著者

Maki Yamaguchi Shigeru Takemori Masako Kimura Naoya Nakahara Tetsuo Ohno Toshiko Yamazawa Shunya Yokomizo Nobutake Akiyama Naoto Yagi

出版者

一般社団法人日本体力医学会

雑誌

The Journal of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine (ISSN:21868131)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.5, no.1, pp.47-55, 2015-03-25 (Released:2016-03-18)

参考文献数

48

被引用文献数

2

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X-ray diffraction analysis is a method to obtain information about periodically repeated structures. When striated muscle is irradiated with X-ray, many of the reflections and the layer lines, which convey information about molecular structures within the muscle fiber, are obtained without chemical modification. Two of the strong equatorial reflections, 1,0 reflection arising from a thick filament array and 1,1 reflection arising from a thick and thin filament array appear on the equator giving information about distance and mass distribution on a radial plane. Thus a 1,1/1,0 intensity ratio is a good index of radial distribution of myosin heads. Meridional reflections and layer lines, such as a myosin reflection of the 14.3 nm repeat and myosin or actin layer lines, give information about longitudinal arrangement of the molecules. Since they are affected by the movement of the myosin heads and the shifting motion of troponin-tropomyosin on the actin filament, they can be used to detect conformational changes of contractile and regulatory systems upon muscle activation. The X-ray diffraction method has been applied to yield fruitful results for many problems such as muscle atrophy by disuse, functional modulation by myosin regulatory light chain phosphorylation, differential characteristics of slow and fast skeletal muscle structure, and pathogenesis of some types of the familial myopathy. The approach using X-ray diffraction analysis will continuously serve as a potent tool for resolving problems in the field of physical fitness and sports medicine.

著者

Tomonori Kito

出版者

一般社団法人日本体力医学会

雑誌

The Journal of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine (ISSN:21868131)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.5, no.1, pp.73-76, 2016-03-25 (Released:2016-03-18)

参考文献数

31

被引用文献数

1

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The technique of vibration-induced illusory movement has been used to study the mechanisms of perception and the brain network responsible for eliciting kinesthesia since it was first reported by Goodwin and colleagues in 1972. Vibration applied to the skin surface over the tendon of limb muscles excites primary afferent spindles, and subjects experience movement sensations as if the vibrated muscle were stretched, despite the limb being immobile. In addition, tendon vibration can induce tonic muscle activities in both the vibrated muscle and its antagonistic muscles. It was formerly believed that these motor responses accompanied the kinesthetic illusion of the vibrated limb. However, if subjects relax their limb completely and focus their attention on the movement sensed during vibration, a movement illusion can be elicited without any motor responses. This review focuses on the relationship between the elicitation of vibration-induced kinesthetic illusions and experimental conditions, and may provide insight into differences among studies of kinesthetic illusion.

著者

Koichiro Oka Ai Shibata Kaori Ishii

出版者

一般社団法人日本体力医学会

雑誌

The Journal of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine (ISSN:21868131)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.3, no.3, pp.291-295, 2014-07-25 (Released:2014-07-26)

参考文献数

36

被引用文献数

1 2

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There has been a growing interest in dog ownership and walking as a unique and potential resource to provide physical activity for many individuals in the community. The present study reviewed current trends regarding the studies on dog ownership, dog walking, and human health, and clarified the future direction of research on the topic. There is evidence to suggest that it is not dog ownership itself, but rather dog-walking that contributes to increased physical activity and the likelihood of meeting public health guidelines for physical activity. Also, a growing body of literature indicates that dogs appear to provide an important form of social support, motivation, and obligation that encourages dog owners to walk. Regarding the environmental and policy-related factors associated with dog walking, some literature showed that access to a dog-supportive park/area or living in a walkable neighborhood seems to positively affect dog owners walking with their dog. The evidence is still limited on interventions for promoting dog owners walking with their dog. With the high level of dog ownership in many industrialized countries, further evaluation of physical activity, including dog walking and use of an accelerometer, identification of factors related to dog owners’ regular/irregular dog walking by means of a longitudinal study, and implementation of an intervention study related to the promotion of physical activity among dog owners with a focus on dog walking are needed.

