[Purpose] There are many circumstances where non-rehabilitation professionals provide functional training at daycare services. This study aimed to clarify the actual situations and problems in facilities without rehabilitation specialists by investigating their responses to a questionnaire survey. [Participants and Methods] The questionnaire survey was sent to 196 daycare service facilities in the Inba area of Chiba Prefecture. Responses were collected from facility staff who were in charge of deciding the contents of functional training. [Results] Thirty-nine daycare service facilities returned the survey. The results show that 80% of the daycare service facilities provided functional training and risk management, and 40% of them employed rehabilitation specialists. About 65% of daycare service facilities that provided functional training said they were concerned about decisions on functional training programs. [Conclusion] Since the elderly have a wide range of physical functions that require complicated management of risk, it seems facilities commonly have worries concerning functional training regardless of the professions involved.

[Purpose] The longitudinal changes in motor subscale scores of the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) of stroke patients discharged to home from a convalescence rehabilitation ward (CRW) were investigated. [Participants and Methods] Forty-one stroke patients who received home-based rehabilitation (HBR) immediately after discharge from CRW were enrolled in this retrospective cohort study. The 13 motor subscale scores of FIM were assessed at the time of discharge from CRW, a few days after discharge, and three months after discharge, and together with the sum of motor scores were compared among the three times. [Results] A few days after discharge from CRW, sphincter control (bowel management) had improved, while the locomotion (walking) score had decreased. Three months after CRW discharge, scores of the self-care subscales (eating, bathing, dressing-lower, and toileting), transfer subscales (bed, toilet, and tub), and locomotion scale (stairs) had improved. On the other hand, scores of grooming, dressing-upper, and the locomotion subscales had not changed. [Conclusion] The results of this study suggest that each motor subscale of FIM shows a distinct change during the course of community living after discharge from CRW.

[Purpose] To examine the squatting ability of young children and its relationships with the age, sex, physique, and ankle dorsiflexion range of motion. [Participants and Methods] The squatting ability of 166 healthy young children was evaluated, and its relationships with the age, sex, physique, and ankle dorsiflexion range of motion were analyzed. [Results] The number of those who were able to squat significantly increased with age. Furthermore, the rate of being able to squat was significantly higher among females than males. The squatting ability was not correlated with the obesity level or ankle dorsiflexion range of motion. [Conclusion] The results indicate that in addition to the physique and ankle dorsiflexion range of motion, the influences of learning and experiences acquired with age also determine the squatting ability of young children.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in the range of motion of knee joint flexion, knee joint extension muscle strength, muscle hardness, and muscle gliding induced by performing myofascial release around the patella of patients with knee osteoarthritis. [Participants and Methods] The subjects were 26 patients with medial knee osteoarthritis (intervention group, n=14; control group, n=12). The evaluation items described above were measured before and after the intervention. For the intervention group, patellar release was performed: patellar upward and downward release for 3 minutes each. For the control group, the same movements were performed with only touching. [Results] There was an intervention effect of 4.47 degrees on the range of motion of knee joint flexion. However, it was not clinically significant. [Conclusion] The immediate effect of myofascial release on knee osteoarthritis is clinically negligible.

[Purpose] This study aimed to clarify the change in hamstrings’ flexibility and its gender difference due to elastic taping of the sole of the dominant foot. [Participants and Methods] Thirty-three healthy university students’ (15 males, 18 females, average age 20.7 ± 0.6 years) hip joint range of motion (straight leg raising (SLR) angle), flexibility (finger-floor distance: FFD), muscle strength, and balance ability were measured. The measured items were compared between before and after the taping, and also between males and females. [Results] After the taping, the SLR angle and FFD significantly improved in both males and females. There was no gender difference in the rate of change in SLR. [Conclusion] It was clarified that elastic taping of the sole immediately and remotely improved the hip joint range of motion, and that the improvement effect of elastic tapes on the flexibility of hamstrings seems not to be affected by gender.

