[Purpose] We carried out a prospective study of falls in community-living elderly for a year and examined the factors in their fall.[Subjects] The subjects were 133 elderly people (average age 73.9  5.6 years) who didn't have severe cognitive symptoms and were receiving certified long-term care needs. Thirty-five subjects had a fall during the year (falls group) and 98 subjects did not (no-fall group).[Methods] We evaluated subjects' physical, cognitive and psychological functions for the baseline survey, and compared the results of falls group and no-fall group.[Results] In comparison of the baseline characteristics, foot-gripping strength, one-leg standing time, the TMIG index of competence scores, attention function and subjective view of health of the falls group were significantly lower than those of the no-fall group. However, in logistic regression analysis with the dependent variable as "fall experience in a year", the odds ratios of all items showed no significant difference.

[Purpose] In this study, we investigated the utility of the Frail CS-10, a modified version of the 30-second chair stand test for the frail elderly, and the relationship between lower limb strength and walking ability in frail elderly persons.[Subjects] The subjects were 117 elderly persons, 54 men and 63 women, who were either frail or certified as in need of low levels of care with an average age of 77.9  9.0 years. [Method] We investigated the relationships among Frail CS-10, quadriceps femoris strength, walking speed and the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test by determining Pearson's correlation coefficient for each gender.[Results] Significant relationships were found for both genders between Frail CS-10 and quadriceps femoris strength (as an index of lower limb strength) and walking speed and the TUG test (as an indices of walking and standing balance abilities).[Conclusion] The results suggest that Frail CS-10 is a simple and convenient test which reflects not only lower limb strength but also the walking and balance abilities of frail elderly subjects.

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to undertake an overall assessment of physical function, lower limb strength, walking ability, average function, etc., and investigate the relationships with grip strength in elderly community-dwelling women.[Subjects] The subjects were 265 elderly women living in F town of F prefecture who had an average age of 73.7  6.4 years. [Method] We examined the relationships between grip strength and individual items of physical function such as femoris quadriceps strength, toe-grip strength, one-leg standing time, long-sitting forward reach, maximum walking speed, six-minute walking test (6MWT), 10 m obstacle course time, timed up-andgo test (TUG), and upper body raise.[Results] The items showing a significant correlation with grip strength were toegrip and femoris quadriceps strength, one-leg standing time, maximum walking speed, TUG, 10 m obstacle course time and 6WMT, but no significant relationship was found with long-sitting forward reach.[Conclusion] The results suggest grip strength reflects the gross physical strength, inclusive of lower limb strength, standing balance and walking ability, of elderly community-dwelling women, and is an easy and useful test method. Key words: elderly community-dwelling women, grip strength, physical function

[Purpose] We assessed the upper body-raising ability of elderly persons, and compared it with their physical and psychological functions.[Subjects] The subjects were 475 community-dwelling elderly persons: 106 males, 369 females, average age 74.5  5.9.[Method] We compared 6 items of physical function, including muscle strength and walking ability, and 3 items of psychological function, including subjective health and purpose in life, and compared them between gender and ability to raise the upper body.[Results] The proportion of males, 65.1%, who could raise the upper body was significantly greater than that of females, 41.5%. Significant differences were found for all of the 6 items of physical function, and those who could raise the upper body showed better values than those who could not. Among the psychological items, a significant difference was found for subjective health, and those who could raise the upper body perceived themselves as being more healthy.[Conclusion] The results show that ability to raise the upper body is not just a simple test which well-reflects physical function, but one which can possibly ascertain the overall health levels of the elderly, including subjective health.

In this study we investigated the applicability and limits of using commercially available bathroom scales for measuring lower limb loading force. The subjects were 53 hemiplegic stroke patients. We measured their walking, standing, and standing up abilities, and the maximum value of their lower limb loading force of the right and left legs separately in the sitting position. No significant differences were found in lower limb loading forces among those who could walk outside, those who could walk inside, those who could keep a standing position without using upper limb, and those who could keep a standing position with upper limb. However, when the ability of each action was high the lower leg loading force was significantly strong, suggesting that this method of measuring values of lower limb loading force could be used as an index for judging whether or not each action is possible. Although this method could be used to judge whether or not walking and keeping a standing position were possible, its limitations were also shown and it would be inappropriate to use it as a detailed functional assessment.