Biological Responses to Local Vibratory Stimulation for the Lower Legs and Lower Back and Criterion Values Based on Sweep Frequencies of Healthy Individuals: An Observational Study.

Declining proprioceptive function is associated with problems such as lower back pain and falls. Therefore, we developed a vibration device using sweep frequency to evaluate several proprioceptors with different response frequency ranges. This study aimed to elucidate the biological responses of healthy individuals to vibratory stimulation at different sites and frequency ranges and to propose cutoff values to determine the decline in proprioceptive function.

Postural Sway in Older Patients with Sagittal Imbalance and Young Adults during Local Vibratory Proprioceptive Stimulation.

This study aimed to assess differences in somatosensory control strategies between older patients with sagittal imbalance and young adults during postural tasks. The center of pressure displacement in 27 older patients with sagittal imbalance and 27 young adults was determined upon standing blindfolded on a balance board. Vibratory stimulation at 56 to 100 Hz was applied bilaterally to the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles (GS) and lumbar multifidus to evaluate the contributions of proprioceptive signals to postural control.

Effects of 12 Weeks of Tai Chi Chuan Training on Balance and Functional Fitness in Older Japanese Adults.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of Tai Chi Chuan on static and dynamic balance, and functional fitness in older adults. Forty-nine volunteers were divided into an exercise group (EX: 9 men and 16 women, average age 72 ± 5 years) and control group (13 men and 11 women, average age 73 ± 6 years). The EX participated in a 12-week supervised exercise program (60 min/day, 2 days/week) that consisted of 10-min warm-up and stretching, 40-min Tai Chi Chuan exercise (long-form Yang style with 108 movements), and 10-min cool-down/relaxation exercises.

Effects of a 12-week marching in place and chair rise daily exercise intervention on ADL and functional mobility in frail older adults.

[Purpose] To determine the effects of a 12-week intervention consisting of marching in place and chair rising daily exercise on activities of daily living and functional mobility (ability to quickly rise from a chair and walk) in frail older adults. [Subjects and Methods] Thirty-one participants were divided into exercise (n=18, age=77.6 ± 7.

Threshold of chair stand power necessary to perform activities of daily living independently in community-dwelling older women.

Purpose: To determine (1) the reproducibility of measurements of chair stand mean power (CSMP), (2) the relationships of CSMP with age, height, body mass, and body mass index, and (3) to identify the threshold of CSMP below which performing activities of daily living (ADL) is limited in older women.

Methods: Eighty-seven older women (70-88 years) were divided into an independent group (n = 48) who needed no assistance and a dependent group (n = 39) who needed assistance to perform ADL. The CSMP expressed in watts (velocity × load) for each repetition was assessed by a device that measures mean velocity.