介護予防の必要な在宅高齢者への転倒予防支援—フットマッサージが足部機能に及ぼす効果の検討

Fall Prevention Support for Elderly Persons at Home Needing Preventive Nursing Care: Effect of Foot Massage on Foot Function

要旨

　目的：立位バランスに必要な足底部の皮膚感覚と足趾力を高めるためのフットマッサージを介護予防の必要な在宅高齢者に行い，効果について検討した．

　方法：デイサービスを利用する在宅高齢者11名に，フットマッサージを週2回，2ヵ月間行った．皮膚感覚はモノフィラメント，足趾力は足趾力測定器を用い，立位バランスは開眼片足立ち時間を測定し，前後比較分析を行った．

　結果：2か月間で皮膚感覚は91％以上の閾値が低下し（p＜0.05），足趾力は全員が向上した（p＜0.05）．開眼片足立ち時間も82％が延長した（p＜0.05）．フットマッサージの揉みほぐしで感覚受容器の情報入力が改善し，足趾運動で足趾筋力が強化したことや，開眼片足立ち時間の延長によって立位バランスの改善が示唆された．

　結論：介護予防の必要な在宅高齢者の転倒予防支援として，フットマッサージは有効となる可能性がある．

　Purpose: The purpose of this study was to confirm the effect of foot massage to improve the skin sensation of the sole and the toe force necessary for standing balance for elderly persons living at home who need preventive nursing care.

　Method: Foot massages were given twice per week for two months to 11 elderly persons at a day service. The skin sensation of the sole of the foot was measured using monofilament, and the toe force required for standing balance was measured using the grip force and time able to stand on one leg with eyes open, and a back-and-forth comparative analysis was performed.

　Results: At the end of the two-month period, the sensation of the skin on the sole of the foot improved by more than 91% in all subjects (p < 0.05), and there was improvement in the toe force of all subjects (p < 0.05). Time standing on one leg with eyes open improved by 82% for all subjects as well (p < 0.05). Massage improved the sensory input of the skin, and the associated foot movement improved the strength of the toe muscles, while the length of standing time on one foot with eyes open increased, all of which help to maintain standing balance.

　Conclusion: Foot massage may be effective as fall prevention support for elderly people in need of care prevention.