The present study was conducted to examine how the movement strategy of Functional Reach Test (FRT) affects the results of Functional Reach Distance (FR distance) and displacement of center of gravity. Nineteen normal subjects aged 21.6±4.3 years performed FRT in three conditions; 1) hip-FRT where a subject kept foot joint in a neutral position without restrictions in hip joint when reaching, 2) foot-FRT where a subject kept hip joint in a neutral position without restrictions in foot joint, and 3) heels-up-FRT where a subject kept heels up without restrictions in hip joint. In each FRT, FR distance, anterior-posterior displacement of center of gravity, and sway area were measured. FR distance in order of length were heels-up-FRT, hip-FRT and foot-FRT, and each difference was significant (p≤0.05). Anterior-posterior displacement and sway area were significantly greater in heels-up-FRT than hip-FRT and foot-FRT (p≤0.01). Correlations among FR distance, anterior-posterior displacement and sway area were nonsignificant. Analysis of major components among variables revealed a high contribution rate of a component which reflected anterior-posterior displacement (30.7%), and of a component which divided FR distance from anterior-posterior displacement (25.4%). Heels-up-FRT resulted in a greater anterior-posterior displacement and a larger sway area, and required higher postural control ability. In case of the same FRT condition, there was no significant correlation between FR distance and displacement of center of gravity.

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In falling accidents in the elderly, there might be a delay in reaction time or movement time in lower extremity. Purpose of this study was to investigate whether there was a delay in reaction time, or movement time in right lower extremity in elderly fallers. Participants were divided into three groups as follows: elderly fallers, elderly non-fallers, and young adults. All elderly people were residents of the same institute and had no apparent neurological disease. Participants were asked to stand upright, wait for the light stimulus (go sign) and make one step (the length of their foot) forward on the right foot as quickly as possible. Then their reaction times and movement times were calculated and compared. In movement time in lower extremity, elderly fallers showed a significant delay, compared with both elderly non-fallers and young adults, and there was no significant difference between elderly non-fallers and young adults. And then there was no significant difference in premotor time and motor time in lower extremity between elderly fallers and non-fallers. These results suggest that falling accidents in the elderly may be related with a delay in movement time in lower extremity rather than premotor time and motor time.

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The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between exercise endurance and walking ability in hemiplegic patients after cerebral vascular accidents (CVA). The study group consisted of 29 hemiplegic patients after CVA. The subjects performed symptom-limited maximal exercise test using an electrically braked bicycle ergometer which car measure expired gases including oxygen uptake continuously. They also undertook 6 minutes walk test to record the walking distance (6MD). The maximum work rate (max WR) was 74.0±32.1 watts, peak oxygen uptake (peak VO₂) 16.7±4.2ml/min/kg, and 6MD 281.3±152.0m. A significant correlation was found between 6MD and max WR (r=0.685, p<0.0001). In addition, there was a significant correlation between 6MD and peak VO₂ (r=0.568, p<0.01). We concluded that 6MD is available as an indicator of exercise endurance in hemiplegic patient after CVA.

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The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between activities of daily living (ADL), quality of life (QOL) and physical function in 24 female residents(average age; 81.3±3.8) of geriatric health services facility. The results showed that ADL significantly correlated with walking ability, lower limb function, muscular strength and endurance, and that balance function significantly correlated to walking ability, lower and upper limb function and flexibility. In addition, QOL had relations to both ADL and depression. It is be suggested that QOL reflected not only ADL but also mental factor such as depression. These findings might give an a available information to provide and to develop exercise program for elderly female in geriatric health services facilities.

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Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the improvement in functional exercise performance and exercise energy efficiency in patients with cerebrovascular disease (CVD) who received rehabilitation of recovery stage. Methods: Subjects consisted of 29 patients with CVD, and were divided into two groups according to Brunnstrom stage of lower extremity; III and IV (n=14) and V and VI (n=15). They performed the exercise of 20w constant work rate for 6 minutes, and the symptom-limited maximal exercise in a sitting position using an electrically braked bicycle ergometer. continuous measuring expired gases including oxygen intake. Maximal work rate (max WR) and peak oxygen consumption (VO₂) were measured during the graded maximal exercise. Results: The peak VO₂ and max WR were 18.1 ± 6.5 ml/min/kg and 76.9 ± 32.5 watt, respectively, in patients of Brunnstrom stage III, IV. Max WR and Δ VO₂/Δ WR were 94.1 ± 40.7 watt and 11.4 ± 1.6 ml/min/watt, respectively in patients of Brunnstrom stage V, VI. Conclusion: In the maximal exercise, peak VO₂ and max WR were lower in patients of Brunnstrom stage III, IV than in patients of Brunnstrom stage V, VI, but the difference was significant in peak VO₂. Results suggest that it is hard to achieve max WR and Δ VO₂/Δ WR, which is equal to peak VO₂ in patients with CVD, because of their physical functional disability.

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The purpose of this study was to evaluate blood pressure reactivity of the affected and unaffected sides of chronic hemiplegic patients with cerebrovascular disease during stand up load test. Three subjects were asked to lie on a horizontal motor-operated tilt table for 5 min, and then to stand passively on a table tilted 80 degrees for 5 min. Next, they lay on the horizontal table for 5 min, stood again on a table tilted 80 degrees for 5 min, and finally lay again on the horizontal table for 5 min. During the test, blood pressure and heart rate were measured every 1 min. Each subject showed a different blood pressure reactivity between the affected and unaffected sides. The difference is considered to highly depend on the reflex function regulated by autonomic nervous system. This suggests that the evaluation of blood pressure reactivity of the affected and unaffected sides during stand up load test may be applicable to the evaluation of shoulder-hand syndrome.

