The responses to weight reduction due to whole thermotolerance (sauna) therapy with neck cooling were examined in six hemi- or paraplegia patients with obesity, aged 30 to 52 years (Body Mass Index, BMI; 33.3±2.7 kg/m²). After the sauna stress test, (1) maximum oxygen uptake and maximum heart rate increased 10% and 25% respectively. (2) The deep temperature increased by 1.5 ± 0.3°C and the breath ketone increased significantly by 100% (p<0.01). After the sauna therapy during 16 weeks, % fat and BMI decreased by 12% and 16% respectively (p<0.01). These results suggest that sauna therapy with neck cooling may be effective to reduce the body weight of hemi- or paraplegia patients with obesity who have difficulties in performing exercise.

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The primary purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between lower limb joint moment and gait patterns of hemiplegic patients after stroke. Subjects consisted of 17 hemiplegic patients after stroke, all those need no assistance in independent gait. Their patterns of gait were classified into three types according to the relative positions between affected and unaffected feet in stepping unaffected heel on the floor; forward, even, and backward. The gait pattern was found highly correlated to the joint moment of hip extension immediately after stepping on the floor. This suggests that abnormal gait patterns such as even or backward may be induced by a decrease in the joint moment of hip extension just after stepping on the floor.

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We investigated the changes of the kinematic parameters of the target oriented motor task through practice in order to analyze the influences of the practice on the structure of the changes in the multijoint movement pattern which had opened task characteristics. Angular displacements and muscular activities of throwing movements on sagittal plane attempted by four healthy males participated in this study were measured. Standard Deviation of the values which indicated coordination between elbow and wrist joints decreased due to the practice. Angular displacements and velocity of the elbow joint increased as the practice proceeded. Correlation Coefficient of angular velocity between the joints increased due to the practice, and that of angular displacements between the joints decreased. However, we couldn't conclude what general principles of the change of motor pattern in the throwing task were.

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Relations between the maximum walking speed for 10 meters distance and the isokinetic torques for knee extension and hip abduction were examined in 7 female patients with osteoarthritis treated by rotational acetabular osteotomy and 8 age-matched normal female subjects. The maximum walking speed, walking rate, knee extension torque and hip abduction torque of the patients were significantly less than those of the normal subjects. The maximum walking speed was significantly correlated to the body height and stride length, and the stride length was significantly correlated to the knee extension torque in the patients. It was concluded that the isokinetic torques for knee extension and hip abduction exerted a main effect of the maximum walking speed of patients receiving rotational acetabular osteotomy.

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This study was designed to examine the effects of closed kinetic chain exercise program newly developed based on the quantification of squatting motion on muscular improvement of the patients who had anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. First, squatting motion was quantified in two patients after ACL reconstruction as a model analysis, and their peak torques for knee extension during squatting were measured. Based on the data obtained, closed kinetic chain exercises mainly consisting of squatting exercise (CKC ex.) were properly applied as a part of the treatment programs. Muscular improvement was compared between 17 patients performing CKC ex, and 11 patients who had underwent the conventional open kinetic chain exercise program mainly consisting of isokinetic exercise (OKC ex.). Patients receiving CKC ex. showed significant muscular improvement in both injured and uninjured sides in both extension and flexion torques, and those receiving OKC ex. exhibited no significant muscular improvement in extension torque of injured side. These results suggest the effectiveness of newly developed exercise program mainly consisting of closed kinetic chain exercise.

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The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of exercise posture on muscle output and fatigue during isometric contraction of quadriceps femoral muscle. Ten healthy adult subjects, aged 21.1±1.5 years in average, positioned themselves in two different postures, supine and straight-sitting, and performed isometric muscle contraction with the knees extended. With an electromyography, the followings were measured; 1) muscle output and the integral value during the maximum voluntary contraction (MVC), and 2) the integral value and median power frequency (MDPF) during continuous contraction of 50% MVC for 1 min. During MVC, muscle output of all muscles measured and the integral value of rectus femoris were greater in supine position than in straight-sitting position. During 1-min 50% MVC, the integral values of all muscles were gradually increased, and MDPF of rectus femoris and vastus lateralis became smaller irrespective of positions. In straight-sitting position, MDPF of rectus femoris and vastus medialis became smaller during early contration. These results suggest that the supine position may be more appropriate for performing isokinetic muscle contraction than the straight-sitting position.

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In the present study, the reliability of Hand Held Dynamometer measurements on ankle dorsiflexion strength was examined, and changes in the muscle strength due to aging or diseases were also investigated. Thirty healthy subjects performed isometric muscle contraction using Hand Held Dynamometer, and reproducibility and reliability of the measurement ranged from 4.2 to 5.4%. However, the reliability was high in the measurements by several different examiners who had understood the method. There was a slight but significant correlation between ankle dorsiflexion strength and aging. No significant difference in the muscle strength was observed between subjects aged over 30 years and those under 30 years, which suggests that changes in the muscle strength may not be much influenced by aging. A significant decrease in the muscle strength was obseraved in patients with low back pain, or hip/knee joint diseases, and hemiplegic patients. Quantification and clinical application of their typical changes in muscle strength are considered meaningful.

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Sixteen healthy young adults performed isometric grasping movement (50%MVC), and the latent period and amplitude of sympathetic skin response (SSR) and R-R interval of electromyogram were examined. During static condition, the latent period and amplitude of SSR were 1.54 ± 0.20 sec and 1.60 ± 0.24 mV, respectively, showing a positive correlation between the latent period and body height (r=0.45, p<0.05) and limb lenght (r=0.48, p<0.05). However, neither the latent period nor amplitude showed correlation with variation of coefficient of R-R interval (CV_R-R). During grasping movement, the latent period was shortened by 5.6% and the amplitude was increased by 7.5% compared with those during static condition. These results suggest that SSR wave may mirror the activity of skin sweat glands.

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The purpose of this paper is to discuss the concept of irritability and also to describe its relationship to physical examination and treatment. Irritability is defined as the degree to which the patient's symptom can be aggravated by various activities or movements. It consists of three basic elements: 1. The sensitivity to pain. 2. The degree of pain. 3. The time taken for the pain to settle down. At first, during the history taking the irritability needs to be assessed in order to ascertain the physical capacity of the patient. Then irritability is re-evaluated to establish the joint irritability in the process of the physical examination and treatment. The assessment of irritability allows physical therapists to evaluate the physical capacity of the patients for the appropriate physical examination and treatment. The level of irritability is also useful as a scale of the treatment's effectiveness and as a communication tool in the clinical education.

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In the clinical context of physical therapy, especially of risk management's standpoint, it is of paramount importance to evaluate clinical examination data. The series of our reviews will introduce physiological implications of the data as well as its relation to diseases, and clinical application to physical therapy. This time, we review general blood examinations, especially the examinations on blood cell components such as erythrocyte, hemoglobin, hematocrit value, leukocyte, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, platelet, and diseases that indicate abnormalilty of these data.

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