[Purpose] We studied the muscular activities activated during standing-up exercises with subjects' hands on a table from a sitting position on a stool and compared them with muscle activities activated during normal squat exercises from the standing position. [Subjects] Healthy female subjects were selected for this study. [Methods] Muscular activities were measured by EMG during a normal squat exercise from the standing position and exercise from the sitting position using a table positioned slightly in front of a stool. The muscular activities during the latter exercise condition were evaluated by changing the height of the table in two different positions. [Results] Statistically signifi cant differences (p < 0.05) were found between the normal squat exercise and the low table exercise for the rectus femoris muscle, vastus medialis muscle, and semitendinosus muscle. The rectus femoris muscle also showed a signifi cant difference (p < 0.01) between the muscular activities obtained from the normal squat and high table exercises. [Conclusion] Our results failed to show a signifi cant difference in the muscular activities of the lower extremities between exercises in which tables with different heights were used. These results suggest that frail elderly people may strengthen their muscles reasonably and effectively by using heightadjusted tables.

スクワットは運動療法として汎用性の高い運動である。本研究では健常女性を対象に，通常スクワット，および椅子と高さの異なる2つのテーブルを用いたスクワットの3条件で筋電図を測定し，各条件での筋活動量を比較した。この結果，測定したすべての筋で，通常スクワットの筋活動量が最も高く，他の2条件の筋活動量は通常スクワットの約3分の2の値となったが，高いテーブルでは四頭筋のみ有意差を確認できたが，低いテーブルでは大腿直筋，内側広筋，半腱様筋にて有意差を確認できた。これらの結果は，テーブルを用いることで下肢筋活動すべてが有意に減少するのではないことから，高齢者によっては効果的で安全なスクワットとして使用できる可能性を示唆できた。

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