Evaluating Desk-Assisted Standing Techniques for Simulated Pregnant Conditions: An Experimental Study Using a Maternity-Simulation Jacket.

Lower back pain, a common issue among pregnant women, often complicates daily activities like standing up from a chair. Therefore, research into the standing motion of pregnant women is important, and many research studies have already been conducted. However, many of these studies were conducted in highly controlled environments, overlooking everyday scenarios such as using a desk for support when standing up, and their effects have not been adequately tested. To address this gap, we measured multimodal signals for a sit-to-stand (STS) movement with hand assistance and verified the changes using a t-test. To avoid imposing strain on pregnant women, we used 10 non-diseased young adults who wore jackets designed to simulate pregnancy conditions, thus allowing for more comprehensive and rigorous experimentation. We attached surface electromyography (sEMG) sensors to the erector spinae muscles of participants and measured changes in muscle activity, skeletal positioning, and center of pressure both before and after wearing a Maternity-Simulation Jacket. Our analysis showed that the jacket successfully mimicked key aspects of the movement patterns typical in pregnant women. These results highlight the possibility of developing practical strategies that more accurately mirror the real-life scenarios met by pregnant women, enriching the current research on their STS movement.

Gap between the prevalence of and consultation rate for lumbopelvic pain in postnatal Japanese women.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to assess the prevalence of lumbopelvic pain (LPP), including low back pain (LBP) and/or pelvic girdle pain (PGP), consultation rate, and desire for treatment of postnatal Japanese women. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study of 98 postnatal Japanese women within 1 year of childbirth. We retrospectively evaluated the prevalence of LBP before and during pregnancy and the prevalence of LPP after childbirth using a self-administered questionnaire. We used the distribution of pain to differentiate LBP and/or PGP after childbirth and its intensity was assessed using a visual analogue scale. The effects of LPP on daily life were assessed using the Oswestry disability index (ODI). In addition, we assessed the consultation rate for LPP and the desire to consult a healthcare professional, using self-administered questionnaires. RESULTS: The prevalence of LPP after childbirth was 66%. Women with a history of LBP before and during pregnancy were more likely to have LPP following childbirth (both P < 0.001). The consultation rate among the postnatal women with LPP was 9%, but 56% of the women wished to consult a healthcare professional. The ODI score was significantly higher in postnatal women who wanted to consult a healthcare professional than in those who did not (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Two thirds of the postnatal Japanese women who participated in this study had LPP, but the consultation rate was low. However, more than half of these women had the desire to consult a healthcare professional.

Relationships between stress urinary incontinence and trunk muscle mass or spinal alignment in older women.

OBJECTIVES: Relationships between stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and physical function and spinal alignment have not been fully elucidated; therefore, we examined these relationships in older women. METHODS: The participants of this cross-sectional study comprised 21 women with SUI (SUI group) and 41 continent women (continent group) aged >65 years who participated in a community-based health-check survey from 2018 to 2019. We examined age, body mass index, number of deliveries, age at first childbirth, and medical histories as participants' characteristics. SUI was evaluated using the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form (ICIQ-SF). We also assessed spinal alignment and physical activity, grip strength, trunk and lower limb muscle mass, gait speed, and one-leg standing time as measures of participants' physical function. RESULTS: Body mass index was significantly higher in the SUI group compared with continents (P = 0.04), and trunk muscle mass in the SUI group was significantly lower (P < 0.01). Additionally, the thoracic kyphosis angle in the SUI group was significantly larger (P = 0.02). In the logistic regression analysis, trunk muscle mass (odds ratio = 0.546, P = 0.03) and increased thoracic kyphosis angle (odds ratio = 1.066, P = 0.045) were independent factors affecting SUI. Furthermore, there was a negative weak correlation between total ICIQ-SF score and trunk muscle mass (r = -0.36, P < 0.01), and a positive weak correlation between total ICIQ-SF score and thoracic kyphosis angle (r = 0.27, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Trunk muscle mass and thoracic kyphosis angle relate to SUI status and severity among Japanese community-dwelling older women.

