Journal of Physical Therapy Science最新文献

[Purpose] Virtual reality (VR) rehabilitation has become popular in the medical field. VR-guided exercises (VR-ge) have demonstrated positive effects on gait and trunk control. Trunk muscle activation, particularly that of the transversus abdominis (TrA), is responsible for these improvements. However, the difference in muscle activation between VR and real space remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to clarify the differences in trunk muscle activation during exercise therapy performed in VR and real space. [Participants and Methods] A total of 22 healthy male volunteers were divided into two equal groups: VR-ge and Control exercise (C-e) groups. Both groups performed reaching exercises in a seated position. Ultrasound imaging was used to measure the thicknesses of the right external oblique, internal oblique, and TrA muscles, both at rest and during the reaching exercises performed in six different directions. [Results] No significant differences were observed in TrA muscle thickness changes between the groups before the intervention. However, after the intervention, the VR-ge group showed significantly greater TrA muscle thickness changes during reaching compared to that of the C-e group. [Conclusion] VR-ge increased TrA activation during reaching compared to exercising in real space.

[Purpose] This study aimed to determine the characteristics of regional phase angles based on locomotion level among older Japanese females requiring long-term care in a health facility. [Participants and Methods] This was a cross-sectional observational study. The participants included 91 residents (mean age ± standard deviation: 90.2 ± 5.6 years) admitted to an older health facility. Based on their indoor locomotion status, the participants were divided into three groups: group I, able to walk with or without walking aids; group II, able to move in a wheelchair without assistance; and group III, able to move in a wheelchair with assistance. The regional phase angle was measured using a bioimpedance device. [Results] Significant differences were observed in the regional phase angle of the upper limbs between groups I and III and between groups II and III; in that of the lower limbs among all groups; and in that of the trunk between groups I and II and between groups I and III. [Conclusion] The level of locomotion may be explained by the regional phase angles of the lower limbs.

[Purpose] This study aimed to determine whether applying electrical stimulation to the deltoid and extensor digitorum muscles could lead to a reduction in fixation force during shoulder joint adduction and grip strength. [Participants and Methods] Fifteen healthy adult males participated in this study. In the shoulder adduction force experiment, the middle fibers of the deltoid muscle of the dominant arm were electrically stimulated. In the grip strength experiment, the extensor digitorum muscle of the dominant arm was electrically stimulated. The forces exerted with and without the electrical stimulation were measured. [Results] The torque of the shoulder adduction force decreased significantly with electrical stimulation, while no significant change was observed in normalized grip strength with electrical stimulation. [Conclusion] The response of antagonist muscles to electrical stimulation varied according to location.

[Purpose] The intensity of active recovery (AR) for performance recovery is often determined using breath gas analyzers and other special equipment. However, such procedures are difficult to perform in the field or where facilities are inadequate. Although several AR methods using simple patient-derived information have been proposed, only a few have specifically addressed their immediate effects. The present study aimed to quantify the immediate effects of AR, which was determined using the maximum exercise capacity calculated using a physical fitness test without specialized devices. [Participants and Methods] Thirty-two healthy male participants were equally divided into AR and control groups. Each group performed squat jumps, followed by a recovery intervention of jogging at a set intensity in the AR group or rest in a seated position in the control group. Standing long jumps performed before and after the squat jumps as well as after the intervention were analyzed. [Results] The recovery rate for standing long jumps was significantly higher in the AR group than in the control group. [Conclusion] The results of this pilot study indicate that the implementation of AR based on maximum exercise capacity may enhance performance recovery and requires further validation in larger studies.

[Purpose] In Japan, one measure against the novel coronavirus disease-2019 infection involves the public use of surgical masks. Research indicates that exercising while wearing a mask increases the physical burden, particularly affecting young people during high-intensity exercise. This study examined the effects of wearing masks while running in male university students. [Participants and Methods] The participants were 20 healthy male university students (21.6 ± 1.6 years). The participants underwent cardiopulmonary exercise tests with the masks on and off on different days until exhaustion. The following parameters were measured: exercise duration, Borg Scale rating (respiratory or lower extremities), surface temperature around the mouth, time to sweat onset, metabolic reaction, pulmonary ventilation, and cardiovascular reaction parameters. [Results] The results showed that VO₂ max remained consistent between the mask-on and mask-off conditions. However, minute ventilation, respiratory rate, and heart rate decreased in the mask-on condition, which correlated with a reduction in exercise duration. Furthermore, running with the mask significantly decreased the VE/VO₂, VE/ VO₂, Borg Scale rating of the lower extremities, and the time to sweat onset. [Conclusion] Running with a surgical mask affected respiratory function and decreased exercise duration in healthy male university students. However, it did not induce any changes in VO₂ max.

