Yohei Nomoto

The Role of Toe-gap Force for the Evaluation of Falling Risk on the Elderly

This paper was proposed a toe-gap force measurement to estimate the lower limb muscular power. In the proposed method, the clipping toe-gap force is measured between the great toe and the digitus secundus. The toe-gap force in this situation, is muscles of the lower limb, which are supposed to have roles in the effort against falling. This study was used three experiments to determine whether or not the use of the toe-gap force measurement was useful from a practical viewpoint. First, the aging change in toe-gap force was examined by using the developed measuring device for 361 people included the elderly with physical weakness. Second, to examine the relation between the toe-gap force and falling, we were examined falling experience in a year for 82 healthy volunteers. Third, to examine the relation between muscular power and the toe-gap force, the results of the toe-gap force were compared to the result of the 10 m walking time for 153 healthy volunteers. We found following results: 1. the toe-gap force reflected the lower limb muscular power decrease rapidly from 65 years old. 2. The non-faller group demonstrated the factor of 1.3 greater toe-gap force compared with the faller group. The subjects who have less toe-gap force have experienced many falls. 3. the measured toe-gap force is closely related negative correlation to walking ability. This implies that the lower limb muscular power is reflected on the toe-gap force measurement. It is thus concluded that, the proposed method can be a practically useful method for evaluating quantitatively the lower limb muscular power of the elderly against fall.

Fundamental Study for Physiological Evaluation by Paired Comparison Test and Heart Rate Variability~Effect of Chromatic Lights on female~

The popularization of LED and the development of the control technology of the lights provide chromatic lights such as a red, blue, green. The chromatic lights are expected from the psychology and the physiological effect of color. And it is predicted that chromatic lights are innovated positively into a life space. This research is about the image of chromatic lights is examined using heart rate variability and psychological methodology, i.e., paired comparison test. We examined from the two viewpoints. 1. In the results of paired comparison test, the score of the white-ice demonstrated greater scores compared with the other. 2. In the results of heart rate variability, the mean values of HF of green demonstrated greater values compared with the other. It is thus concluded that, using physiological parameters and questionnaire, it is possible to analyze the effect of chromatic lights on living organisms.

Periodical measurement and evaluation of the ambulatory ability of aged under taking the medical foot care for one year

Many countries are gradually forming the aging society. Social concern is increasing in preventing fall of aged. Since 80% or more of hip fracture of aged were caused by falls, fall is one of the most serious problem in aged. The improvement in aged people’s walking ability is important for QOL, and fall prevention. In order to evaluate the improvement of the walking ability after medical foot care, the rotation range of ankle joint, the knee elevation, the walking balance, and the moving distance of greater trochanter were investigated during the walk. The subjects were 10 healthy volunteers (age range 73–96 years old, mean 80.3±6.0 years old, 3 males and 7 females) living in a special elderly nursing home. The coordinates of markers attached to the subject’s greater trochanter, knee joint, ankle, turberosity of fifth metatarsal bone, and heel were measured using digital camcorder during the walk. The data was analyzed statistically. As a result of performing medical foot care for one year, the rotation range of ankle joint, the knee elevation, and the walking balance during the walk were improved, also the moving of greater trochanter became stabilized. Because the medical foot care, which removes the interference from thickening of the nail, improved the rotation range of ankle joint, the knee elevation, the walking balance and the moving of greater trochanter, it seems that it is effective to improve the walking ability of the aged. It is suggested that the medical foot care of the aged has possibility to prevent the fall.