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Abstract. [Purpose] This study examined physical factors associated with urinary incontinence (UI) in women. We hypothesized that, women with UI would show decreased thickness of the transverse abdominal muscle (TA) during maximal co-contraction of both TA and the pelvic floor muscle (PFM) compared with the women with no history of UI.[Subjects] The subjects were thirty-two women who subjects were divided into two groups: the UI group and the No-UI group. [Methods] We evaluated the thickness of TA by ultrasound, and hand-grip strength and the muscular strength of adduction in flexion of hip joint. The thickness of TA was measured during performance of 4 tasks: (1) at rest, (2) maximal contraction of TA, (3) maximal contraction of PFM, and (4) maximal co-contraction of both TA and PFM.[Results] The No-UI group had thicknesses of TA that were greater than those seen in the UI group in the tasks 3 and 4. In logistic regression analysis with UI as the dependent variable, the thickness of TA during maximal cocontraction was identified as an independent factor, and the cut-off value of the thickness of TA was 2.55 mm as determined by the Receiver-Operating-Characteristic (ROC) curve. [Conclusion] We found that the thickness of TA during maximal co-contraction of both TA and PFM is reliable and useful for the evaluating the risk of UI in women.

Abstract. [Purpose] This study examined the influence of the probe reaction time on sitting stability during rhythmic stabilization.[Subjects] The subjects were divided into two groups of thirty-three elderly subjects (70.0 ± 6.0 years), and ten younger subjects (22.4 ± 2.8 years).[Methods] We evaluated the simple reaction time, the probe reaction time during rhythmic stabilization, and the resistance force of rhythmic stabilization.[Results] The probe reaction time was significantly longer than the simple reaction time in both groups. The resistance force of rhythmic stabilization decreased in the Elderly group compared with the Younger group. Partial correlation analysis gave correlations of r = 0.87 for the probe reaction time, r = 0.87 for the simple reaction time, r = -0.34 for the probe reaction time and the resistance force, and r = 0.80 for the probe reaction time and the ΔRT (ΔRT= probe reaction time -simple reaction time).[Conclusion] The results suggest that not only the trunk muscle force but also the attention are factors influencing the sitting stability.

Abstract.[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of the probe reaction time (P-RT) during rhythmic stabilization (RS) on standing stability of patients with post-stroke hemiplegia.[Subjects] The subjects were 29 patients with post-stroke hemiplegia (males, mean age 56.2 ± 11.9 years), who had been receiving treatment at the Jilin Rehabilitation Medical Center in China. They were divided into two groups: the cerebral hemorrhage (CH) group and the cerebral infarction (CI) group. [Methods] We evaluated the simple reaction time (SRT), the P-RT during RS, the maximal resistance force of RS (Max. RF), the resistance force of RS during P-RT (RF during P-RT), and the timed up-and-go test (TUG).[Results] P-RT was significantly longer than SRT, and RF during P-RT was less than the Max. RF in both groups. P-RT of CH patients was significantly longer than that of CI patients. There were significant correlations between P-RT and SRT, P-RT and RF during P-RT, and Max. RF and RF during P-RT in both groups.[Conclusion] The results suggest that attention decreased more during the dual task in the CH group than in the CI group. Not only trunk muscle force but also attention maybe factors influencing the standing stability of patients with post-stroke hemiplegia.

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