Toshio Kajiwara

An analysis of sit-to-stand movements

We analyzed the movements involved in rising from a knee-high chair in 12 healthy men weighing within +/- 10% of standard body weight. A regular series of transition points was observed in the angles of the hip, knee, and ankle joints throughout the sit-to-stand movement, which was classified into six stages. As the duration of sit-to-stand movements increased, the duration of Stage 2 decreased, whereas Stage 3 grew longer. The durations of stages 4 and 5 remained constant. We also calculated the minimum unilateral hip and knee extension torque per weight in kilograms required for natural sit-to-stand movements, or N-Stand (1.7-2.3 seconds), and found that minimum hip extension torque was 0.7Nm and minimum knee extension torque was 0.9Nm. The minimum hip and knee extension torque required for N-Stand corresponds to a mean 27% and 30%, respectively, of the actual maximum hip and knee extension torque.

A study of right unilateral spatial neglect in left hemispheric lesions: the difference between right-handed and non-right-handed post-stroke patients.

We report 20 cases of right unilateral spatial neglect caused by lesions in the left cerebral hemisphere. Differences in neuropsychological symptoms and lesion sites are discussed in connection with handedness. Of the right‐handed patients, 6 had severe aphasia, 4 had Gerstmanns syndrome, and 1 had pure agraphia, but unilateral spatial neglect in these cases disappeared after a number of months. Six of the non‐right‐handed patients had moderate‐to‐severe aphasia, while the other 3 cases had no aphasia at all. Eight of the 9 cases in this group continued to have right unilateral spatial neglect for more than 6 months. Lesion site as determined by CT differed as to hemisphere, but all fell into the common area previously mentioned in connection with such disorders: i.e., the temporal, parietal and occipital lobes.

A Computed Tomography Study of Skeletal Muscle in the Thigh in Hemiplegics

Transverse CT scans were used to calculate the ratios of each muscle group in the thighs of healthy subjects and patients with hemiplegia due to cerebrovascular diseases. No significant differences were observed between the affected and unaffected sides in the gracilis muscle, but significantly lower ratios were observed among the other muscle groups of the affected side.