Association between Social Frailty and Sleep Quality among Community-dwelling Older Adults: A Cross-sectional Study.

OBJECTIVE: We examined the association between social frailty and subjective sleep quality among community-dwelling adults. METHODS: This cross-sectional study recruited Japanese adults over the age of 60 years from health check-ups held in a public townhall in a suburban area between 2018 and 2019. Social frailty was evaluated using five criteria (living alone, not visiting friends sometimes, going out less frequently than the last year, not feeling helpful to friends or family, and not talking to someone every day) and categorized into three groups: non-frailty, pre-frailty, and frailty. Sleep quality was assessed according to the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) by giving participants a self-reported questionnaire. We performed multivariable linear regression analysis, denoting social frailty as an independent variable, and the global PSQI score as a dependent variable. RESULTS: Data from 300 older adults were analyzed, 51.0% of whom were female. The participants' mean age was 73.0 years (standard deviation = 5.8). Multivariable analysis revealed the notable association between social frailty and a high global PSQI score (compared with non-frailty, frailty: ß = 0.94, 95% CI = 0.08 to 1.80, p = 0.033). Of the five determiners of social frailty, not talking with someone every day was especially associated with a high global PSQI score (ß = 1.57, 95% CI = 0.49 to 2.66, p = 0.005). CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that social frailty is associated with poor sleep quality among community-dwelling older adults. Our findings indicate the importance of social frailty on sleep quality among older adults.

The effect of simulated gestational weight gain on balance, gait, and fear of falling.

The effects of pregnancy on balance with the eyes closed and maximum walking speed remain unclarified. The present study aimed to examine the effect of simulated gestational weight gain on balance, gait, and fear of falling in nulligravid women to enhance understanding of the impact of gestational weight gain. We prospectively evaluated the following outcomes in 24 healthy nulligravid women with and without a maternity-simulation jacket that simulated third-trimester pregnancy. To measure balance, we used the single-leg-stance test with eyes open and closed, and the functional reach test. We evaluated gait function by measuring walking speed, step length, and cadence at self-selected and maximum speeds. We used the timed-up-and-go test as a comprehensive measure of gait and balance, and the modified falls efficacy scale to evaluate fear of falling. Differences in these parameters between a simulated gestational weight gain condition and a "nonpregnant" condition were assessed. Simulated gestational weight gain caused significantly worse performances in the single-leg-stance test with eyes open and closed, functional reach test, walking speed, step length at self-selected and maximum speeds, and timed-up-and-go test. The effect size was larger for the single-leg-stance test with eyes closed than with eyes open. The average score for each modified falls efficacy scale item ranged from 4.7-8.5. In conclusion, balance decreased with simulated gestational weight gain, and balance may be more affected without visual feedback. Simulated gestational weight gain resulted in worse gait function at both self-selected and maximum speeds.

The Association between Social Support Sources and Cognitive Function among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A One-Year Prospective Study.

There is evidence that social relationships may modify cognitive decline in older people. We examined the prospective association between social support and cognitive function among community-dwelling older people. Japanese adults recruited at health checkups in suburban towns were surveyed at baseline and one-year follow-up. Cognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Japanese version (MoCA-J). Social support from coresiding family, non-coresiding family, and neighbors/friends was assessed using self-administered questionnaires. Multivariable linear regression analysis was conducted to examine the effects of social support on MoCA-J scores at follow-up. Data were analyzed from 121 older people (mean age (standard deviation): 73.86 (4.95) years). There was a positive association between social support exchanges with neighbors and friends and MoCA-J scores at follow-up after covariate adjustment (unstandardized ß = 1.23, p = 0.006). Social support exchanges with coresiding family and non-coresiding family and relatives were not associated with MoCA-J scores at follow-up (coresiding family: Unstandardized ß = 0.28, p = 0.813, non-coresiding family and relatives: Unstandardized ß = 0.51, p = 0.238). The provision of emotional support to neighbors and friends had the largest effect on MoCA-J scores. Our findings suggest that social support exchanges with neighbors and friends are protective against cognitive decline.