Maintenance of the Rate of Stair Use over a Long‐term Period Using a Stair Climbing Campaign: Takuo NOMURA, et al. Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Kansai University of Welfare Sciences— Objective This study was a long‐term survey of a stair climbing campaign that made use of point‐of‐choice prompts aimed at achieving exemplary behavior in citizens. Methods The campaign began in September 2007 at the Kochi Prefectural Office. We monitored office workers who climbed the stairs or used the elevator in the prefectural office building, excluding weekends, from August 2007 through February 2009. Prompts were placed on the stair risers. A total of 59 days were monitored during the observation period. A questionnaire was distributed to 250 workers to examine the influence of the prompts following completion of the observation period. Results A total of 16,583 observations of the choice of workers to use the elevators or stairs were made during the observation period. The mean number of stair users was 281.0 ± 66.0 per day. Stair use increased significantly from 31.5 to 58.1% among women and from 26.3 to 62.4% among men during months 1−3 of the campaign. Stair use was maintained in more than 51% of women and 60% of men during the entire campaign period. The following response (valid records: 81) was given by 10% of the respondents regarding the use of stairs: “my use of stairs increased due to the message banners”. Conclusions The stair climbing campaign was effective for increasing stair use and was maintained over a longterm period. However, most office workers thought that their increased stair use was not due to prompts placed on risers; therefore, the reason for the increased stair use remains unclear.

We investigated the influence ankle dorsiflexion range has on center of foot pressure (COP) during squat action and the ability to perform it. [Subjects and Method] We performed measurements of the ankle dorsiflexion range and center of gravity sway during squat action by 42 healthy adults (average age, 20.1  2.4 years). [Results] Among the 42 subjects there were 27 who could perform the squat action. A significant correlation, r=0.718, was found between the range of ankle dorsiflexion and anteroposterior COP displacement in squatting. The ranges of ankle dorsiflexion for those who could and could not squat were 18.9  4.6 and 9.6  3.5, respectively, significantly larger for those who could squat. The number of those who could squat became smaller as the range of ankle dorsiflexion got smaller, and at less than 10 none of the subjects (9) could squat. Conversely, at more than 20, all subjects (13) could perform the action. [Conclusion] The results suggest that when the range of ankle dorsiflexion is insufficient, COP displacement is forced to move posteriorly in squatting, and when the dorsiflexion range is below a set limit, the action becomes impossible.

We measured the respiratory, cardiovascular and metabolic responses to low intensity exercise in a low-oxygen normal pressure environment, and investigated its effect on energy metabolism. [Subjects] The subjects were 13 normally healthy males. [Method] The subjects performed exercise at a load of 70% of the anaerobic threshold on a bicycle ergometer under normal (20.9%) and low (14.5%) oxygen concentrations at a normal pressure of 1.0 atm. During exercise, we measured oxygen saturation, heart rate, and conducted respiratory gas analysis. [Results] Under the low oxygen condition, compared to the normal oxygen condition, the heart rate and respiratory minute volume during exercise showed significantly high values, while the lipid oxidation rate was significantly low. Conversely, the glucose oxidation rate was significantly high, and energy metabolism rose. [Conclusion] The results suggest that carbohydrate utilization is promoted by exercise under a low-oxygen normal pressure environment.

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[Purpose] In this study we investigated the effectiveness of elastic stockings for inhibiting lower limb edema in female workers.[Subjects] The subjects were 30 female workers (average age: 45.1  9.8 years) who mainly performed their work standing.[Method] The experiment consisted of 3 week-long stages: week 1, the baseline, when the subjects wore normal stockings; week 2, the intervention, when the subjects wore elastic stockings; and week 3, the follow-up, when the subjects wore normal stockings again. We compared daily lower limb circumference changes among the stages.[Results] The circumferences of both the left and right lower limbs at the maximum, the left lower limb at the minimum and the left forefoot showed significant reductions in rates of change in the intervention period compared with the baseline period.[Conclusion] The results suggest that wearing elastic stockings is an effective way of inhibiting lower leg edema.