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The purpose of this study was to evaluate the stability of a single elbow support position. Subjects were eighteen healthy adolescent individuals, and the center of pressure (COP) of their forearm weighted upper body were measured in this position. We also examined the reliability of COP measured, and the influence of when shoulder joint angle was changed. The measurements of COP were carried out in two conditions; where the subjects maintained the static position, and they moved their upper body to four directions (anterior, posterior, superior and inferior). As a result, reliability was indicated at the parameters of length of COP trajectory in static condition and anterior-posterior COP distance in dynamic condition. By the comparison among COPs in a single elbow support position with the shoulder abduction angles of supported side of 30, 45 and 60 degree, no significant difference was found in all parameters under both conditions. Further investigations are needed to clarify the cause of instability in a single elbow support position among the disabled.

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The present study was aimed at the elucidation of the effect of a change in knee joint angle on activities of quadriceps muscles of thigh using electromyogram (EMG) and mechanomyogram (MMG). Of 9 healthy adult males, the maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) of rectus femoris (RF), vastus lateralis (VL) and vastus medialis(VM) was measured during knee joint extension. Then, surface EMG and MMG were recorded when 20, 40, 50, 60, 70, and 80% of MVC were induced for a specified period. Subjects positioned themselves with their knee joint flexed at 90 or 60 degrees. Both EMG and MMG tended to indicate greater value in the position with the knee joint flexed at 90 degrees than at 60 degrees. Integrated MMG showed a decrease during 80%MVC in a position with the knee joint flexed at 90 degrees, but not at 60 degrees. The results suggest that muscular activities may be influenced by a change in knee joint angle, and that MMG may be affected more by the change compared with EMG.

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We investigated the effect of changes in screen angle change of notebook personal computers on posture and muscle activities of 15 healthy subjects and the following results were obtained. 1. The change in screen angle affected a seat height, the distance between the eyes and the screen, and the neck angle. 2. Muscle activities of the neck were singnificantly greater when the screen angle was 80 degrees compared with 60 and 70 degrees. 3. The results suggest that the work load can be reduced by establishing an appropriate VDT work environment.

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Irradiation of ultrasound to a tissue where a metal is buried results in a specifically abnormal increase in temperature of the tissue. However, the increase is small, and there is no contraindication to the irradiation of ultrasound to the tissue. In the present study, a small piece of metal, which is unaffected by constant wave, reciprocating wave and heat conduction, was buried in an agar to the depth of 3 cm from the surface. The agar was irradiated by ultrasound for 2 min, and the temperatures of the metal and of agar around the metal were measured 4 min after the start of irradiation. It was confirmed that there was an increase in temperature around the border between a metal and agar.

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We investigated the actual condition of assessment and treatment for sensory-loss patients after stroke in our clinical settings. Six hundred physical therapists (PT) of all districts in Japan were screened using the questionnaire, and the number of responders was 265 (45.2%). The average number of years working as a PT was 15.3 years. Responses for the most part indicated that the time of sensory examination was approximately 10-20% of the initial assessment time of patients. It was also shown that examination rate of tactile sense and articular sensibility was more than 90%, that of temperature sense, vibratory sensibility and stereognosis was less than 15%, and that of foot sensibility was very low. A large number of responders were concerned about sensory loss, and recognized the difficulty in examination method and clinical application, which suggests that assessment of sensory loss intended for treatment is highly needed among PTs.

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Exercise intensity of male paraplegic patients during walk with a weight bearing control walker (WBC) was compared with that during wheelchair road work (WCR). Measured data on WBC and WCR were as follows: WBC · WCR of the Peak VO₂ were 12.4 ml/kg/min · 22.5 ml/kg/min and 12.4 ml/kg/min · 24.8 ml/kg/min in case A and case B, respectively; The Peak HR was 155 bpm · 160 bpm in case A, and was 134 bpm · 174 bpm in Case B; The RPE (rating of perceived exertion) was 5 · 5 in case A, and 5 · 6 in case B; The exercise duration was 23 min in case A, and 24 min · 21 min in case B; The % Peak VO₂ was 37.9 % Peak VO₂ · 68.8 % Peak VO₂ in case A, and 48.2 % Peak VO₂ · 96.5 % Peak VO₂ in case B. The sub-maximal exercise intensity of the patient, which was estimated as the level of Peak VO₂, was 32.7 ml/kg/min in case A, and 25.7 ml/kg/min in case B, using the arm cranking method. Results suggest that walk with WBC may impose an extra burden on upper extremities and trunk and may mirror the level of disavility. WCR was found one of the effective methods to improve physical strength in paraplegic patients.

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Respiratory muscle is categorized into skeletal muscle, and exhibits an anatomical and functional difference from limb muscle. The article describes the general concept and characteristics of respiratory muscles from the standpoint of clinical kinesiology.

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R.A. McKenzie established the treatment system of the patient with low back pain by piling up own clinical experience and clinical researches. This article introduced the way of thinking about the mechanical diagnosis and a process to the definite diagnosis of the low back pain patients that was expounded by McKenzie. McKenzie classifies lumbago patients in three diagnosis categories; postural syndrome, dysfunction syndrome and derangement syndrome, based on the symptoms appear and the responses of test movements. The postural syndrome is mostly raised to break out in the young women. It is the low back pain syndrome caused by taking some bad posture for a long time. The dysfunction syndrome is mostly made to break out in the men of the middle and hight age. It is the low back pain syndrome with a limitation of range of motion in the spine. The derangement syndrome is mostly raised in the middle age men. It causes a disturb of intervertebral discs and a concentration to one direction of nucleus pulposus. McKenzie introduced an individual evaluation system to decide these diagnoses. The evaluation items consists of three parts, the general questions, the medical history and physical examinations. A mechanical diagnosis is done based on the information obtained from this evaluation.

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