著者

Naokata Ishii Riki Ogasawara Koji Kobayashi Koichi Nakazato

出版者

一般社団法人日本体力医学会

雑誌

The Journal of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine (ISSN:21868131)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.1, no.1, pp.83-94, 2012-05-25 (Released:2012-08-22)

参考文献数

118

被引用文献数

2 11 6

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To learn the mechanisms underlying resistance exercise-induced muscle hypertrophy, recent studies on muscle protein metabolism and myogenic progenitor cells were reviewed. Numerous studies have suggested that activation of the translation process plays a major role in a resistance exercise-induced increase in muscle protein synthesis, and also in muscle hypertrophy after a prolonged period of training. Among regulators of the translational activity, the mTORC1 signaling pathway has been shown to be important, although the relation between its upstream regulation and exercise regimen remains unclear. In addition, the muscle satellite cells play a part, even if not indispensable, in exercise-induced muscle hypertrophy, by supplying muscle fibers with new myonuclei. Middle to high exercise intensity has been regarded as essential for gaining muscle mass, because it causes the recruitment of large motor units with fast, type II muscle fibers, which are readily hypertrophied through activation of mTORC1 signaling. However, several studies have shown that low-intensity resistance exercises with either large exercise volume or prolonged contraction time effectively activate protein synthesis and induce muscle hypertrophy. These findings suggest that various strategies are possible in exercise regimens, and exercise intensity is not necessarily a primary factor for gaining muscular size.

著者

三野 耕 成山 公一

出版者

一般社団法人日本体力医学会

雑誌

体力科学 (ISSN:0039906X)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.45, no.1, pp.127-139, 1996-02-01 (Released:2010-09-30)

参考文献数

28

被引用文献数

3

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A longitudinal study was conducted to determine the physical maturity characteristics of athletes engaged in the following extracurricular sports activities over the three-year junior high school period: basketball (N=40), baseball (N=130), volleyball (N=54), soccer (N=86) and a non-athletic group (N=37) which did not participate in sports.Each athlete's maturity was determined from the age of maximum increment in height (MIA) of each individual. Longitudinal stature measurements were recorded annually in April for 12 years period from 6 to 18 years of age.The study yielded the following results:1. The MIA distributions of all the sporting groups were distinctly larger than that of the non-athletic group, increasing with each chronological age step on the distance curve and annual increase in height curve. The MIA mean value for the soccer group was significantly higher (P<0.05) than those of the non-athletic and all the other sporting groups.2. The soccer group was significantly slighter (P<0.05) in stature than all the other sporting groups.3. Subjects who played baseball throughout high school reached physical maturity earlier than those who only played throughout junior high school. However, those who continued to play soccer throughout high school reached maturity later than those who only played throughout junior high school.

著者

Yoshiaki Kikuchi

出版者

一般社団法人日本体力医学会

雑誌

The Journal of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine (ISSN:21868131)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.4, no.4, pp.299-306, 2015-09-25 (Released:2015-10-02)

参考文献数

77

被引用文献数

2

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While bipedalism is a fundamental evolutionary adaptation that is essential for the development of the human brain, the erect body is always an inch or two away from falling. Although the neural substrate underlying automatic detection of one’s own body instability is an important consideration, there have thus far been few functional neuroimaging studies due to the restrictions placed on participants’ movements. Here, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the neural substrate underlying whole body instability, based on a self-recognition paradigm that uses video stimuli consisting of one’s own and others’ whole bodies, depicted in both stable and unstable states. Analyses revealed significant activity in the brain regions that should be activated during genuine unstable body (physical) conditions: the right parieto-insular vestibular cortex, inferior frontal junction, posterior insula and parabrachial nucleus. We argue that these right-lateralized cortical and brainstem regions mediate vestibular information processing for detection of vestibular anomalies, defensive motor responding in which the necessary motor responses are automatically prepared/simulated to protect one’s body, and sympathetic activity as an alarm response during whole body instability.

