BACKGROUND Physical performance is an important healthy factor in elder people. Good living habits, which include sleep, can maintain physical strength and physical performance. The aim of the present study was to conduct a cross-sectional study to determine the association between total sleep duration and physical performance. METHODS Our study population comprised residents of the township ...

Environmental policy discussions in the United States have been characterized by a constant tug-ofwar among an “unholy alliance of ignorance, ideology, and self-interest” since the early 1970s (see Blinder (1987) and Rolston (2000) for representative discussions of the roles scientists have played). Scientists are challenged in this tug-of-war when asked to interpret the social and biophysical ...

Purpose Falling is a major health problem in community-dwelling elderly individuals. The aim of the present study was to conduct a prospective investigation to evaluate the accuracy of the Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT), 4-meter walking test, and grip strength test to screen for the risk of falls and to determine a cutoff point to be used clinically. Patients and methods This was a prospective s...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Developing a practical fall risk assessment tool to predict the occurrence of falls in the primary care setting is important because investigators have reported deterioration of physical function associated with falls. Researchers have used many performance tests to predict the occurrence of falls. These performance tests predict falls and also assess physical function an...

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to explore changes in mobility in terms of ambulation and transfer over 1 year in patients with early-onset Alzheimer's disease (EOAD), and to compare mobility in EOAD with patients with other types of early-onset dementia (EOOD). METHOD Forty-two patients with EOAD and 30 patients with EOOD were included. All patients were home-dwelling and had mild or mo...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the clinical feasibility of a newly developed, portable, gait assistive robot (WA-H, 'walking assist for hemiplegia') for improving the balance function of patients with stroke-induced hemiplegia. METHODS Thirteen patients underwent 12 weeks of gait training on the treadmill while wearing WA-H for 30 minutes per day, 4 days a week. Patients' balance function was evalu...

The current quasiexperimental study was intended to determine the efficacy of Ba Duan Jin (translation: eight-section brocade) in improving balance ability of Chinese community-dwelling older adults. The trial group (n = 47) engaged in a Ba Duan Jin exercise program for 12 weeks, whereas the control group (n = 48) participated in a 12-week walking exercise program. After the intervention, parti...