This study aimed to investigate the relationship between subjective motor ability and actual physical function. Participants included 56 university students (34 young men and 22 young women). Gait speed and grip strength were assessed subjectively, and physical function was compared between two groups: one with a subjective fast gait speed and the other with subjective slow gait speed, and between two groups with subjective strong grip strength and subjective weak grip strength, categorized by gender. On comparing the two groups based on subjective gait speed, no significant differences were found between men and women. However, when comparing the two groups based on subjective grip strength, significant differences were observed in actual grip strength (men: p<0.001, women: p=0.003) and quadriceps muscle strength (men: p=0.008, women: p=0.004) for both genders. The group with stronger subjective grip strength exhibited higher values for both measures. This suggests that subjective grip strength can serve as an indicator of actual grip strength and lower limb muscle strength in young people.

This study aimed to longitudinally assess the PET Bottle Cap Test (PCT) in 34 patients with upper extremity fractures, with a mean age of 66. 3 ±12. 6 years and 82% female participants, including 14 with proximal humerus fractures and 20 with distal radius fractures. The objective was to elucidate the application and limitations of the PCT. PCT, peg test, grip strength, pinch strength, unbuttoning time, changing one's cardigan time, and Hand20 were measured．A two-way analysis of variance was performed, considering the fracture site (humerus and radius fracture groups) and the assessment time points (initial and one month later). Additionally, correlation analysis was conducted between the PCT and other assessments at each point. The results revealed significant main effects of PCT, the peg test, grip strength, pinch strength, unbuttoning time, changing one's cardigan time, and Hand20 (p<0. 05), predominantly concerning the time factor，and grip strength, pinch strength (p<0. 05), predominantly concerning the fracture site factor. Notably, the PCT demonstrated significant correlations with peg test (initial：r=-0. 359, one month later：r=-0. 396), unbuttoning time (r=0. 739, r=0. 608), and changing one’s cardigan time (r=0. 52, r=0. 619) at both time points. These findings indicate that the PCT can effectively reflect temporal changes in the functional ability of the affected side and in upper limb manipulation skills of both hands, independent of the fracture site. Consequently, the PCT emerges as a valuable method for assessing bimanual movements and the ability of the affected side in fine motor skills and activities of daily living throughout the year.

This study determined the relationship between the shock attenuation index and joint movements of the trunk and lower extremities during single-leg landing.Fourteen healthy subjects were enrolled, including 7 males and 7 females. The angles of the trunk and lower extremities and the shock attenuation index due to the ground reaction force during the reaction force during the landing motion of one foot were measured. The measured indices were compared between the sexes. In correlation coefficients were calculated between each index. No significant gender difference was observed in the shock attenuation index. Only females showed a negative correlation between the shock attenuation index and the angular changes in knee flexion during landing. In addition, only females showed a positive correlation the angle of ankle plantarflexion during landing and the angle of knee valgus during shock attenuation.These results suggest that females absorb shock by using more joint motion at the knee than males.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to confirm the status of floating toes with respect to the 1st to 5th toes, and examine the association between each floating toe and foot morphology/physique/body composition. [Methods] The subjects were 438 1st- to 6th-grade elementary school students. The presence or absence of floating was evaluated at the 1st to 5th toes. With respect to each toe, the subjects were divided into floating and non-floating groups, and foot morphology and body composition were compared. [Results] For the 1st toe, the body weight, percent body fat (p＜0. 05), Rohrer index, foot width, and foot width/foot length (p＜0. 01) in the floating group were significantly higher than in the non-floating group. For the 2nd toe, similar results were obtained, excluding the body weight. For the 3rd to 5th toes, only the incidence of hallux valgus (p＜0. 05) was significantly higher. [Conclusion] In elementary school students with floating 1st/2nd toes, the Rohrer index and percent body fat were high. The results suggested that floating 3rd to 5th toes are influenced by hallux valgus.

This study aimed to explore evaluation methods for the mirror system linked to children's motor skills. We examined 140 elementary school children, ranging from 1st to 4th grade. The study grouped 1st and 2nd graders as lower grades, and 3rd and 4th graders as middle grades. To assess the mirror system, we conducted imitation and mental rotation tasks. Motor skills were evaluated through various activities, including grip strength, sit-ups, sit-and-reach, standing long jumps, sideway jumps, and one-legged open-eyed stands. In the lower grades, we found correlations between the imitation tasks and several motor skills: grip strength, standing long jump, sideway jumping, and one-leg standing. However, these tasks showed no correlation with mental rotation. In contrast, for the middle grades, neither imitation nor mental rotation tasks demonstrated any correlation. These findings indicate that imitation tasks might be effective indicators for assessing motor skills in children, particularly in the early elementary years.

After total knee arthroplasty（TKA)，the knee joint flexion angle and walking speed during the swing phase tend to decrease due to the activity of the periprosthetic muscles in the early swing phase. Therefore, we attempted an intervention using a gait-assist device that enables knee flexion during the swing phase by detecting the maximum hip extension angle during the anterior swing phase. The participant was an elderly woman whose left swing phase knee joint flexion angle was less than normal at 3 weeks after left TKA. We focused on the muscle activity of the left periprosthetic knee muscles in the early left-swing phase and examined the effectiveness of the device. The intervention was designed as an AB design, with A being the recommended physical therapy for improving walking ability, including independent walking practice, and B being the same physical therapy as A, except that the gait-assist device was driven during independent walking practice. The patient's 10-m walking speed was moderately improved. These results suggested that intervention using a gait-assist device may alter the muscle activity of the left periprosthetic knee muscles and improve walking speed.