Spatiotemporal gait characteristics post-total hip arthroplasty and its impact on locomotive syndrome: a before-after comparative study in hip osteoarthritis patients.

Background: Understanding the gait pattern of patients eligible for total hip arthroplasty (THA) due to hip osteoarthritis (OA) offers valuable information for improving locomotive syndrome (LS). This study aims to measure the gait patterns of THA-eligible patients using an optical motion capture system and to analyze these patterns using principal component analysis (PCA). Additionally, this study examines the relationship between THA-induced gait patterns and LS.

Age- and sex-related differences in upper-body joint and endpoint kinematics during a drinking task in healthy adults.

Background: The objective kinematic assessments of activities of daily living are desired. However, the limited knowledge regarding age- and sex-related differences prevents the adaptation of these measurements to clinical settings and in-home exercises. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the effects of age and sex on joint and endpoint kinematics during a common activity of daily living, specifically, drinking from a glass.

Development of a video camera-type kayak motion capture system to measure water kayaking.

Background: In kayaking, trunk motion is one of the important factors that prevent injury and improve performance. Kinematic studies in kayaking have been reported in laboratory settings using paddling simulators and ergometers. However, such studies do not reflect kayaking on water, the actual competitive environment.

Weight-shifting-based robot control system improves the weight-bearing rate and balance ability of the static standing position in hip osteoarthritis patients: a randomized controlled trial focusing on outcomes after total hip arthroplasty.

Background: After a total hip arthroplasty (THA), standing and walking balance are greatly affected in the early stages of recovery, so it is important to increase the weight-bearing amount (WBA) on the operated side. Sometimes, traditional treatments may not be enough to improve WBA and weight-bearing ratio (WBR) on the operated side in a satisfactory way. To solve this problem, we came up with a new weight-shifting-based robot control system called LOCOBOT.

Total Knee Arthroplasty Improved Locomotive Syndrome in Knee Osteoarthritis Patients: A Prospective Cohort Study Focused on Total Clinical Decision Limits Stage 3.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the treatment efficacy of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) on locomotive syndrome (LS) focusing on total clinical decision limit (CDL) stage 3 leading to revealing the motor function indicators that can predict LS improvement in knee osteoarthritis patients who had received TKA.

Methods: This prospective cohort study was conducted in 47 patients evaluated as total CDL stage 3 before TKA who received primary TKA on the operated side and were diagnosed with Kellgren-Lawrence grade 2, 3, or 4 knee osteoarthritis on the nonoperated side. LS was evaluated using stand-up test, two-step test, and 25-Question Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale.

Shadow pitching deviates ball release position: kinematic analysis in high school baseball pitchers.

Background: Although shadow pitching, commonly called "towel drill," is recommended to improve the throwing motion for the rehabilitation of pitching disorders before the initiation of a throwing program aimed at returning to throwing using a ball, the motion differs from that of normal throwing. Learning improper motion during ball release (BR) may increase shoulder joint forces. Abnormal throwing biomechanics leads to injures.

Effect of total hip arthroplasty on improving locomotive syndrome in hip disease patients: A prospective cohort study focused on total clinical decision limits stage 3.

Background: In 2020, the Japanese Orthopaedic Association established a new stage 3 in clinical decision limits (CDL) to evaluate the stage of locomotive syndrome (LS). This study focused on total CDL stage 3 with the aim of investigating indicators related to improvements in total CDL by evaluating the improvement of LS in patients who underwent total hip arthroplasty (THA).

Methods: Of the 125 patients who underwent THA at our hospital, the subjects of the analysis were 105 patients determined to be total CDL stage 3 in an evaluation performed before THA.

Efficacy of Inertial Measurement Units in the Evaluation of Trunk and Hand Kinematics in Baseball Hitting.

Baseball hitting is a highly dynamic activity, and advanced methods are required to accurately obtain biomechanical data. Inertial measurement units (IMUs) can capture the motion of body segments at high sampling rates both indoor and outdoor. The bat rotates around the longitudinal axis of the body; thus, trunk motion plays a key role in baseball hitting.

The effect of Mg and Sr on the crystallinity of bones evaluated through Raman spectroscopy and laser ablation-ICPMS analysis.

We investigated the possible linkage between the crystallinity and elemental ratios (Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca) of the femoral cortical bones of rats with chronic kidney disease (CKD) or diabetes mellitus (DM). The Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca ratios were measured by using the laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) technique and the crystallinity was evaluated by Raman spectroscopy on the same sample slice. The measured crystallinity varied significantly along the radial direction, reflecting the heterogeneities in the Mg/Ca ratio for the bone samples.

Influence of Gender Differences on Range of Motion and Joint Angles During Eating in Young, Healthy Japanese Adults.

Objective: Eating is important in rehabilitation and is evaluated using joint angles that serve as kinematic information. Joint angles of the upper extremities during eating have been reported for men and for women; however, no study has investigated these joint angles in terms of gender differences. At present, no information is available on gender differences as individual factors of upper extremity joint angles during eating.