swallowing disorder.

Results: The strength of suprahyoid muscles, neck extension range of motion, and spinal kyphosis were found to be significant predictors of swallowing disorders in multivariate analysis.

Conclusions: The fact that the strength of suprahyoid muscles, neck extension range of motion, and spinal kyphosis were found to be related to swallowing function indicates that physiotherapists should take part in the management of swallowing disorders and these findings should thus be applicable to clinical situations.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between walking ability at discharge and the 30-second chair stand test (CS-30) in patients with acute heart failure.

Methods: Seventy-seven participants with acute heart failure were classified into two groups based on their walking ability at discharge: independent walkers and non-independent walkers. We investigated the relationship between walking ability at discharge and variables evaluated.

Results: The independent walkers were significantly younger. Body weight, body mass index, days of physical therapy, estimated glomerular filtration rate, CS-30 at intervention, and CS-30 at discharge were significantly higher among the independent walkers. On logistic regression analysis, CS-30 at intervention and CS-30 at discharge were independent factors. The cutoff value using the receiver operating characteristic curve of CS-30 was 5.5 times at intervention and 7.5 times at discharge.

Conclusion: The walking ability at discharge in patients with acute heart failure was related to CS-30 at both intervention and discharge.

Introduction: External humeral rotation clears the greater tuberosity from beneath the coracoacromial arch and also relaxes the capsular ligamentous constraints, thereby allowing maximum abduction. Kinematics of the glenohumeral joint have been analyzed using various methods. Several studies reported that a loaded condition causes changes in the scapulohumeral rhythm during arm abduction, but few studies reported kinematics of the glenohumeral joint under the loaded condition. The aim of the present study was to determine the influence of loading a 3-kg wrist weight on the external rotation of the humerus during abduction in the scapular plane using a three-dimensional (3D)-to-two-dimensional (2D) model registration technique in vivo.

Methods: Eighteen dominant side shoulders in 18 subjects (8 males, 10 females; average age 27.9 years, range 23–38 years) were studied. Each participant performed two trials of arm abduction in 0°–120° in the scapular plane while holding a thumbs-up position. Loading with a 3-kg wrist weight was applied in one trial, and no loading was applied in the other trial. 3D motions of the scapula and humerus were determined using model-based 3D-to-2D registration techniques. Motion data were grouped into 5° intervals of shoulder abduction for loaded and unloaded conditions and compared using two-way repeated-measure analysis of variance (p = 0.05) and t-tests.

Results: The humerus was more than 10.1° externally rotated in the starting position in loaded trials compared with unloaded trials. From the starting position to 85° glenohumeral abduction, the humerus was externally rotated an average of 16.8° in loaded trials and 26.5° in unloaded trials. There was no significant difference in the rotational value between the two groups.

Discussion: The results of this study revealed that the humerus exhibits the similar external rotation in both loaded and unloaded conditions to clear the greater tuberosity from beneath the coracoacromialarch.

Purpose: In this study, we aimed to evaluate lateral postural stability in young and elderly people while crossing obstacles during locomotion. The collective action of approaching an obstacle and crossing over it by a lead limb and a trail limb was assessed using a three-axis accelerometer.

Methods: We enrolled 14 healthy young people and 14 healthy elderly people. They were instructed to cross an obstacle during locomotion and to walk while wearing a wireless three-axis accelerometer. The root mean square (RMS_ML) in each section and RMS ratio (RMSR_ML) of mediolateral trunk acceleration was calculated.

Results: The RMSR_ML values for crossing obstacles during locomotion were significantly higher than those for walking with no obstacle, and there was no main effect due to age. The RMS_ML in the crossing section of the trail limb was significantly larger than that in the other sections.

Conclusion: Regardless of age, lateral postural instability became larger in obstacle-crossing during locomotion rather than in free-walking. It was suggested that lateral postural instability may be greatest in the crossing section of the trail limb.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to elucidate the spatial electromyography (EMG) potential distribution in a working muscle during low-velocity resistance training (LRT).

Methods: Thirteen healthy adult men participated in this study. The participants randomly performed three sessions (LRT, high intensity [HI], and low intensity [LI]) of three sets of knee extension exercise. The action potential of the lateral vastus muscle during each session was measured using high-density surface EMG. Percent maximum voluntary contraction (%MVC), modified entropy, and integrated EMG (iEMG) were used to compare the degree and heterogeneity of the working muscle among the sessions.

Result: Whereas %MVC was significantly lower in the LRT session than in the HI session in the first set, it showed no significant difference in the third set among the sessions. Modified entropy showed no significant difference among the sessions in all the sets. iEMG also indicated no significant difference among the sessions.

Conclusion: This study demonstrated that multiple sets may be required for LRT to activate the degree of action potential to the same extent that HI does and that the difference in synchronization of motor units between them may have influenced the present findings. The results of our analysis using high-density surface EMG may partly elucidate the mechanism underlying LRT-induced muscle hypertrophy.