著者

Satoru Kanamori Tomoko Takamiya Shigeru Inoue

出版者

一般社団法人日本体力医学会

雑誌

The Journal of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine (ISSN:21868131)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.4, no.4, pp.315-320, 2015-09-25 (Released:2015-10-02)

参考文献数

45

被引用文献数

1 51

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Physical activity may be carried out alone or in a group. No comprehensive studies have been conducted on the associations between group exercise and health outcomes, the mechanisms underlying the associations with health outcomes, and determinants of participation in group exercise. The aim of this article is to review the associations and mechanisms between group exercise and health outcomes, and the determinants of participation in group exercise among healthy adults and the elderly without specific illnesses. Group exercise may reduce the risk of physical and mental illness by improving adherence to physical activity, psychological factors, and social relationships. While there may potentially be various determinants of group exercise, previous research has only examined specific demographic and environmental factors. Among the studies discussed in this review, few studies examined the differences between individual exercise and group exercise. Thus, the unique effects and determinants of group exercise remain unclear. Further studies examining these points are needed to develop a more complete knowledge base on group exercise.

著者

Tsuyoshi Nakajima Rinaldo A. Mezzarane Tomoyoshi Komiyama E. Paul Zehr

出版者

一般社団法人日本体力医学会

雑誌

The Journal of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine (ISSN:21868131)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.4, no.2, pp.197-211, 2015-05-25 (Released:2015-05-28)

参考文献数

100

被引用文献数

5

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Neural output from the locomotor system for each arm and leg influences the spinal motoneuronal pools directly and indirectly through interneuronal (IN) reflex networks. This review article mainly describes the recent findings concerning the existence, features and functions of common IN systems on spinal reflex pathways induced by multisensory inputs during human locomotion. In particular, we focus on regulation of polysynaptic cutaneous reflex pathways assessed by spatial facilitation. Furthermore, we provide evidence for activation of common presynaptic inhibitory INs that integrate locomotor-related commands and antagonist group Ia inputs. The experimental results are discussed in light of recent advances in motor control in humans and other animals with implications for locomotor rehabilitation.

著者

Licht Miyamoto

出版者

一般社団法人日本体力医学会

雑誌

The Journal of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine (ISSN:21868131)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.4, no.1, pp.93-102, 2015-03-25 (Released:2015-03-23)

参考文献数

72

被引用文献数

1 4

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The number of patients exhibiting metabolic disorders has been pandemically increasing. Physical exercise is widely applied as an ideal therapeutic and preventive way against such metabolic diseases as diabetes due to its high potency of metabolic regulation. It evokes marked facilitation of glucose and lipid metabolism in contracting skeletal muscle. Recent investigations have suggested that 5’AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) should be a key molecule in contraction-caused metabolic changes. AMPK is activated in response to the rise in the AMP/ATP ratio following muscle contraction. The activated AMPK suppresses anabolic pathways, but increases catabolic ones to compensate for the ATP shortage. The various metabolic results of AMPK activation are similar to those in contracting skeletal muscle. However, some recent reports using genetically AMPK-disrupted animals reported that AMPK does not necessarily mediate metabolic control by muscle contraction, suggesting the significance of AMPK-independent metabolic pathways. Genetically manipulated animals without molecules of critical significance such as AMPK will tend to acquire compensatory mechanisms. Thus, another approach will be of great help to further understand the role of such key molecules. Thanks to the recent development of analytic systems, it is getting easier to obtain comprehensive information on metabolites. This metabolomics technology has been applied in studies on physical fitness and exercise little by little, providing us with novel findings; although it is not yet popular. Recent results of metabolomic studies in the field of physical exercise, including our investigation demonstrating metabolomic significance of AMPK in contracting skeletal muscle, will be introduced in this review.

著者

Makoto Miyazaki Takahiro Higuchi

出版者

一般社団法人日本体力医学会

雑誌

The Journal of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine (ISSN:21868131)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.4, no.1, pp.31-41, 2015-03-25 (Released:2015-03-23)

参考文献数

57

---

Tools are often compared to a part of our own “body”. Since the end of the 20th century, neuroscientists and psychologists have accumulated evidence suggesting that the “tool as a part of the body” is not just a metaphor, but is a fact in the brain. In the introduction of this article, we review a neurophysiological study on the monkey brain that achieved a breakthrough in this area of research. Subsequently, we review studies in humans. In the first section, we explain the psychophysical studies that suggest the perceptual assimilation of tools and hands and neuroimaging reports regarding the neural correlates of perceptual tool-hand assimilation. In the second section, we describe the spatial action capability with tools or extracorporeal objects based on behavioral studies regarding locomotion, such as load-carriage and wheelchair-use. Based on these findings, we discuss current and future research issues regarding the tool-body interaction in the context of neural mechanisms and applications.

