Biomedical subjects

Masashi Soma

Publications and source records attributed to Masashi Soma.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2003

An ankle-foot orthosis with inhibitor bar: effect on hemiplegic gait.

OBJECTIVE: To test whether an inhibitor bar attached to an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) improves walking ability in hemiplegic stroke patients with tonic toe flexion reflex (TTFR). DESIGN: Before-after trial. SETTING: Rehabilitation hospital in Japan. PARTICIPANTS: Nine patients with TTFR were assigned to the TTFR group, and 8 patients without TTFR were assigned to the control group. INTERVENTION: Inhibitor bar attached to an AFO. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Gait was analyzed by measuring the number of steps and the time required to walk 10m at a maximal walking speed. RESULTS: In the TTFR group, use of an inhibitor bar for 2 weeks significantly increased the maximal walking speed, stride length, and cadence by 13.8% (P=.0045), 8.0% (P=.0398), and 6.1% (P=.0056), respectively. There were no significant changes in the control group. CONCLUSION: An inhibitor bar improved walking ability of hemiplegic patients with TTFR, and its use with an AFO is recommended.

Ankle↗

PubMed2003

Gross motor function classification system: preliminary study for Japanese children.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to produce a version of the Gross Motor Function Classification System with the same construct as the original one that would be applicable to Japanese children with cerebral palsy. DESIGN: The reliability studies were performed twice with a convenience sample (first study, 76 children with cerebral palsy; second study, 225 children with cerebral palsy). The first version of the translated Gross Motor Function Classification System was used in the first reliability study. It was revised based on the findings of the study and used in the second reliability study. Two examiners classified each child's level of gross motor function independently. We calculated kappas for individual levels and across all levels to study interrater reliability. RESULTS: The individual kappa for level V changed from 0.59 in the first reliability study to 0.87 in the second reliability study, whereas the overall kappa changed from 0.64 to 0.66. In the second reliability study, the factors that seemed to affect the reproducibility were the unfamiliar words used in the system, partial agreement of the children's status, and thinking of future levels. CONCLUSIONS: Explanation of words and a note stressing the importance of the introduction part should be added to the system for Japanese clinicians.

Age Factors↗

PubMed2002

Prediction of reflex sympathetic dystrophy in hemiplegia by evaluation of hand edema.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the predictive value of measurements of hand edema for the development of reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD). DESIGN: Cohort study. SETTING: Departments of rehabilitation medicine in 3 general hospitals and 1 rehabilitation hospital in Japan. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-four stroke patients. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Measurement of the circumference of the middle finger was used to evaluate hand edema. The degree of hand edema was expressed by the ratio of circumference of the middle finger (RCMF) in the affected side to that in the uninvolved extremity. RESULTS: Eight of 34 patients developed clinical RSD from 2 to 4 months after stroke. Hand edema showed a significant relationship to the development of RSD (ie, the patients who had an RCMF of above 1.06 at 4 weeks poststroke had significantly higher incidence of RSD than those with a lower RCMF; P=.0127). CONCLUSION: It is possible to predict the development of RSD in hemiplegia by measuring hand edema 4 weeks poststroke.

Adult↗