[Purpose] Mental practice (MP) is a method of rehabilitating upper extremity function on the affected side of the body post-stroke, with the aim of improving motor task performance through the sustained repetition of motor imagery (MI). However, most studies thus far have investigated MP for post-stroke paralytic upper limb function in patients in the chronic phase. Therefore, it is necessary to obtain evidence regarding whether MP is an effective intervention modality in the acute phase of stroke. In the present study, we examined the effects of an intervention combining mirror therapy and MP initiated during the acute phase of cerebral infarction. [Participant and Methods] A female patient >80 years of age with a cerebral infarction was studied. Prior to cerebral infarction, the patient was independent in her activities of daily living. [Results] As a result of MP, sufficient improvement was observed in the upper extremity function on the paralyzed side, as assessed using the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) and Motor Activity Log (MAL). [Conclusion] In patients with MP initiated during the acute stroke phase, a combination of mirror therapy and action observation to enable vivid MI may elicit a more significant intervention effect.

[Purpose] The prognostic factors for patients with acute stroke who received usual care (mobilization ≥48 h after admission) remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the prognostic factors that predict functional outcomes using evaluations performed immediately after onset in patients with acute cerebral infarction who received usual care from admission until discharge. [Participants and Methods] Participants with acute cerebral infarction admitted to five acute care hospitals in Tokyo and Saitama, Japan and prescribed physical therapy were included. Participants information, functional evaluations, and progress were recorded during the first physical therapy session, mobilization, and discharge. Participants who received usual care were assigned to either the good- or poor-outcome group based on the Modified Rankin Scale at discharge. [Results] In total, 161 Participants receiving usual care (mobilization ≥48 h after admission) were included. Reinfarction and the First National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score were identified as independent predictors of functional outcome at hospital discharge in participants who received usual care (median, 22.0 d). The cutoff NIHSS score was 4. [Conclusion] Our results provided evidence that the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score and reinfarction are useful predictors of functional outcomes in participants who received usual care.

[Purpose] Falls can significantly affect elderly individuals. However, most current methods used to detect and analyze high-risk conditions make use of simulated falling movements for data collection, which may not accurately represent actual falls. The present study aimed to induce natural falls using visual and auditory stimuli to create unstable walking conditions. [Participants and Methods] Two experiments were performed. The first experiment focused on inducing unstable walking using visual stimuli; whereas, the second experiment combined visual and auditory stimuli. To investigate the effects of stimuli on the induction of unstable walking, our results were compared with those of normal walking conditions. In addition, the two experimental conditions were compared to identify the most effective stimuli. [Results] Both experiments revealed a decrease in step length, an increase in step time and width, and an increase in the coefficient of variation of measurements, indicating an induced walking pattern with a higher risk of falls. Furthermore, combining visual and auditory stimuli caused deterioration of inter-limb coordination, as observed through an increased phase coordination index, thus resulting in further instability during walking. [Conclusion] Visual and auditory stimuli induced unstable walking. In particular, the combination of visual and auditory stimuli with a 0.8-s rhythm increased instability.

[Purpose] Quadriceps muscle strength is essential for daily living activities. Therefore, we developed a compact and simple lower limb muscle strength measuring device (LocomoScan [LCS]). This study aimed to compare LCS with other instruments to analyze its simplicity, reproducibility, and accuracy. [Participants and Methods] One hundred and four healthy university students (56 males and 48 females) were included in the study. The knee extension force was measured using LCS, and the knee extension torque was measured using other devices (Cybex). In addition, lower leg muscle mass was measured using a body composition meter. The reproducibility of LCS and the correlation between the knee extension torque and lower leg muscle mass were evaluated. [Results] The measurement reproducibility of LCS was significantly higher. The knee extension force confirmed the proportional relative reliability of Cybex with knee extension torque. A relationship between knee extension force and lower limb muscle mass was also observed, indicating that muscle mass cannot be estimated as muscle strength. [Conclusion] The high reproducibility of the knee extension force measurement using LCS demonstrates its potential as a portable alternative instrument for muscle strength measurement in clinical practice. Therefore, LCS device is a simple and effective tool for assessing muscle strength.

[Purpose] In this study, we investigated the effects of local exercise facility use on physical function of Japanese community-dwelling older adults. [Participants and Methods] We analyzed data obtained from a cohort project initiated in 1991. The study included approximately 4,800 individuals from suburban areas of central Japan; we investigated 322 older individuals residing in Municipality A, who underwent physical fitness assessments in 2018 and 2019. We recorded participants' exercise facility use frequency and physical performance, based on handgrip strength, open-eye single-leg standing, timed up-and-go, and walking speed tests. [Results] Baseline values in the open-eye single-leg standing test were significantly higher in the no-use than in the low- and high-use groups. Follow-up assessments revealed that grip strength was significantly higher in the high-use than in the no- and low-use groups. [Conclusion] Active use of exercise facilities was positively correlated with maintenance and improvement in physical fitness among participants, which highlights the benefits of easily accessible exercise facilities in maintaining long-term physical function. Future studies should focus on functions that extend beyond physical fitness to develop effective support programs that address the evolving health needs of the aging population.