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Background: There is a growing interest in the role of disturbed body perception in people with persistent pain problems such as chronic low back pain (CLBP). A questionnaire, the Fremantle Back Awareness Questionnaire (FreBAQ), was recently developed as a simple and quick way of assessing disturbed perceptual awareness of the back in people with CLBP and appears to have acceptable psychometric properties. The aim of the present study was to develop a Japanese version of the FreBAQ (FreBAQ-J) and evaluate its psychometric properties in a sample of Japanese people with low back pain (LBP). Methods: Translation of the FreBAQ into Japanese was conducted using a forward-backward method. One hundred participants with LBP completed the resultant FreBAQ-J. A subset of the participants completed the FreBAQ-J again 2 weeks later. Validity was investigated by examining the relationship between the FreBAQ-J and clinical valuables. Rasch analysis was used to assess targeting, category ordering, unidimensionality, person fit, internal consistency, and differential item functioning. Results: The FreBAQ-J was significantly correlated with pain in motion, disability, pain-related catastrophizing, fear of movement, and anxiety symptomatology. The FreBAQ-J had acceptable internal consistency, a minor departure from unidimensionality, and good test-retest reliability, and was functional on the category rating scale. Conclusions: The FreBAQ-J has acceptable psychometric properties and is suitable for use in people with LBP. Participants with high levels of disturbed body perception are well targeted by the scale. The functioning of one item (item 8) was poor. Further study is warranted to confirm if this item should be excluded. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine whether an aerobic interval exercise using an eccentric contraction would result in skeletal muscular hypertrophy and augmentation of muscular strength in rats. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty-one female Wistar rats were used in this study. The rats were randomly divided into three groups. The control group performed no exercise. The aerobic endurance exercise group ran for 90 min. The aerobic interval exercise group ran for a total of 90 minutes in 5 minute bouts separated by 2 minute rest periods. The exercise groups ran on a downhill treadmill incline, once every three days, for a total of twenty sessions. [Results] The muscle wet weights, the muscle fiber cross-section minor axes, and the tetanus tension results of the aerobic endurance and aerobic interval exercise groups were significantly larger than those of the control group. [Conclusion] These results indicate that aerobic interval exercise may be an effective method of inducing hypertrophy and augmenting muscular strength in skeletal muscle.

〔目的〕脳卒中片麻痺者の自立歩行能力を判別するのに有効な指標について検討した。〔対象〕脳卒中発症後1ヶ月以上経過した片麻痺者62名（歩行自立群34名，非自立群28名）であった。〔方法〕歩行時に必要と考えられる運動機能と認知機能を，Functional Balance Scale（FBS）下位4項目（立位保持・移乗・前方リーチ・360°回転）のテストと，‘Stops walking when talking' test（SWWT）によって評価した。なお，FBSは境界点への到達項目数で判定した。統計的手法としては，二群間で各調査項目の差異を比較し，有意差の認められた項目を独立変数に，歩行自立度を従属変数にしてロジスティック回帰分析を行った。〔結果〕1) FBS4項目到達・SWWT歩行継続，2) FBS4項目到達・SWWT歩行停止，3) FBS3項目到達・SWWT歩行継続の場合には自立歩行が可能と判定された。〔結語〕境界点への到達項目数という新たな視点からFBSを用いるとともに，歩行中の認知機能評価という新たな指標を取り入れることで，より実践的な自立歩行能力の把握が可能になると考えられた。今後は縦断的かつ前向きな調査を行い，判断指標としての妥当性を検証していく必要がある。

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there is an effect of ROM exercise on rats with denervation and joint contracture. [Methods] Fifteen female 8-week old Wistar rats were used. For seven out of the fifteen rats, the left hind limbs were used as control limbs (group 1), and the right hind limbs (group 2) were fixed continuously with white tape in full plantar flexion for one week. The remaining eight rats received bilateral sciatic neurectomies. The left hind limbs (group 3) were fixed continuously with white tape in full plantar flexion for one week. The right hind limbs (group 4) were fixed in full plantar flexion with white tape that was removed daily from the second through the seventh experimental days. After the tape was removed the foot was held in dorsiflexion by a spring balancer for 30 minutes. After the ROM exercise session was completed, the white tape was reapplied, again with the ankle fixed in full plantar flexion. [Results] Before the experiment, there were no significant differences among the groups. After the experiment: compared to group 1, ROM in group 2 and group 3 was significantly increased; compared to group 2, ROM in group 3 and group 4 was significantly decreased; and compared to group 3, ROM in group 4 was significantly decreased. [Conclusion] ROM exercise was effective for preventing ROM limitation. These results suggest that ROM exercise is effective for preventing joint limitation in rats with denervation and joint contracture.