[Purpose] To assess the intrarater reliability and construct validity of the timed stair test (TST) for patients after unilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA). [Participants and Methods] The validity of the TST was assessed using 37 patients who had undergone unilateral TKA, and the reliability of the TST was assessed using 14. The time taken to perform the TST using training stairs (at riser heights of 15 and 20 cm each) was compared in terms of patients’ physical function and background factors. Multiple regression analysis was conducted with the TST score as the dependent variable. [Results] The intraclass correlation coefficient (1,1) of the TST score was 0.893 at a riser height of 15 cm, and 0.896 at a riser height of 20 cm. TST scores at both riser heights were significantly associated with non-operative knee extension strength and age, thereby supporting construct validity. [Conclusion] The reliability and construct validity of the TST were confirmed for unilateral TKA patients.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to evaluate the higher-level functional capacity of patients with cardiovascular disease receiving home care using the Japan Science and Technology Agency Index of Competence (JST-IC) and to clarify whether physical characteristics are related to the JST-IC score. [Participants and Methods] Twenty-six patients with cardiovascular disease receiving home treatment were evaluated using the JST-IC, cardiac function, grip strength, knee extensor strength, and walking ability. [Results] The cardiovascular disease patients' social participation subscale of the JST-IC had the lowest score. Correlation analysis of physical characteristics with the JST-IC showed significant correlations between grip strength (r=0.514, p<0.05) and knee extensor strength (r=0.501, p<0.05), but no correlations were found for cardiac function and walking ability. [Conclusion] Limb muscle strength is related to higher-level functional capacity in patients with cardiovascular disease undergoing home care.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to clarify the effect of foot function and morphology on the Japanese Knee Osteoarthritis Measure (JKOM) of patients with conservative knee osteoarthritis. [Participants and Methods] Age, JKOM, Visual Analog Scale (VAS), KL classification, Navicular Drop Test (NDT), toe grip strength, range of motion of plantar flexion and dorsiflexion of the ankle joint, and walking speed of 19 patients were evaluated. Spearman’s rank correlation analysis was performed for the evaluated items, followed by multiple regression analysis with the total score of JKOM as the dependent variable and correlating items as explanatory variables. [Results] VAS and NDT were significantly associated with the JKOM total score. The standard partial regression coefficient for VAS was β=0.46, and β=0.40 for NDT. [Conclusion] The VAS and NDT of patients with medial knee osteoarthritis affected JKOM, suggesting that foot function and morphology should be considered in assessing JKOM.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the actual status of injuries among elementary school badminton players, and to examine the epidemiological characteristics of the pain and injury sites according to grade and gender. [Participants and Methods] The relationship between the presence of pain and the location of injury was investigated according to grade and gender in 143 boys and 187 girls who responded to an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire. [Results] Twenty-four boys and 34 girls currently had pain, and 59 boys and 79 girls had experienced pain in the past. Regarding the relationship between grade and pain, past experience of pain was significantly higher in the upper grades. As for the relationship between grade and pain site, ankle pain was significantly more common in the older grades. [Conclusion] Injuries to the ankle joint were common among elementary school badminton players, and the percentage of injuries experienced was higher in the upper grades.

[Purpose] This study investigated the effectiveness of an intervention using a spine mat by measuring the spinal alignment and comparing performances of field tests before and after the intervention. [Participants and Methods] The participants were 110 high school baseball players. A spine mat was inserted for 3 minutes under the thoracic spine of the participants in a supine position. Before and after this intervention, the thoracic kyphosis angle, lumbar lordosis angle, and sacral slope were measured using a spinal mouse, and field tests (30 m sprint, vertical jump, standing long jump, and side steps) were conducted. [Results] After the intervention, significant differences were observed in spinal alignment, and vertical jump, standing long jump and side steps performance significantly improved. [Conclusion] The results of this study suggest that the spine mat intervention was useful for improving the spinal alignment, and for raising performance of vertical jump, standing long jump, and side steps.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to identify postoperative factors that affect the ability to walk and climb stairs after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) with preserved anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) function. [Participants and Methods] The participants were 40 postoperative patients with ACL function-preserving TKA. The postoperative walking ability was measured by the timed up and go test (TUG), and stair climbing ability was measured by the timed stair test (TST). The postoperative factors were knee joint angle and muscle strength. [Results] The factor affecting walking ability was knee joint extension muscle strength (p<0.01, R²=0.34), and the factor affecting stair climbing ability was also knee joint extension muscle strength (p<0.01, R²=0.11). [Conclusion] Postoperative knee extensor strength is a factor influencing the ability to walk and climb stairs after TKA with preserved ACL function.

