[Purpose] The risk of anterior cruciate ligament injuries in females may be related to hormonal fluctuations resulting from increased laxity of muscles. The purpose of this study was to investigate variation of stiffness and shortening of femoral muscles over the course of the menstrual cycle. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects were nine healthy young women (measurements: 18 lower extremities) with regular menstrual cycles, mean age 25.9 ± 2.1 years. Measurements were performed during the periods of menstrual, ovulation, early luteal and late luteal in a menstrual cycle. Muscle stiffness of rectus femoris and biceps femoris was measured using a muscle hardness meter. Muscle shortening of rectus femoris and hamstrings was measured using a goniometer.[Results] Muscle stiffness of the belly region of rectus femoris and biceps femoris was significantly higher during the early luteal period than the other periods (p<0.05). However, muscle shortening did not change. [Conclusion] The results suggest that muscle stiffness of femoral muscles changes during regular menstrual cycles.

Measurement of the thoracic kyphosis angle with a digital inclinometer may be as accurate as analysis of images captured by X-ray or digital camera. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship and degree of coincidence between the thoracic kyphosis angle measured with a digital inclinometer and that derived from an image captured by a digital camera. [Subject] The subjects were 79 healthy young women, mean age 20.2 ± 1.8 years. [Methods] The thoracic kyphosis angle in the upright standing position was derived from an image captured by a digital camera and measured with a digital inclinometer. [Results] The thoracic kyphosis angle of the digital inclinometer was significantly correlated with the angle derived from the digital image analysis (r = 0.66). We could adjust the thoracic kyphosis angle obtained with the digital inclinometer to the thoracic kyphosis angle derived from analysis of the image captured by a digital camera. [Conclusion] The results suggest that a digital inclinometer is an instrument which is simple and easy to use for measuring the thoracic kyphosis angle in the clinic.

[Purpose] We investigated whether an early mobilization program for patients undergoing abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) replacement surgery prevented complications and contributed to a shorter length of stay.[Subjects and Methods] The subjects were 23 cases who underwent AAA replacement surgery. Survey items were the duration between surgery and start of walking, independent ambulation, duration of hospitalization after surgery, and incidence of complications.[Results] Adverse events such as bleeding were not observed. All cases of elective surgery were in the early walking independence group. Compared to previous studies, the early walking independence group was significantly older, but the start of walking was significantly earlier, and the duration of hospitalization after surgery and incidence of complications were both reduced.[Conclusion] Early ambulation from the first day after surgery may contribute to early discharge from hospital by contributing to acquisition of independent ambulation and the prevention of complications.

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to estimate the optimal load for exercise therapy based on cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPX). [Subjects and Methods] Thirty-four patients were subjected to CPX, echocardiography and ankle brachial pressure index (ABI) measurements. Early diastolic filling velocity (E), atrial filling velocity (A), and peak early diastolic velocity of the mitral annulus (e') were measured by echocardiography, and then E/A and E/e' were calculated. The relationships between the optimal load for exercise therapy and the echocardiographic indexes and ABI were analyzed using multiple regression and their accuracies were examined.[Results] Independent determinants of the optimal load for exercise therapy were E/e' and ABI. Multiple regression determined the optimal load for exercise therapy as 21.98-1.06×E/e'+23.70×ABI (adjusted R 2 =0.365).[Conclusion]The results suggest that the optimal load for exercise therapy for inpatients with heart disease can be estimated from E/e' and ABI.

The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between cardiac function, vascular function, muscle strength index and the optimal load for exercise therapy, in order to establish a simple equation for estimating the optimal load for exercise therapy. [Participants and Methods] The subjects were 21 hemodialysis patients. The measurement items were left ventricular diastolic function, cardio ankle vascular index, muscle mass, grip strength and knee extension muscle strength. The optimal load weight ratio was defined as the value obtained by dividing the optimal load for exercise therapy by the body weight. [Results] Grip strength and knee extension muscle strength showed significant correlations with the optimal load weight ratio. Knee extension muscle strength was an independent determinant of the optimal load weight ratio, and the regression equation had moderate accuracy.[Conclusion] The results suggest that the optimal load for exercise therapy can be estimated from the knee extension muscle strength of hemodialysis patients.