[Purpose] “Judgment error,” defined as a difference between the actual and the imagined performance, is often observed in elderly persons. The aims of this study were to assess subjective judgment errors in elderly persons, and to evaluate the relationship between physical function and judgment error in walking speed. [Subjects and Methods] A total of 106 community-dwelling elderly individuals participated. Subjects observed video footage of a model walking an obstacle course, and were asked to subjectively compare the model’s gait speed with their own gait speed. When the subjective comparison differed from the actual difference, it was considered as a judgment error. Physical function was compared between those with and without judgment error. [Results] Significant interaction effects between the actual performance and subjective perception were found for the walking time on the obstacle course and the Activities-specific Balance Confidence Scale score (utilized as an index of self-confidence in own balance ability and a fear of falling). [Conclusion] The results demonstrate that some elderly persons tend to overestimate their balance and ambulation function compared to another person, even though they had low physical function and low self-confidence in terms of balance. These elderly individuals might have a high risk of accidents.

[Purpose] The present study compared assessments utilized to evaluate judgment errors in the elderly. [Subjects and Methods] A total of 94 community-dwelling elderly participants in an examination of physical fitness for health promotion and health guidance in a rural area in Japan were included. Spatially and temporally predictive tasks were used to evaluate judgment errors. Distances measured on the Functional Reach and upward reaching tests were used to assess spatial prediction, and times measured on the Timed Up and Go test and Standardized Walking Obstacle Course were used to assess temporal prediction. Differences between the self-predicted values and actual results were deemed judgment errors. [Results] Significant differences were observed between self-predicted abilities and the patients’ performances. Participants underestimated their abilities in spatially predictive tasks and overestimated them in temporally predictive tasks. On comparing the four tasks, there were significant differences in judgment error ratios between them. Statistical analysis indicated a significant difference in the judgment error ratio for the Standardized Walking Obstacle Course correlated with a history of falls. [Conclusion] Judgment errors were identified using both spatially and temporally predictive tasks. A temporally predictive task like the Standardized Walking Obstacle Course might better evaluate judgment errors in the elderly.

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In this study, gait patterns of patients with hemiplegia were investigated from the aspect of the time ratio of each phase of a gait cycle. [Subjects] Eighteen patients who had been hospitalized to a convalescent ward were included in this study. [Methods] We videotaped patients' leg movements during walking, and determined the beginning of the stance and the swing phases. We normalized the beginning of each phase to patients' stride time. The gait patterns of each patient were assessed every 3 weeks from the time when they could walk until their discharge from the hospital. All gait patterns were classified with the corresponding Brunnstrom stages. [Results] There were significant differences in the ratio of the stance and the swing phases of a gait cycle between Brunnstrom stages II and III, and between stages IV and V. A longitudinal study is required for further investigation into the details.