[Purpose] To examine electromyographically what kind of exercise tasks are effective for muscle activity as basic research into effective training for local muscle groups, such as the transversus abdominis and lumbar multifidus, for the purpose of preventing low back pain. [Participants and Methods] Twenty healthy adult males were included in this study. Eight exercise conditions, including abdominal hollowing (AH), abdominal bracing (AB), and other exercise tasks, were set up, and the muscle activities of the right transversus abdominis muscle and lumbar multifidus muscle were recorded by wire electromyography and compared and examined. [Results] The transversus abdominis showed the greatest activity during AB with expiration, and the lumbar multifidus during AB. [Conclusion] The results suggest that there is no uniform method of training muscles for the prevention of low back pain, and that appropriate training for dysfunctional muscles is necessary.

[Purpose] To clarify qualitative changes in the abductor hallucis when wearing Iritani-type Arch Support^Ⓡ, using ultrasound. [Participants and Methods] Measurement was performed in 30 healthy individuals, adopting the cross-over study design. The participants performed Task 1 (walking for 5 minutes with a control insole during a 1-week period) and Task 2 (walking for 5 minutes with Iritani-type Arch Support^Ⓡ during a 1-week period). Immediately after each task, their abductor hallucis was filmed using an ultrasound imaging system, and its brightness was measured. [Results] The brightness of the abductor hallucis significantly decreased with Iritani-type Arch Support^Ⓡ. [Conclusion] The results suggest that the improvement of gait patterns with Iritani-type Arch Support^Ⓡ not only reduces mechanical stress, but also improves foot functions.

[Purpose] This retrospective study of patients with breast cancer investigated the relationship between preoperative physical function and the postoperative length of stay (LOS). [Participants and Methods] Eighty-two patients with breast cancer who underwent a total mastectomy were divided into a normal LOS group (n=46, postoperative LOS ≤7 days) and a prolonged LOS group (n=36, postoperative LOS >7 days). Demographic data, clinical findings, and motor function were compared between the two groups. Motor function was assessed using tests that measured the risk of impaired mobility due to locomotive syndrome. [Results] Body height, resection of axillary lymph nodes, and the two-step score were significantly associated with a prolonged postoperative LOS. [Conclusion] The results of this study show that a decreased preoperative two-step score was significantly associated with a prolonged LOS. This finding indicates that this test might be useful for predicting longer LOS in patients with breast cancer.

[Purpose] Factors related to the bathing status of adult day-care users were investigated. [Participants and Methods] A total of 102 day-care users (35 males and 67 females, age 82.1 ± 7.2) from two day-care facilities were included in the study. Data was collected by questionnaire. [Results] The day-care bathing group tended to have lower mobility and lower ability to perform bathing related ADLs. The results also suggested that the five items of dressing the lower half of the body, moving around in the bathroom, transferring, washing the body, and getting in and out of the bathtub affected the bathing status. [Conclusion] The results suggest that the ability to perform some bathing activities does not necessarily contribute to the realization of bathing at home.

[Purpose] This study examined the reliability of measuring the tibial rotation range of motion (ROM) using a spring-type clamping device and the characteristics and left-right differences with passive and active tibial rotation ROM. [Participants and Methods] Thirty healthy adults (15 females, mean age 20.4 years) participated in this study. In the prone position with 90° knee flexion, the tibial rotation ROM was measured from photo images captured by two devices. [Results] The intra-rater reliability ICC (1,1) for external rotation was 0.96 and 0.93 for internal rotation. The comparison of passive and active rotation showed that internal rotation was not significantly different from active ROM. Differences of more than 5° between right and left ROM in internal or external rotation were observed in 87% of the participants. [Conclusion] Using this prone measurement method, large individual differences in tibial rotation ROM were observed.

[Purpose] To investigate age-related differences in postural reaction after perturbations from the upper back. [Participants and Methods] A weight load that induced backward stepping was added to the upper back of young adults and aged people. Muscle activities of the trunk and lower limbs were recorded using surface electromyography. The start time and the peak time of each muscle activity from the time of weight load were measured. [Results] Compared to the young adults, the peak time of muscle activities after applying the weight load was significantly delayed in the aged people. No obvious rules were found in the order of muscle activities in both the young and the aged groups. [Conclusion] In aged people, delay of the peak muscle activities after perturbations from the upper back may easily cause falls which frequently occur in the elderly.