Purpose: This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the ability to adjust grip strength by comparing the characteristics of force generation and relaxation from childhood to adulthood. Method: This study included 225 participants aged 6, 11, 17, and 19-23 years (adults) who performed isometric hand-grip force as follows: maximum, half…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of tongue-strengthening exercise (TSE) on tongue strength and effortful swallowing pressure in young healthy adults. Method: Thirteen young healthy volunteers (six men, seven women; M[subscript age] = 20.5 ± 0.5 years) performed 8 weeks of isometric TSE 3 days per week. A tongue…

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate a structured approach for effective speech therapy (ST) for dysarthria and speech-related quality of life in patients with sporadic spinocerebellar degeneration (SCD), including cerebellar-type multiple-system atrophy and cerebellar cortical atrophy. Method: Twenty-two patients with SCD…

This study examined the characteristics, such as muscle power and agility, of top-level junior soft tennis players. 36 Japanese top-level junior (under-14) boys soft tennis players (age 13.4 ± 0.8 years, height 165.0 ± 9.7cm, and weight 53.9 ± 11.1 kg) with experience in international meet participation and 25 junior boys soft tennis players (age…

Physical fitness is one of the key factors in healthy aging. Although physical fitness is widely recognized to decline with age, age-related decreases in the individual dimensions of physical fitness in later life are less clear. Purpose: The purpose of the present study was to describe the age-related changes in six fitness components covering a…

The aim of this study was to clarify the intra- and inter-rater reliability of the rate of force development in hip abductor muscle force measurements using a hand-held dynamometer. Thirty healthy adults were separately assessed by two independent raters on two separate days. Rate of force development was calculated from the slope of the…

This study examined how Japanese female primary school teachers who have continued to study physical education (PE) perceive gender consciousness. The other, more important, purpose of this study was to demonstrate factors that enhance teachers' commitment to study PE and their development processes and its effect on their teaching careers. Using…

This study examined age group and individual differences in controlled force exertion by emulating sinusoidal and quasi-random waveforms in 222 right-handed female adults aged 20 to 86 years. The subjects matched their submaximal grip strength by the dominant hand to changing demand values displayed as either a sinusoidal or a quasi-random…

Three articles examine the Asia Youth Health Related Fitness Test proposed by the Asia Regional Board of the International Council for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, Sport and Dance. The articles look at test results on fitness levels and knowledge from Japan, China, and Hong Kong. (SM)