Quantitative Sonographic Assessment of the Quadriceps Femoris Muscle in Healthy Japanese Adults.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationships among aging, muscle strength, and image feature analysis of the quadriceps femoris muscle and to evaluate the relationship between aging, muscle strength, and sonographic findings. METHODS: One hundred forty-five healthy volunteers participated in the study. The participants were classified into 6 groups on the basis of sex and age. To assess muscle quality, texture analysis was defined with the following parameters: mean, skewness, kurtosis, inverse difference moment, sum of entropy, and angular second moment. The knee extension force in the sitting position and thickness of the quadriceps femoris muscle were also measured. RESULTS: The quadriceps femoris thickness, skewness, kurtosis, inverse difference moment, angular second moment, and muscle strength were significantly decreased in elderly participants versus those in the younger and middle-aged groups (P < .05). In contrast, the mean and sum of entropy were significantly decreased in the younger group compared with the middle-aged and elderly groups. CONCLUSIONS: Sonography has the capacity to quantitatively assess muscular morphologic changes due to aging and could be a valuable tool for early detection of musculoskeletal disorders.

Regional Differences in Fall-Related Physical Fitness of the Elderly between Seoul, Korea and Gifu, Japan.

Falling is a leading cause of severe injuries among the elderly, such as hip fracture. This study examined the regional and sex differences in fall-related physical fitness of the elderly between Seoul, Korea and Gifu, Japan. The study included 87 elderly residents of Seoul (mean age 75.4 years; 21 males and 66 females) and 91 elderly residents of Gifu (mean age 71.9 years; 17 males and 74 females). The participants underwent various physical tests, and two-way ANCOVA (region × sex) with age as a covariate was used for statistical analysis. Significant interaction was shown by the one-legged stance (OLS) with eyes open test, which was higher in elderly females from Gifu than in those from Seoul. Significant main effects for the region were shown by the 30-s chair stand (CS-30) and reaction time tests, wherein the Gifu group performed better than the Seoul group. Significant main effects for sex were shown by the sit and reach, handgrip strength, and knee extension strength tests, which were higher for females in the sit and reach test and lower for females in the handgrip and knee extension strength tests compared to the corresponding males in both the cases. Lastly, elderly from Gifu performed better than those from Seoul in the reaction time, CS-30, and OLS tests. Since the ability to move quickly and maintain balance to avoid falling are factors necessary for reducing fall risk, fall prevention classes and exercise programs are required to improve these abilities in the elderly.

Whole-body vibration training improves the walking ability of a moderately impaired child with cerebral palsy: a case study.

[Purpose] Strength training is recommended for children with cerebral palsy. However, it is difficult for moderately impaired children with cerebral palsy, who require crutches for ambulation, to participate in this type of training. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether whole-body vibration training is an effective method of strengthening in a moderately impaired child with cerebral palsy. [Subject and Methods] This report describes an 8-year-old Japanese boy with cerebral palsy, who was ambulatory with crutches. The subject participated in physical therapy twice a week for 5 weeks. Whole-body vibration training was selected to complement the standing practice. The patient's crutch-walking ability, gross motor function, and spasticity were evaluated. [Results] The number of steps and walking duration were reduced in a 5-m walk test with crutches and gross motor function was improved. Further, the spasticity was reduced. [Conclusion] Whole-body vibration training is an effective physical therapy intervention in moderately impaired children with cerebral palsy, who are unable to walk without crutches.

Age-related and obstacle height-related differences in movements while stepping over obstacles.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to examine age-related and obstacle height-related differences in movements while stepping over obstacles. METHODS: The participants included 16 elderly and nine young women. Obstacles that were either 5 or 20 cm high were positioned at the center of a 4-m walking path. The participants were instructed to walk along the path as quickly as possible. The participants' movements were analyzed using a three-dimensional motion analysis system that recorded their movements as they walked and stepped over the obstacles. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Seven joint angles and the distances between the ground and six markers were examined in the initial contact and swing instants of the leading and trailing limbs. In the initial contact instant, the elderly women prepared for stepping with a lower toe height than the young women when stepping over the 20-cm obstacle. Trunk rotation was greater in the young women than in the elderly women. In the swing instant, the elderly women showed greater ankle dorsiflexion and hip adduction angles for the leading limb when stepping over the 20-cm obstacle. They moved the trailing limb with increased ankle dorsiflexion, knee flexion, hip flexion, and foot inversion to ensure that they did not touch the obstacle as they stepped over it. These movement patterns are characteristic of elderly individuals who cannot easily lift their lower limbs because of decreased lower-limb strength.

Effect of hypoxic training on inflammatory and metabolic risk factors: a crossover study in healthy subjects.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of hypoxic physical exercise on metabolic syndrome (MS) risk markers and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP) and to compare its effects on preperitoneal fat, arterial stiffness, and several blood parameters related to MS to those of a control group who trained under normoxic conditions. Fourteen healthy men were examined. Participants performed treadmill exercise 3 days per week for 4 weeks, under either normobaric hypoxic or normobaric normoxic conditions, for 50 min (including a 5-min warm-up and 5-min cool down) after a 30-min rest period. Exercise was performed at a heart rate (HR) corresponding to 60% of the HR at each individual's maximum oxygen uptake. Training under the different environmental conditions was performed 4 months apart to ensure a sufficient washout period. Waist circumference, preperitoneal fat thickness, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity, and high-sensitivity CRP after training were significantly lower in the hypoxic group than in the normoxic group. Our results suggest that regular short-term hypoxic training may more effectively reduce arterial stiffness, and thus prevent arteriosclerosis, compared to training performed at a similar exercise intensity under normoxic conditions.