廃用性筋萎縮予防に効果があると報告されている運動療法と温熱療法を併用することで，より効率よく廃用性筋萎縮の発生予防が可能であるかどうか検討するため，ラットを用いて実験的研究を行った。一側の足関節に1週間のギプス固定を施すことによってヒラメ筋に廃用性筋萎縮を発生させ，固定期間中に運動療法としてはトレッドミルを，温熱療法としては温浴を用いた。その結果，運動療法および温熱療法単独の施行においては，筋萎縮の発生は予防できなかったものの，それらを併用した群においては筋萎縮の発生を予防することができた。これは，臨床場面においても，温熱療法と運動療法を併用することで，より効果的に筋萎縮の発生を予防できる可能性があることを示すものである。

本研究は，関節可動域制限発生の予防に必要な持続的伸張運動時間を関節角度と筋の形態学的な変化から検討した。実験動物には9週齢のWistar系雌ラット35匹を正常群7匹と足関節を最大底屈位で1週間ギプス固定した固定群7匹，1日1回ギプスを除去し持続的伸張運動を実施した伸張群21匹に振り分けた。さらに伸張群は10分，30分，60分の伸張時間の違いによって7匹ずつ振り分けた。結果は，関節角度の変化から見ると，30分の持続的伸張運動が最も効果的に関節可動域制限の発生を抑制することができた。また筋の形態学的な変化から見ると，30分を超える持続的伸張運動では筋線維を脆弱化させる可能性が示唆された。

It is important to clarify the normal biomechanical characteristics of the sit-to-walk (STW) series of motions clear for healthy elderly people. Clarifying the biomechanical characteristics of normal motions is necessary to be able to develop an appropriate intervention to improve physical functions. Eight healthy elderly people performed STW motion at the two patterns of speeds: a fast condition and a slow condition. Kinematic and kinetic data were obtained. Maximal anterior ground reaction force was significantly larger in the fast speed condition. In the fast speed condition, the subjects initiated gait with the hip and knee more flexed. And the center of pressure (COP) moved forward gradually constraining the forward movement of the center of the gravity (COG). In the slow speed condition, the COG movement was slower, so the COP moved backward in order to induce a forward COG movement. In the fast motion it is important to accelerate and control the forward movement of the body.

The purpose of this study was to re-examine the influence of prolonged stretching on joint contractures by using a specific force for joint correction and ROM measurement. Twenty-five 8-week-old female Wistar rats were divided into five groups. One group was used as a control (G1), and the rats in the four experimental groups were immobilized to cause ankle contractures. The first group was immobilized continuously (G2). In the second, third and fourth groups, the casts were removed daily, and the foot was held in dorsiflexion for periods of 30 minutes (G3), 60 minutes (G4), and 120 minutes (G5), respectively. After a week, restriction in ROM in G4 and G5 significantly increased, as compared to G2 and G3, and contraction bands were observed in G4 and G5. These results suggest that aggravation of ROM restriction increased with the amount of stretching, and the cause may be a decrease in muscle circulation.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the function of Japanese Geta clogs. We measured the foot pressure and the distance between the Geta and the heel. An F-scan and three-dimensional motion analyses were done. Toe pressure increased in the stance phase at toe-off, and we confirmed that heel-Geta contact is present at the beginning of swing phase. The distance between the Geta and the heel increased from heel-off to toe-off and decreased from toe-off to mid-swing. The results suggest that active toe movement occurs during Geta gait, and the use of Geta clogs may contribute to preventing foot disorders and falls. Geta may be useful for foot and toe strengthening.