著者

本間 幸子 伊藤 昭治 古藤 高良 池上 晴夫

出版者

一般社団法人日本体力医学会

雑誌

体力科学 (ISSN:0039906X)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.41, no.1, pp.98-107, 1992-02-01 (Released:2010-09-30)

参考文献数

23

被引用文献数

2 6

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加速度脈波と血圧の関係および加速度脈波の各波の生理的な意義を明らかにすることを目的として, 男子学生5名を対象に, 上腕圧迫によって末稍血流が変化する際の指尖容積脈波, その二次微分波および指動脈圧波をbeat-by-beatに測定した.得られた結果は以下の通りであった.1.収縮期血圧の上昇によって加速度脈波のa波は上昇し, bおよびe波は下降するのに対して, 拡張期血圧の増大によってa波は下降し, bおよびe波は上昇する傾向にあった.また加速度脈波は細動脈弾性率によっても大きな影響を受け, 弾性率がノ1丶さいほどa波は上昇し, bおよびe波は下降する傾向にあった.2.加速度脈波のcおよびd波は収縮期血圧の上昇によって下降し, 拡張期血圧および細動脈弾性率の増大によって上昇する傾向があるが, それらの3要因では十分に説明できず, ほかに影響をおよぼす要因の存在が示唆された.3.収縮期血圧が上昇する場合でも, それが血流量の増加に起因する場合には加速度脈波の波形パターンはG→Aに変化するのに対し, それが末梢抵抗の増加に起因する場合にはA→Gに変化するものと考えられた.これらの結果から加速度脈波と血圧の関係は単純でなく, 血圧構成因子である血流量や末梢抵抗によって大きく影響される.したがって加速度脈波と血圧を併せて測定することが末稍循環状態をより正しく評価する上で有効であると考えられる.

著者

Masaki Ishikawa Kanae Sano Yoko Kunimasa Toshiaki Oda Caroline Nicol Akira Ito Paavo V Komi

出版者

一般社団法人日本体力医学会

雑誌

The Journal of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine (ISSN:21868131)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.2, no.3, pp.361-363, 2013-08-25 (Released:2013-09-08)

参考文献数

17

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The superior success of East-African endurance runners has stimulated a large amount of interest in exploring valid reasons for their performance, especially for neuromuscular mechanics. This review provides a brief overview of classic neuromuscular interaction during running; and, thereafter, describes a specific neuromuscular interaction alternative to the classic stretch-shortening cycle concept for enhancing the running economy of East-African distance runners.

出版者

一般社団法人日本体力医学会

雑誌

体力科学 (ISSN:0039906X)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.40, no.2, pp.246-250, 1991-04-01 (Released:2010-09-30)

著者

Shigeki Takeuchi Hirofumi Sekiguchi Kozue S Matsuzaki Makoto Miyazaki

出版者

一般社団法人日本体力医学会

雑誌

The Journal of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine (ISSN:21868131)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.2, no.3, pp.287-294, 2013-08-25 (Released:2013-09-08)

参考文献数

21

被引用文献数

1

---

Despite the variability of internal and external environments, the human central nervous system (CNS) can generate precise and stable perception and motor behaviors. What mechanism enables this ability? Answering this question is one of the significant goals in the human sciences, including neuroscience, cognitive science, physical education and sports science. The Bayesian integration theory proposes that the CNS learns the prior distribution of a task and integrates it with sensory information to minimize the effect of sensory noise. In this article, we introduce psychophysical reports using motor timing and temporal order judgment (TOJ) tasks that support the Bayesian integration theory. Subsequently, we demonstrate the event-related potentials (ERPs) behind Bayesian integration that operates in somatosensory TOJ.

