Study on the effects of stretching for the skin for preventing joint contractures

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26870747
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Applied health science; Rehabilitation science/Welfare engineering
• Research Institution: Osaka Yukioka College of Health Science
• Principal Investigator: TASAKA ATSUSHI 大阪行岡医療大学, 公私立大学の部局等, 講師 (90710260)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): ONO TAKEYA 県立広島大学, 大学院総合学術研究科, 教授 (30299797)
• Research Collaborator: ISHIKURA HIDEKI
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: 関節拘縮 / 皮膚 / 廃用症候群 / 伸張運動

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The present study was designed to examine the possibility of maintaining the skin extensibility and range of motion by stretching the involved skin without performing any joint movement, in cases of disuse joint contracture. The study was carried out in Wistar rats. The rats were randomized to three groups. The control group received no intervention for the right ankle joint, the fixation group received fixation of the right ankle joint in maximum plantar-flexion with a cast, and the stretching group received continuous stretching of the skin with the cast was removed during the skin stretching, but the joint was not moved. The skin extensibility and range of motion were compared among the three groups. The stretching group showed significantly higher skin extensibility when compared to the fixation group. Skin stretching performed without moving the joint was demonstrated to be useful for improving the extensibility and range of motion of the skin.

Free Research Field

理学療法学