関節拘縮の発生予防を目的とした運動療法における，前処置としての温熱療法の有効性についてラットを用いて検討した。実験には足関節ギプス固定による関節拘縮モデルを作成し，固定のみを行う「固定群」，1日1度固定を除去し，1度に10分間のトレッドミル走行のみを行う「トレッドミル走行群」，およびトレッドミル走行の前処置として20分間，42℃の温浴を施す「温熱・トレッドミル走行群」について，固定開始1週間後の関節可動域を比較した。「固定群」と「トレッドミル走行群」では差がなかったものの，「温熱・トレッドミル走行群」では「固定群」と「トレッドミル走行群」に対して，有意に関節可動域制限の発生が抑制された。臨床現場では使用頻度の高い温熱療法であるが，今回の結果は，自動運動の前処置としての温熱療法の必要性を示唆するものである。

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine whether a low intensity exercise using an eccentric contraction would result in skeletal muscle hypertrophy in rats. [Subjects and Methods] Eighteen female Wistar rats were used in this study. The rats were randomly divided into three groups. The control group performed no exercise. The level group ran on a treadmill on a 0° incline. The downhill group ran on a treadmill on a -16° incline. The two exercise groups ran on a treadmill at 16 m/min for 90 minutes, once every three days for a total of twenty sessions. [Results] The muscle wet weights, the relative weight ratios, and the muscle fiber cross-section minor axes of the downhill group were significantly larger than those of the control and level groups. There were no differences in the muscle wet weights, the relative weight ratios, and the muscle fiber cross-section minor axes between the control group and the level group. [Conclusion] The stimulation from the low intensity eccentric contraction may have produced enough mechanical stress to induce muscle hypertrophy without the over-stressing that might have produced muscle fiber damage. These results indicate that this technique may be an effective method of inducing hypertrophy in skeletal muscle.

There are no well-defined or documented boundaries for either the vastus medialis oblique or for the vastus medialis longus. The purpose of this study was to examine anatomically the boundaries of the vastus medialis longus and the vastus medialis oblique. In an embalmed adult cadaver, two vastus medialis muscles were examined by direct visual observation. Our observations indicate that the boundary of the vastus medialis oblique and the vastus medialis longus appears to be the line from the adductor hiatus to the medial rim of the patella. This finding indicates that the vastus medialis oblique and vastus medialis longus may have different functions in the vastus medialis.

Independence in eating is one of the goals in the therapeutic intervention of people with severe disabilities of the upper extremities, who lack the voluntary movements and are completely dependent upon others to feed them. We performed a three-dimensional motion analysis using the Vicon system on a normal subject and found that the use of chopsticks and forearm supination/pronation are critical components. These were incorporated in a meal manipulator to help promote ease and accuracy of control of the device. The manipulator included a base that made positioning of the manipulator flexible; a swing arm that moves to the same point each time; a terminal device that holds the half-spoon-shaped chopsticks and produces supination/pronation movements; a table that moves the food into position for reaching; and, a control box that the user can manipulate by mouth or chin. Consequently, the user is not fed but uses his/her remaining functions to eat independently. The manipulator was evaluated on two high level quadriplegic subjects, who provided valuable feedback. The authors concluded that independent eating using a meal manipulator could be very beneficial psychologically. Collaboration between engineers and therapists may lead to more independence for the disabled.

本研究の目的は，ラット足関節底屈位固定に加えて坐骨神経切除の有無がラットの足関節背屈制限およびヒラメ筋の伸長性に与える影響について検討することであった。足関節最大底屈位に固定した固定群，足関節最大底屈位固定に加えて坐骨神経切除を行った固定＋神経切除群，コントロール群の3群に分けた。4週後，足関節背屈角度およびヒラメ筋の伸長性はコントロール群が一番大きく，次いで固定群，固定＋神経切除群の順であり各群間に有意差がみられた。このことから，末梢神経障害に合併する可動域制限の発生は関節の不動による影響に加え，末梢神経障害による影響が加わっていることが推測された。

