[Purpose] The effect of the number of repetitions on flexibility in static stretching with unified total extension time was investigated. [Participants and Methods] The study subjects were 10 healthy students (5 males and 5 females) attending a sports university. The total stretching time was standardized to 90 seconds. Flexibility was compared between a no-repetition condition of 90 seconds of stretching and a repetition condition of three sets of 30-second stretching. [Results] Significant increases in flexibility were observed after stretching in both conditions, but the rate of change in flexibility was not significantly different between the conditions. [Conclusion] There was no difference in the improvement of flexibility with or without repetitions in stretching with a uniform total extension time.

[Purpose] We investigated the characteristics of elderly people’s ikigaikan related to their relationships with others and how they perceive themselves. [Participants and Methods] A questionnaire survey was conducted of 197 elderly people living in the community. We divided the basic attribute items into “high ikigaikan”, and “low ikigaikan”, using the Mann-Whitney U test to confirm significant differences, and performed logistic regression analysis on those that showed statistically significant differences in the basic attribute survey. Regarding the ikigaikan items, we compared the two groups and confirmed the characteristics between the two groups based on statistically significant differences. [Results] Significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of ikigaikan, and significant differences were observed in all items in the evaluation of ikigaikan. [Conclusion] The results suggest that the ikigaikan scale could be an effective tool for identifying characteristics related to ikigaikan in old age.

[Purpose] The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to investigate changes in sleep and pain of patients with rotator cuff tears before and after specular rotator cuff repair. [Participants and Methods] Eighty-six patients (86 shoulders) who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR) were classified into two groups: a group with sleep disturbance (PSQI score of 6 or higher: P group) and a group without sleep disturbance (PSQI score of 5 or lower: N group). [Results] Clinical scores such as pain improved at 1 year postoperatively regardless of the presence or absence of preoperative sleep disturbance. The P group continued to have sleep disturbance 1 year after surgery. [Conclusion] Patients with preoperative sleep disturbance continued to have sleep disturbance 1 year after surgery despite improvement in nocturnal pain. Since the nocturnal pain almost disappeared after surgery, the sleep disturbance continuing after surgery was considered to be related to factors other than pain.

[Purpose] We evaluated the isokinetic knee muscle strength, from before surgery to 6 months after surgery, for both hybrid closed wedge high tibial osteotomy (HCWHTO) and medial open wedge high tibial osteotomy (MOWHTO). [Participants and Methods] This study included 21 patients with HCWHTO and 26 patients with MOWHTO. The maximum torque-to-body weight ratio (%BW) and H/Q ratio were measured preoperatively, and at 3 and 6 months postoperatively. [Results] In HCWHTO, the knee flexion muscle strength significantly increased from pre- to 3 months post-operatively (p＜0.05). Knee extension muscle strength in MOWHTO significantly increased from pre- to 3 months post-operatively (p＜0.05). There were no significant differences in the H/Q ratio over time or between surgical procedures. [Conclusion] We consider that the difference in the timing of the start of post-operative loading between surgical procedures may have affected the course of muscle strength recovery. In order to improve clinical outcomes after HTO, strengthening the quadriceps muscle and reducing the H/Q ratio is considered important.

[Purpose] To examine the impact of admission home-visit guidance on activities of daily living (ADL) in motor disorders. [Participants and Methods] A total of 124 patients with motor disorders transferred to post-acute care (PAC) wards and discharged to home were examined. For analysis, they were stratified into 2 tiers according to their total motor Functional Independence Measure (FIM) scores at PAC transfer: those scoring below 52 (lower tier) and those scoring 52 or higher (upper tier). They were further divided into those who received admission home-visit guidance (guidance group) and those who did not (non-guidance group). Additionally, a questionnaire survey of rehabilitation staff on the admission home-visit guidance was conducted. [Results] Compared with the non-guidance group, the guidance group showed significantly higher values for FIM effectiveness, bathing/showering, and ascending/descending stairs in the lower tier, and for motor FIM effectiveness, bathing/showering, and bathtub transfers in the upper tier. Rehabilitation staff’s rate of answering “The guidance facilitated goal setting and daily training” was 93.9%. [Conclusion] The results suggest that admission home-visit guidance contributes to the improvement of FIM scores.

