Assessment of gait stability was made in 16 stroke patients (8 persons each in gait dependent and non-dependent groups). A group of 7 females served as the control. The coefficient of variation(CV) of stride length and walking cycle was used as the index of gait stability. Significant differences in CV of stride length were noted in all the groups as 10.9%, 3.9% and 1.9%, respectively. In CV of walking cycle, there was no significant defference. The correration coefficient between CV and walking speed, cadense was not significant. It is possible to assess gait stability based on CV of stride length, since this parameter increases in stroke patients with diminished gait capacity.

View full abstract

The relation between the maximal walking speed and the starting of righting reaction of the affected side was examined in hemiplegic patients after stroke. Other factors influencing the maximal walking speed such as knee extensor ratio, load rate in the standing at rest, and Brunnstrom stage (Stage) of the affected limb were also examined. The maximal walking speed correlated with knee extensor ratio, load rate, and Stage of the affected side. The multi-regression analysis also revealed the effect of knee extensor ratio and load rate of the affected side on the maximal walking speed. There was, however, no relation between the starting of righting reaction of the affected side and the maximal walking speed as well as other factors. These results suggest that the postural control system may differ between regular and irregular movements.

View full abstract

Nine old-hemiplegic patients who required an assistance in indoor walking performed 8-week muscle strengthening exercise, and the effect of exercise on the required time for 10-m walking was examined. The patients performed uniform movements at the angular velocity of 120°/sec on unaffected quadriceps muscle and hamstrings. After the exercise, the torque values (%BW) of quadriceps muscle and hamstrings were significantly increased at the angular velocity of 60°/sec, and the required time for 10-m walking became significantly shorter. This may result from the increase in standing stability of the unaffected side, as indicated in an elongation of one-leg standing time of the unaffected side. These results indicate that muscle strengthening exercise for the unaffected side is necessary for old-hemiplegic patients who are prone to disuse muscle atrophy; physical therapy program which targets activation of total daily activities will therefore play a pivotal role in the prevention.

View full abstract

This study examines the relation between the sitting up pattern and abdominal strength in elderly stroke patients, and investigates the reliability of measured values of abdominal and grip strength. Subjects were 40 elderly stroke patients (16 males and 24 females) with the average age of 73.2 ± 8.2 years. They were divided into three groups according to their sitting up pattern; 30 patients who were positioned sidelying, and sat up in bed by supporting their body on elbow (elbow group), 6 patients who sat up without any support (abdominal muscle group), and 4 patients who could not sit up. Body height, weight, Body Mass Index (BMI) and grip strength were measured, and abdominal strength was also measured by the applied method using a hand grip dynamometer. The measured values of both abdominal and grip strength were found highly reliable. Abdominal strength of abdominal muscle group was significantly higher than that of elbow group, and that of elbow group was significantly higher than that of the patients who could not sit up. This suggested that the sitting up pattern of elderly stroke patients may be influenced by their abdominal strength.

View full abstract

Functional disorders of shoulder joints frequently occur in sports activities, especially in baseball and volleyball. With the aim of examining the characteristics of functional disorders of shoulder joint muscle caused by hitting a ball among volleyball players, muscle strength of shoulder joint in external and internal rotations were measured in 7 subjects with a shoulder joint pain and 5 healthy controls. Functional test of shoulder joint was also conducted in all subjects. Compared with healthy controls, subjects with the pain showed lower muscle peak torque in external rotation, and smaller ratio of internal to external rotations. The subjects exhibited smaller repetition speed of raising and lowering of upper extremity, and lower endurance of abdominal and joint muscles in external rotation. The results suggest that functional disorder of shoulder joint muscle of volleyball players is characterized by a decrease of muscle strength and endurance in external rotation, especially of infraspinatus muscle, which may be caused by overusing shoulders in hitting a ball. The decrease in endurance of abdominal muscle of the subjects suggests that a coordinative stability of scapulohumeral joint-scapula-trunk may play an important role in the prevention of shoulder joint disorders.

View full abstract

An interview questionnaire was administered to the outpatients with osteoporosis who had received therapeutic exercise in our hospital in order to clarify their motives for continuing exercises. The questionnaires were mailed to the 50 female subjects who had continued therapeutic exercise for more than 1 year from the discharge, and 35 replies (70%) were obtained. The questionnaires consisted of 1) performance condition of exercise, 2) effect of exercise, and self-consciousness for prevention of osteoporosis, and 3) the reasons for discontinuation of exercise. Fifty-four percent of the subjects were found to continue the exercise, and self-consciousness for prevention of osteoporosis was considerably strong. This suggests that continuation of exercise motivate them to be aware of their health, and to spend positive lives. Motives for continuation of exercises were found to depend on the understanding of the patients for the physical, psychological, and social effect of the exercise at the earlier period of the therapy. The necessity and effect of exercise should therefore be explained repeatedly to the patients, thereby potentially increasing motives for the exercise.

View full abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the optimal extension height for leg length discrepancy of a patient with hemicoxarthrosis. In 4 patients with hemicoxarthrosis who had more than 3-cm leg length discrepancy (2 had received the operation, and 2 had not), the leg length discrepancy at SMD, the extension height which centered the center of the gravity in standing (optimal extension height in standing), and the extension height at which the subject considered the optimal during walking (subjective optimal extension height) were measured. The optimal extension height in standing was smaller than the leg length discrepancy at SMD in all subjects. In all subjects, except one, subjective optimal extension height was the middle between the leg length discrepancy at SMD and the optimal extension length in standing. The leg length discrepancies were, in average, 1.5 cm and 0.63 cm in the optimal extension length in standing and in subjective optimal extension length, respectively. The results indicate that the length discrepancy of smaller than 2 cm may exert no effect on standing and walking of patients with hemicoxarthrosis.

View full abstract

Physical therapy for temporomandibular joint pain has not been commonly done in Japan. Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is a synovial joint like other joints and may cause pain due to dysfunction of the joint. TMJ can be therefore treated by a physical therapist. In this article, firstly, anatomy and kinesiology of TMJ and TMJ pain are mentioned. Then, TMJ dysfunction and osteoarthritis of TMJ, relatively common problems in physical therapy, are described.

View full abstract

Patients receiving pharmacotherapy frequently perform physical therapy simultaneously, and the effects of both therapies correlate each other, not maintain independent functions. In this second part, the effect of cardiovascular drugs on exercise responses was reviewed. A number of cardiovascular drugs administered to the patients with angina pectoris, hypertension, arrhythmia, and heart failure may have various effects on changes in cardiovascular function of the patients during therapeutic exercise. This review described the pharmacological actions of β blocking agents, nitrites, calcium antagonists, inhibitor of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, α₁ antagonists, α₂ agonists, and cardiac glycosides, and introduced their effects on therapeutic exercise responses.

View full abstract