著者

Hajime Ohmura Atsushi Hiraga James H. Jones

出版者

一般社団法人日本体力医学会

雑誌

The Journal of Physical Fitness and Sports Medicine (ISSN:21868131)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.2, no.2, pp.163-168, 2013-05-25 (Released:2013-06-21)

参考文献数

48

被引用文献数

3

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Thoroughbred racehorses have been selectively bred for racing for centuries. The excellent exercise capacity of Thoroughbreds is thought to depend largely on their extraordinarily high cardiopulmonary function. Their high aerobic capacity (VO2max) might be amplified by the exercise-induced hypoxemia that they experience even during submaximal exercise. In humans and horses, accumulated O2 deficit (AOD) has been the primary approach used to assess net anaerobic capacity during exercise. The exercise-induced hypoxemia Thoroughbreds experience allows an alternative approach to measuring net anaerobic energy utilization using plasma lactate accumulation rate (PLAR). Horses increase their aerobic capacity when breathing hyperoxic gas that eliminates exercise-induced hypoxemia, and PLAR decreases stoichiometrically. Relating the decrease in PLAR to the increase in VO2max yields a quantitative index of how much net aerobic power a horse is utilizing. Comparison in horses of the net anaerobic power estimated by the two methods, AOD and PLAR, shows systematic bias and suggests PLAR may be more accurate.

著者

坂槙 航 伊計 拓真 筒井 俊春 鳥居 俊

出版者

一般社団法人日本体力医学会

雑誌

体力科学 (ISSN:0039906X)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.72, no.6, pp.381-386, 2023-12-01 (Released:2023-11-14)

参考文献数

24

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The purpose of this study was to determine the differences in the growth patterns of the external oblique (EO), internal oblique (IO), and transversus abdominis (TrA) muscles in adolescence baseball players. The subjects were 17 elementary school students (ES), 56 junior high school students (JS), and 21 high school students (HS) who played baseball. The EO, IO, and TrA muscle thicknesses were imaged using an ultrasound imaging device and analyzed separately on the dominant and non-dominant sides. Curve regression estimation of the relationship between EO, IO, and TrA and chronological age was used to read inflection points. An analysis of covariance was also performed, using body weight as a covariate for comparison with each of the EO, IO, and TrA grades. The inflection point readings showed that TrA was 11.26 years old (p<0.01, R2=0.45) for the dominant side and 10.10 years old (p<0.01, R2=0.46) for the non-dominant side, earlier than the inflection points of EO and IO. Analysis of covariance showed no significant difference in EO between any of the grades. IO showed significantly higher values for muscle thickness as the grade increased, both on the dominant and non-dominant side. TrA was higher for JS among ES and JS and higher for HS among ES and HS on both the dominant and non-dominant sides. EO may growth with increasing body size, while IO is interpreted to increase with increasing age due to the movement of baseball. TrA may grow earlier than EO and IO.

著者

笠井 茂輝 小鳥居 快人 佐野 歩夢 中澤 岳斗 三原 良心 安藤 大輔

出版者

一般社団法人日本体力医学会

雑誌

体力科学 (ISSN:0039906X)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.72, no.6, pp.387-398, 2023-12-01 (Released:2023-11-14)

参考文献数

34

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Exercise performance may be improved by listening to high-tempo and motivational music prior to exercise. However, the effects of the combination of “tempo” and “motivational factors other than tempo” of music on exercise performance have not been examined in detail. We examined whether listening to music before exercise affects repetitive sprint performance and psychological responses in healthy young men. Twenty-one healthy men performed two consecutive sets of 20-second sprint cycling with a 120-second rest period between sets. Five types of music were used during the warm-up and rest periods: no music (Con), high-tempo music that subjects judged to be motivating (MH, 130~140 bpm), high-tempo music that subjects judged to be unmotivating (UMH, 130~140 bpm), low-tempo music that subjects judged to be motivating (ML, 70~80 bpm), and low-tempo music that judged to be unmotivating (UML, 70~80 bpm). Motivation, pleasure-displeasure and arousal-sleepiness, and rate of perceived exertion were investigated using a questionnaire. The maximum power per body weight during sprint cycling was significantly higher in ML than in Con, and MH tended to be higher than in Con. Motivation increased significantly from “After Warm-up” to “After Recovery” for MH and ML, but did not change significantly for Con, UMH, and UML. These results suggest that listening to motivational music, regardless of tempo, improves the maximum power of sprint cycling.

