Purpose: To determine whether performing a feint in team handball with a wide foot stance leads to a greater knee valgus angle and/or knee valgus moment.Methods: Eight women handball players performed a feint with 4 different foot stances (free and 30%, 40%, and 50% of their body height). Three-dimensional kinematics and ground reaction forces were measured during the feints. Hip abduction angle at first contact, peak vertical ground reaction force, peak knee valgus angle, and peak external knee valgus moment during the first 20% of the feint cycle were compared among the stances at 30%, 40%, and 50% of body height (ANOVA, P<0.05). In the free feint, we investigated intrasubject correlations among foot stance and hip abduction angle at first contact, peak knee valgus angle, and peak external knee valgus moment were then conducted (P<0.05).Results: When performing a feint with foot stances at 40% and 50% of body height, the subjects had significantly greater peak external knee valgus moment. Hip abduction angle at first contact was significantly correlated to peak knee valgus angle and peak external knee valgus moment.Conclusion: Training athletes to avoid wide foot stance and large hip abduction angle may reduce the risk of sustaining noncontact anterior cruciate ligament injuries.

Since students who would like to study Kampo medicine more have no opportunity to communicate each other in Northern Japanese Universities, we newly started joint study conferences held by medical students in 2013. The objectives of this paper are to report on these annually held student-based Kampo study conferences in the Hokkaido and Tohoku areas, and the ways each university studies Kampo medicine. In the conference, the students reported on their club activities. Then they studied the history of Kampo medicine and simulation of abdominal diagnosis, and performed group work on case reports together. The number of student participants in these conferences has tripled over 3 years from 18 to 58 (for a total of 111 participants). All members were satisfied with the content. And this reflects medical students' need for a wider perception of Kampo medicine, rather than a limited one gained in their university club activities. We hope this conference will play a major role in other nationwide student-based Kampo study conferences in the years to come.

The background and course of Kampo treatment in 39 patients with uncontrollable otolaryngeal symptoms treated between April 2013 and March 2016, in the Department of Kampo Medicine at Tohoku University Hospital, were analyzed retrospectively. An improvement in overall symptoms was noted with Kampo treatment in 28 of 39 cases (71%). The commonly reported subjective symptoms included glossodynia (7 cases), postnasal drip (4 cases), oral discomfort (4 cases), dizziness (3 cases), and taste disorder (3 cases). Analysis using the classification of qi, blood, and fluid revealed that cases with qi stagnation pattern (15 of 18 cases) were effectively treated with Kampo treatment. Prior reports support our finding that smoothing qi with Kampo medicine is effective in alleviating some chronic symptoms. The symptoms improved within 6 weeks after the treatment was initiated. Therefore, a 6-week period can be considered sufficient to determine the effectiveness of Kampo medicine. Many of the patients for whom Kampo treatment was not effective had depression and domestic stress. In conclusion, Kampo treatment may be effectively used to treat uncontrollable, chronic otolaryngeal symptoms in selected cases that are unresponsive to Western medicine.