Effect of Ankle Weights as a Frailty Prevention Strategy in the Community-Dwelling Elderly: A Preliminary Report.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, many healthy older adults have been less willing to engage in group exercise for fear of contracting this illness. Therefore, there is a need for an effective home-based exercise program to prevent frailty in the elderly. In this study, we assessed the effectiveness of ankle weights as a frailty prevention device for older adults. The study participants were aged 50−90 years and were screened for falls using the Motor Fitness Scale. Participants were divided into two age groups (≤70 and >70 years) for analysis. Older community-dwelling adults were invited to use ankle weights for 3 months. Seventy-four people responded to the invitation. Physical and cognitive status and performance (body composition, grip strength, standing on one leg with eyes open, the 30 s chair stand test (CS-30), Timed Up and Go test, walking speed, body sway, Japanese version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment) were assessed before and after 3 months of intervention. CS-30 performance improved during the study. CS-30 reflects lower limb/trunk muscle strength and can be used to indicate the risk of falls. Wearing ankle weights can be recommended for strengthening the muscles of the lower limb and trunk in the elderly.

[A case of alcoholic liver cirrhosis associated with intramuscular hematoma].

We reported a rare case of spontaneous intramuscular hematoma associated with alcoholic liver cirrhosis patient. A 60-year-old man with alcoholic liver cirrhosis was admitted to our hospital for pneumonia. It was improved by conservative treatments, however, he was complaint of severe pain in right hip and thigh. MRI revealed intramuscular hematoma at acute phase. Resting and anticoagulant therapy reduced it, but liver functions were not improved. After a few months, he received another intramuscular hematoma in the left thoracic muscles, and then died because of liver failure. It seems important to consider intramuscular hematoma as a complication of alcoholic liver cirrhosis.