著者

金 鉉基 柴田 重信

出版者

一般社団法人日本体力医学会

雑誌

体力科学 (ISSN:0039906X)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.69, no.5, pp.401-411, 2020-10-01 (Released:2020-09-16)

参考文献数

83

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In mammals, the circadian rhythms have been shown to regulate several physiological functions, including body temperature, sleep-wake behavior, physical activity, hormonal secretions, and metabolism. These processes are controlled by circadian clock genes, and abnormal circadian rhythms are associated with the development of obesity, diabetes, and lifestyle-related diseases. In addition, the timing of behaviors such as food intake, exercise, and stress influence circadian rhythms, including clock gene expression in peripheral tissues. Therefore, the interaction between nutrition and the circadian clock is so-called “chrono-nutrition” is poised to become an important research field of chronobiology. In this review, we review the effects of a timed-nutrition on circadian clocks and their timing-dependent effects on physiological functions.

著者

尾山 裕介 村山 敏夫 太田 玉紀

出版者

一般社団法人日本体力医学会

雑誌

体力科学 (ISSN:0039906X)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.68, no.3, pp.215-221, 2019-06-01 (Released:2019-05-18)

参考文献数

32

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In this study, we investigated the relationship of an osteoarthritis of the knee (OA) and a knee pain of single-leg on the bilateral difference of ground reaction force in stepping. The subjects were 29 middle-aged women (mean age 63.7±6.7 years). We categorized them into groups based on the following conditions: osteoarthritis of the knee (OA groups; n = 9), knee pain (KP groups; n = 7), and no pain (NP groups; n = 13). We measured the ground reaction force in a vertical direction when stepping on a platform. The evaluation variables were as follows: peak of ground reaction force at the early stance phase (F1), middle phase (F2), and late phase (F3). We calculated the bilateral difference of ground reaction force of the left and right leg and the affected side and the unaffected side ratio. The result of two way ANOVA, there was a significant difference between the leg in F1 and F3 and the group at F2. The result of comparison between the OA groups and the KP groups, there was no significant difference in the unaffected side and the affected side ratio, those in the OA groups tended to have a load on the unaffected side, while those in the KP groups had a load on the affected side. Therefore, it was suggested that there was the relationship of the OA and a knee pain of single-leg on the bilateral difference of ground reaction force in stepping.

著者

守屋 俊甫 吉岡 将輝 松井 公宏 青木 海 吉田 保子 竹越 一博 小﨑 恵生 前田 清司

出版者

一般社団法人日本体力医学会

雑誌

体力科学 (ISSN:0039906X)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.72, no.5, pp.353-361, 2023-10-01 (Released:2023-09-13)

参考文献数

30

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Insufficient physical function is strongly associated with decreased activity of daily living and health-related quality of life in middle-aged and older women. YOSAKOI Soran is one of the traditional Japanese dances to have naruko (wooden hand clappers) in their hands as they dance and incorporate the phrase from the Soran Bushi in their song. YOSAKOI Soran festivals can be seen being held in various places across the country, proving its growing popularity with residents as a celebration regardless of age or occupation. The purpose of this study was to examine the cross-sectional associations between YOSAKOI Soran and the physical functions of middle-aged and older women. A total of 30 middle-aged and older women practicing YOSAKOI Soran (YOSAKOI group) and 163 middle-aged and older women who had not practiced YOSAKOI Soran (control group) participated in this cross-sectional study. Handgrip strength, 30-second chair stand performance, and flexibility were used to measure physical functions. Handgrip strength was not significantly differed between the YOSAKOI group and the control group (P = 0.79). 30-second chair stand performance and flexibility were significantly higher in the YOSAKOI group than in the control group (both P < 0.05). These results remained significant after adjusting for age and body mass index (both P < 0.05). The present results suggest that practicing YOSAKOI Soran may increase lower extremity function and flexibility in middle-aged and older women.