The cardiorespiratory responses to weight reduction due to physical exercise were examined in fourteen women with obesity, aged 36 to 67 years (Body Mass Index, 32.4±1.4kg/m²). The patients were instructed to exercise at approximately 60% of maximum oxygen uptake for 3 hours every day for approximately 3 months. To evaluate physical strength, a graded cycling exchange period, monitoring gas exchange, ventilation, and heart rate. After the exercise period the body mss index and percentage fat both decreased by 11% and 18%, respectively (p<0.001), although lean body mass did not change; maximum oxygen uptake and maximum heart rate did not change significantly, but peak ventilation equivalent, maximum metabolic equivalent and maximum LOAD increased by 12%, 14% and 11% respectively (p<0.05, p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). Maximum oxygen uptake per body weight increased by 5% (p<0.001). These results suggest that weight reduction as a result of exercise improves cardiorespiratory functions in middle-aged women with obesity.

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The “silent period” was used to be defined as that period of cessation of muscle electrical activity which occurs when a twitch contraction is superimposed upon a voluntary effort. The silent period has been studied in a variety of muscles in man. The object of this study was to compare the latency of the tendon jerk and of the silent period of the biceps brachii and the triceps brachii. The tendon jerk and the silent period of these muscles were evoked by tendon percussion with the hammar which we designed and marked. Twelve young normal females, aged 19-20(19.3±0.5) years, 157.3±4.8cm heights, were used in this study of the silent period. And twelve remains(for anatomy) were used to measure the length of the biceps brachii and the triceps brachii by the scale of millimeter dimension. The present study indicated that (1) difference in the latency of tendon jerk in the biceps brachii and the triceps brachii was not significant, but (2) the latency of the silent period in the biceps brachii was significantly longer than that of the triceps brachii muscle, and (3) the length of the biceps brachii was significantly longer than that of the triceps brachii of remains.

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We assumed that VO₂ response during exercise was a first-oder lag system and deduced expressions of VO₂ responses during steady load and ramp load. The VO₂ response during ramp load delayed as much as the time constant period in mathematically and experimentally. Therefore, when we use AT value, which was determined from gas exchange parameters during ramp load, as a intensity of steady load exercise, it is appropriate to load the intensity of former value as much as the time constant of VO₂ response.

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The primary purpose of this study was to examine the reproducibility of sympathetic skin response (SSR), an index of activity level of sweat glands, by using healthy young females. Standard deviation of amplitude of SSR was the largest in the subjects who received electric stimuli at intervals of 10 sec, and was almost the same in those at intervals of over 20 sec. The latent period and amplitude showed no daily variation and slight difference among the measured days. SSR wave exhibited no change between before and after menstruation. The present findings indicate that the reproducibility of SSR wave is relatively high in a healthy young female who receives electric stimuli at intervals of over 20 sec, irrespective of the time of day and menstruation.

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We studied the effect of electric stimulation on silent period measurement, in non-athlete, healthy subjects with a mean age of 25.1 years (9 healthy subjects, 18 extremities, 8 males and 1 female). The silent period was recorded from the opponens pollicis muscle under the following 3×3 electric stimulation conditions: 0.2Hz, 0.5Hz and 1.0Hz; 80%, 100% and 120% of intensity in maximal amplitude of his or her M-wave. When the electric intensity was changed, the silent period did not vary significantly. However, the silent period increased with intensity of the stimulation. With a faster frequency of stimulation, the silent period became significantly shorter.
The present findings suggest that in sile nt period measurement, supra-maximal electric stimulation is most suitable. However, 1.0Hz stimulation is not suitable because nervous system is relatively excited by electric stimulation.

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We examined the change in blood pressure (BP) from first to fifth day in the physical therapy exercise room. BP was measured in 120 subjects aged 76.6±8.6 years. Their systolic BP in first day was significantly higher than the other day (p<0.01). If an increment in systolic BP more than 10 mmHg was defined as positive for first day hypertension, they were observed in 39.2 %. And subjects were divided into two groups, consisting of patients with and without former experience of physical therapy. The BP in patients with experience was stable during five days. In conclusion, we suggest that the first day hypertension is due to the mental stress of physical therapy exercise.

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For the purpose of evaluating the effectiveness of a simple instability board apparatus of DYBOC developed by Nakayama et al., we prepared a labyrinth-guiding balance board and examined the standard values and learning effect. Eight healthy young adults performed 10 measurements, and the required time to finish a labyrinth and the locus of center of gravity for 15 sec were recorded. Both the required time and sway distance showed no correlation with body height and weight, and a negative correlation, though non significant, was observed between the required time and sway distance. During 10 consecutive measurements, there were significant variations both in the required time (F=2.78, p<0.05) and sway distance (F=3.52, p<0.05). The required time showed a tendency to decrease until the 5th measurements, and was subsequently unchanged showing approximately 23 sec. It was concluded that learning effect of a labyrinthguiding balance board becomes plateau in 5 measurements with the shorter required time to solve of approximately 23 sec.

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A 6-month weight control program was instituted to 35 adult females with simple obesity. The program included several guidances regarding fitness, nutrition and daily life, with major goals of weight loss and improvement of life habits. After the program, the subjects lost their weight by 8.1 kg in average with a 1.8 kg-decrease of lean body mass. This suggests that the program may realize selective fat loss. The mean caloric intake was decreased from 1831 to 1544 kcal, and the mean walking steps per day was increased from 6977 to 10456. The subject who could not reach a goal weight tended to perform lower frequency of sports than we had prepared. A weight control program with a combination of group and individual guidances may play an important role not only in minimizing drop-outs but also in maintaining individual attentions to their health.

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In order to elucidate the best way to measure total or local body fat, we outlined the recent literatures and pointed out the problems involved in each method. We further reported the findings on the applicability of the methods to hemiplegic patients after stroke and to paraplegic patients with spinal cord injury. The method of choice to measure body fat of healthy subjects is at present considered hydrodensitometry. Disabled subjects may exhibit different body composition from healthy subjects, possibly showing characteristic composition which mirrors the nature of disability. Further studies are therefore needed to develop a formula to calculate body density of disabled subjects, and body composition of disabled subjects remained to be elucidated.

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