Objective: The purpose of this study was to show the change in walking speed and its relation to the change in other walking parameters in different paretic severities during the use of a walking assistive robot for hemiplegic stroke patients.

Methods: The participants were 85 patients in the recovery phase who exercised with a walking assistive robot for 2 weeks. Daily changes in walking speed before, during, and after the exercise using a walking assistive robot were compared for each severity of the lower extremity paralysis. The relationship between the change in walking speed and the changes in spatial-temporal parameters, hip flexion-extension angles and their time during use were analyzed.

Results: The change in walking speed during use was larger than other durations just in patients with Brunnstrom stage IV. Parameters that showed significant correlation coefficients with change in walking speed were increase in bilateral hip extension angles and decrease in hip flexion time on the paralyzed side and hip extension time on the nonparalyzed side.

Conclusion: It was clarified that there was a difference in walking speed change of hemiplegic stroke patients in the recovery phase with different severity of paralysis during exercise using a walking assistive robot. Spatial-temporal parameters and joint angles related to the change in walking speed were shown.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the factors affecting physical and functional capacity in older women who developed low bone mass after 1 year.

Methods: Low bone mass was defined as a T-score≦−2.5, and 85 older women who had not lost bone mass at baseline were included in the study. They were divided into two groups: those who lost bone mass at 1 year and those who maintained bone mass as the control group, and their basic attributes, physical function, and Kihon Checklist at baseline were compared.

Results: Body Mass Index (BMI) (odds ratio 0.761, 95% confidence interval 0.612–0.945) and the categories in the Kihon Checklist of “motor function” (odds ratio 1.995, 95% confidence interval 1.020–3.901) were identified as factors affecting bone mass loss.

Conclusion: The results suggest that older women who lose bone mass after 1 year are influenced by lower BMI and lower “motor function” at baseline.

Objective: To examine the relationship between the finger-circle test and frailty by body mass index (BMI) category.

Methods: Data was collected from 8,319 people who participated in an anonymous mail survey conducted on middle-aged and older adults living in Settsu City and Hannan City, Osaka Prefecture. Frailty was assessed using the Kihon Checklist. The finger-circle test was conducted by comparing the circumference of the calf with that of the finger circle, and the results were used to classify participants into a “bigger,” “just-fit,” or “smaller” group. BMI was calculated from self-reported height and weight. Multivariate analysis was used to examine the relationship between the finger-circle test and frailty as well as the frailty subdomain by BMI category.

Results: The prevalence of frailty was 19.2%. In the finger-circle test, 12.6% were in the smaller, 45.6% in the just-fit, and 41.8% in the bigger groups. The smaller group had a higher prevalence of frailty than the bigger and just-fit groups. Of the overweight and obese, 39.4% of those with smaller group was found to have frailty, and the smaller group had a prevalence of frailty approximately 2.5 times higher than that of the just-fit group in the multivariate analysis with decline in the subdomains of physical, psychological, and social aspects.

Conclusion: In middle-aged and older adults, the obese and the smaller of finger-circle test group had a significantly higher prevalence of frailty, suggesting the necessary of frailty screening in the obese.

Objective: Ischemia due to excessive contraction of the uterine muscles is a cause of menstrual pain. Therefore, exercise can be expected to improve circulatory dynamics. In this study, we evaluated changes in uterine artery hemodynamics induced by the voluntary contraction of the pelvic floor muscles.

Methods: We measured the hemodynamic changes in uterine arteries caused by voluntary contraction of the pelvic floor muscles in healthy adult women aged 20–45 years using an ultrasound imaging system. The primary outcomes were the time averaged maximum velocity and time averaged mean velocity. The secondary outcomes were the pulsatility index, resistance index, and pelvic floor elevation rate. Measurements were taken during the menstrual, proliferative, and secretory phases. Furthermore, differences before and after voluntary contractions were analyzed. The correlation between the change in time averaged mean velocity before and after voluntary contractions and pelvic floor elevation rate was also assessed.

Results: A main effect of time averaged mean velocity was observed between before and after voluntary contraction (p=0.023). The time averaged mean velocity revealed no correlation with the pelvic floor elevation rate.

Conclusions: Voluntary contraction of the pelvic floor muscles increases the time averaged mean velocity of the uterine artery. Pelvic floor elevation rate was not correlated because it is not a measure of contractility.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of physical therapy combined with an exergame (EG) called Ring Fit Adventure (RFA; Nintendo) in a patient with subacute stroke.

Methods: An ABA single-case design was implemented for a male patient in his 80s who had a subacute cerebral infarction, with each period lasting 2 weeks. The A phase was the baseline period, which included 1 h of regular physical therapy per session, while the B phase included 1 h of EG training with RFA and regular physical therapy per session. Psychological measures were assessed using the physical activity enjoyment scale, while cognitive measures were assessed using reaction time and the stroop color–word interference test. Additionally, physical measures were assessed using the 30-second chair stand test, Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and timed up-and-go test.

Results: The BBS showed improvement in all phases, with the greatest improvement observed during the B phase.

Conclusion: The effectiveness of conventional physical therapy may be promoted by combining it with EG using RFA in patients with subacute stroke for improving balance.