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.

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.

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.

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.

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.