[Purpose] We conducted a care prevention course for potentially dependent elderly and investigated its effect on their health-related QOL and motor function.[Subjects] The subjects were 45 potentially dependent elderly persons (11 men, 34 women) who enrolled for the care prevention course.[Methods] The care prevention course lasted 3 months and was conducted once a week for 12 weeks. Each session lasted 2 hours and consisted of a lecture, stretching, muscle strength training and whole body exercise. The assessments used were motor function and the SF-36 questionnaire.[Results] At pre-intervention, no significant differences were found in motor function or the SF-36 score between those with and without a history of falls. Significant improvements in motor function of both groups were found post-intervention, and a significant improvement in the SF-36 score was found post-intervention for the group without a history of falls, but not for the group with a history of falls. [Conclusion] We consider that the lack of improvement in health-related QOL in the group with a history of falls was due to the psychological impact of the falls. Thus, we consider that care prevention interventions for the elderly with a history of falls need to address not only motor function, but also psychological aspects.

[Purpose] We investigated the results of an intervention based on applied behavior analysis for a case presenting with difficulty in walking and hip joint pain.[Subjects] The subject was a 52-year-old female who was finding it increasingly difficult to walk because of increasing pain arising from osteoarthritis of both hips, who visited us as an outpatient 4 months after hospitalization at another facility. [Method] We performed behavior analysis after baseline measurements of pain experienced during walking and number of steps taken each day. We made a behavioral intervention of keeping a personal record and sticking to the prescribed target for the number of steps to be taken every day. We investigated the effectiveness of the intervention over 7 sessions with approximately 3 months between sessions through use of walking aids, pain experienced during walking and number of steps taken.[Results] As the intervention progressed, the dispersion in the number of steps taken and the pain experienced in walking decreased; walking aids changed from two crutches to a T-cane.[Conclusion] The present intervention, utilizing applied behavior analysis for a case experiencing chronic intense pain when walking due to hip osteoarthritis, of daily step limits directed by a physical therapist was observed over the long term, and we consider it influenced the improvement of walking ability and pain. Key words: hip osteoarthritis, hip joint pain, applied behavior analysis

Focusing on the frequency of going out, this study investigated whether the 3-meter zigzag walking test (3ZW) is a useful index for assessing the gait ability needed by the elderly for going out. [Subjects and Methods] The subjects were 30 elderly persons aged 65 years or over who were regularly visiting a medical facility. The subjects were classified into two groups, based on their going out frequencies, and logistic regression analysis was conducted using their results in the 3ZW, timed up-and-go test (TUG), and 10-m walking test (10WT) as independent variables. In addition, using the walking speeds of the two groups, the most statistically valid 3ZW cutoff value was determined from the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC). [Results] The 3ZW was determined to be a variable affecting the frequency of going out. The cutoff value for the 3ZW was judged from the ROC to be 11.1 s. [Conclusion] The results suggest that the gait ability needed for going out can be judged using the cutoff value as a boundary.

[Purpose] This study examined the inter-rater and intra-rater reliability of measurement of isometric shoulder internal and external rotation strength using a hand-held dynamometer (HDD).[Subjects] For intra-rater reliability, the subjects were 21 healthy persons (8 men and 13 women), and for inter-rater reliability, the subjects were 17 healthy persons (9 men and 8 women).[Method] For intra-rater reliability, an examiner performed measurements of isometric shoulder internal and external rotation strength twice with an interval of two days. For inter-rater reliability, two examiners measured isometric shoulder internal and external rotation strength. Making allowance for fatigue, measurements by different examiners took place after an interval of at least 30 min, and at random on the same day.[Results] The inter-rater and intra-rater reliability were analyzed using Student's t test, which showed no significant differences, and intra-class correlation coefficients, which gave good results.[Conclusion] Measurements of isometric shoulder internal and external rotation strength using a HDD fixed to the upper limbs and trunk by a belt gave good results for both inter-rater and intra-rater reproducibility.

We investigated the change in shoulder function of junior-high school baseball players after 70 pitches, a limit proposed for preventing juvenile baseball injuries. [Subjects] The subjects were 10 junior-high school baseball club pitchers. [Method] Before and after pitching we measured shoulder internal range of motion (ROM), shoulder internal and external rotation strength, and fatigue on the throwing side, and ball speed. Seventy pitches, straight and curve balls, were thrown as if in normal practice. Shoulder ROM and strengths, and fatigue before and after practice were examined with the t test, and ball speed with one-way analysis of variance. [Results] Shoulder ROM was significantly reduced after pitching practice; however, no differences in internal or external rotation strength were found. Fatigue significantly increased after pitching practice, but no difference in ball speed was found. [Conclusion] Similar to a report on high school baseball players, shoulder ROM declined after pitching practice without any difference being found in internal or external rotation strength. Therefore, we consider it necessary to perform shoulder external rotation stretching after pitching practice.