[Purpose] This study aimed to determine whether muscle atrophy induced by ischemic reperfusion injury in rats can be prevented by the administration of antioxidants and exercise. [Subjects] Rats were randomly divided into five groups: non-treated, ischemic, exercise, ascorbic acid and exercise, and tocopherol and exercise. [Methods] The relative weight ratio of the soleus muscle and the length of the soleus muscle fiber cross-section minor axis were used for the evaluation of muscle atrophy. Pain was assessed as the weight-bearing ratio of the ischemic side. A multiple comparison test and the paired t-test were used for the statistical analyses. [Results] Compared with the non-treated group, the relative weight ratios of the soleus muscle and the lengths of the soleus muscle fiber cross-section minor axis significantly decreased in the other groups. Excluding the non-treated group, the relative weight ratios of the soleus muscle were heaviest in the tocopherol and exercise group. Excluding the non-treated group, the lengths of the soleus muscle fiber cross-section minor axis were longest in the tocopherol and exercise group, followed by the ischemic, exercise, and ascorbic acid and exercise groups. The amount of antioxidant substances did not decrease on the weight-bearing ratio of the ischemic side. [Conclusion] In this study, using an experimental rat model, we confirmed that antioxidants and exercise effect muscle atrophy induced by ischemic reperfusion. The results show that muscle regeneration was facilitated by phagocytosis in the tocopherol and exercise group.

[Purpose] It has been shown that an eight-hour joint fixation daily (i.e. for the remaining 16 hours, rats were set free in the cage without joint fixation) for one week induces a joint contracture. The purpose of this study was to investigate the difference between an 8 hours continuous joint fixation and an 8 hours intermittent joint fixation per day (two 4 hours joint fixations) in the development of joint contractures in rats. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects of this study were 34 Wistar rats. On the first day, all of the rats’ right ankle dorsiflexion angles were measured. The right hind limbs of all the rats were fixed in plantar flexion, and then the rats were divided into three groups as follows: Group 1 was in continuous fixation for 24 hours a day; Group 2 was in continuous fixation for 8 hours a day; Group 3 was in intermittent fixation for 8 hours a day. The fixation was performed daily for seven consecutive days. On the last day, ankle dorsiflexion angles of all the rats were measured after the casts had been removed. [Results] The development of joint contractures was statistically significant for Groups 1 and 2. [Conclusion] Our results indicate that 8 hours a day of continuous fixation induces a joint contracture, but 8 hours a day of intermittent fixation does not.

18, KJ00007410479, P

17, KJ00007410459, P, ENG

[Purpose] The purpose of the present study was to investigate if lactate thresholds in rats could be accurately determined during downhill running in rats. [Subjects] Twenty-four female Wistar rats were used in this study. Rats were randomly divided into two groups: the level running group and downhill running group. [Methods] Catheters were inserted into the right external jugular veins of the rats. Two days after the operation, the rats performed incremental exercise tests. The level running group ran on a treadmill at a 0° incline; the downhill running group ran on a treadmill at a −16° incline. The lactate threshold was determined using the 2-line combination that minimizes the total sum of squares for fitting all data. [Results] Maximal running speeds and running speeds at the lactate threshold for the downhill running group were significantly higher than those for the level running group. [Conclusion] In this study, it was possible to accurately determine the lactate threshold during downhill running. These findings suggest that when the treadmill speed is the same, downhill running can be done at lower metabolic intensity than level running.

There are no studies in the literature on the effect of exercise in reversing osteoporosis of the upper extremities for people with neurological disorders. The purpose of this study was to explore what conditions respond to a home exercise program for the upper extremities. Sixteen patients, divided randomly into experimental and control groups, were recruited for this trial for at least one year. Both upper extremities of the patients, affected and unaffected, were tested pre and post trial with the Hologic QDR for bone area, bone mineral content (BMC), bone mineral density (BMD), fat, muscle mass, muscle mass plus BMD, total weight, and relative fat content (percent). The home exercise program involved the subject squeezing a ball, one hand at a time, 20 times each, three times a day, at least three times a week, while sitting with the elbow flexed and the arm resting comfortably at the side of the trunk or on an armrest. A significant difference (p0.02) was found in bone area, BMC, BMD or relative fat content between the affected and sound sides both before and after the study, although all parameters were much different for each patient. We found a statistically significant difference in a change in the bone area for the affected upper extremities of the control group, but not of the experimental group. Subjective reactions of the subjects were positive. They stated that they felt they were improving and contributing to their recovery. Patients with Parkinson's disease, but not those with cerebral infarction, seemed to react to the exercise with an increase in bone mineral content, although the difference was not significant due to the scarce number of subjects. This is a preliminary pilot study to help develop further research on what condition is likely to respond to exercise for protection against osteoporosis.