[Purpose] The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of yoga training on static and dynamic standing balance in obese individuals with poor standing balance. [Subjects and Methods] Sixteen obese volunteers were randomly assigned into yoga and control groups. The yoga training program was performed for 45 minutes per day, 3 times per week, for 4 weeks. Static and dynamic balance ...

BACKGROUND The spinal curvature in patients with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis (AIS) causes an asymmetry of upper body postural alignment, which might affect postural balance. However, the currently available studies on balance in AIS patients are not consistent. Furthermore, it is not known whether potential deficits are similar between patients with single and double curves. Finally, the ef...

[Purpose] The present study longitudinally investigated injury occurrences and the risk factors for muscle tightness, core stability, and dynamic standing balance among junior high school student baseball players. [Subjects] Thirty-nine male students, belonging to baseball clubs at 2 junior high schools, participated in this study. [Methods] Study measurements were obtained twice, once in the e...

Knowledge of how persons with amputation use their prostheses and how this use changes over time may facilitate effective rehabilitation practices and enhance understanding of prosthesis functionality. Perpetual monitoring and classification of prosthesis use may also increase the health and quality of life for prosthetic users. Existing monitoring and classification systems are often limited i...

[Purpose] To clarify the characteristics of fluctuations in the center of gravity (CoG) of badminton players by comparing them between those with high and low performance levels. [Subjects] Eight male badminton players belonging to teams ranked among the top 3 at the All Japan Badminton Championships (high-level group) and 8 playing badminton for recreation in university clubs (low-level group)...

PURPOSE To investigate the relationship between physical fitness and team success in soccer, and to test for differences in physical fitness between different player positions. METHODS Participants were 306 male soccer players from 17 teams in the two highest divisions in Iceland. Just before the start of the 1999 soccer season, the following variables were tested: height and weight, body com...

We have developed an in vivo tribometer for characterizing the friction of a human heel against a planar test surface. The pedestrian steps down on an angled test surface and an observer determines if the person's heel slips. In the simplest variation, the subject simply steps down onto the test surface. The second variation has the standing subject's lower leg constrained to a vertically runni...