[Purpose] We investigated the relationship between pelvic and thoracic vertebral rotation movements during gait by analyzing the thoracic vertebrae in several segments. [Participants and Methods] Eighteen young male subjects participated in this study. Their pelvic and thoracic spinal rotational movements during gait were measured using a three-dimensional motion analysis system. The thoracic spine was analyzed in four segments (T2, T4, T7, and T10), and waveform correlation coefficients and rotational amplitudes were calculated for each segment. [Results] The waveform correlation coefficients showed a strong positive correlation between the pelvis and the T7 and T10 vertebrae. In terms of rotational amplitude, T7 and T10 exhibited similar rotation to the pelvis, indicating a positive correlation with pelvic rotation. [Conclusion] The lower thoracic vertebrae rotated ipsilaterally with the pelvis during gait, demonstrating coordinated movement. These findings highlight the importance of detailed analysis of the thoracic vertebral segments as a new indicator of gait assessment which has potential clinical application.

[Purpose] To develop a prediction chart for determining the acquisition of unassisted walking on level ground from information at the start of Welwalk training (WW) for paraplegic stroke patients. [Participants and Methods] Seventy-eight patients admitted to an acute care ward at our hospital were classified into two groups according to whether or not they had acquired unassisted walking at the end of WW, and a decision tree was drawn to predict their outcomes based on basic information, physical function and cognitive function at the start of WW. [Results] Total Stroke Impairment Assessment Set (SIAS) trunk items at the start of WW (reference score 3.5), age (66.5 years) and number of days since onset (22 days) were identified as significant predictors, yielding a decision tree to predict acquisition of unassisted walking. [Conclusion] The results suggest that walking ability at the end of WW can be predicted by the prediction charts obtained.

[Purpose] We compared a knee orthosis developed with a focus on fitting pressure with the orthoses of patients with knee osteoarthritis, to examine whether the fitting pressure increased or not, and to compare the patients’ subjective evaluations of the two orthoses. [Participants and Methods] The subjects were 20 patients (8 males and 12 females) with knee osteoarthritis. First, we measured the pressure when the newly developed orthosis was worn and compared it with the pressure when the existing orthosis was worn. Then the patients reported their subjective evaluations of the difficulty of wearing, breathability, appearance, weight and wearing feeling of their existing orthosis and the newly developed orthosis on a Visual Analogue Scale. [Results] There was a significant difference in the pressure applied between the existing and newly developed orthoses. There were no significant differences in the patients’ subjective evaluations. [Conclusion] The pressure applied for the newly developed orthosis could be set higher than that of patients’ existing orthoses, but there were no differences in the patients’ subjective evaluations.

[Purpose] To clarify differences in measurement values between two models of body composition analyzer. [Participants and Methods] Body composition components were measured with 2 models, InBodyS10 and InBodyBWA, in 78 (19 males and 59 females) special nursing home residents. The correlation coefficients between the values were calculated, and measurement errors were compared using Bland-Altman analysis. [Results] The intraclass correlation coefficients for all measurement items ranged from 0.90 to 0.97, showing no additive or proportional errors. [Conclusion] No measurement errors were observed between InBodyS10 and InBodyBWA.

[Purpose] To elucidate the characteristics of physical and psychophysiological functions in community-dwelling elderly with sleep disorders. [Participants and Methods] The participants were 189 (45 males and 144 females) community-dwelling people aged 60 or older (mean: 73.9 ± 6.9). The items measured were basic attributes, severity of locomotive syndrome (Locomo 25), physical, cognitive, and psychophysiological functions, and Basic Checklist, in addition to sleep status, which was compared between groups with and without sleep disorders based on Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores. [Results] The group with sleep disorders showed significantly worse Locomo 25 results and higher depression scores. There were also associations with lower subjective sense of health, less social interaction, and poor subjective sleep quality. [Conclusion] Among community-dwelling elderly, those with sleep disorders may have an increased risk of locomotive syndrome and depression.