Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41824633›Full record

ArticleJMIR aging2026

Locomotive Syndrome Digital Therapeutics Provided via a Smartphone App: Proof-of-Concept Single-Group Trial Study.

Tatsuru Sonobe, Itaru Ogawa, Takahiro Seki, Kosuke Watanabe, Yota Kaneko, Takeru Yokota, Taro Mawatari, Satoru Harada, Yasumichi Kadowaki, Youhei Takenaka and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in JMIR aging, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Tatsuru SonobeDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikariga-oka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan, 81 24-547-1276, 81 24-548-5505.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0008-1941-2909
Itaru OgawaDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikariga-oka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan, 81 24-547-1276, 81 24-548-5505.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0000-3748-8909
Takahiro SekiDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikariga-oka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan, 81 24-547-1276, 81 24-548-5505.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0000-4437-4491
Kosuke WatanabeDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikariga-oka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan, 81 24-547-1276, 81 24-548-5505.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0004-1023-852X
Yota KanekoDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikariga-oka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan, 81 24-547-1276, 81 24-548-5505.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0002-0212-6793
Takeru YokotaDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikariga-oka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan, 81 24-547-1276, 81 24-548-5505.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8713-3716
Taro MawatariDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, KKR Hamanomachi Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1909-5009
Satoru HaradaDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, KKR Hamanomachi Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0262-2300
Yasumichi KadowakiFuture Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0005-0198-5299
Youhei TakenakaFuture Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0002-7554-454X
Yoshihiro MatsumotoDepartment of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Fukushima Medical University, 1 Hikariga-oka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan, 81 24-547-1276, 81 24-548-5505.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0039-2855

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Individuals with locomotive syndrome (LS) have muscle weakness and reduced motor function due to musculoskeletal disorders that cause reduced mobility and physical function. In Japan, musculoskeletal disorders are the most common reason for requiring home support or nursing care, highlighting the need for preventing and ameliorating LS. Middle-aged and older adults sometimes encounter difficulty making a habit of exercise therapy (the mainstay of LS treatment). Objective: We investigated whether digital therapeutics (DTx) can prevent or ameliorate LS in middle-aged and older adults. Methods: We conducted a prospective, longitudinal, nonrandomized, single-group study of Japanese aged 40 years and older who were eligible for LS checkups (N=47). Each participant underwent an 8-week locomotion training intervention based on DTx supervised by medical staff. We objectively assessed the participants' subjective and objective motor abilities and motor awareness with the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, 25-question Geriatric Locomotive Function Scale (GLFS-25), and Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-3 at baseline (before the DTx), an interim point (4 wk after the DTx initiation), and a final evaluation (8 wk post-DTx initiation). We compared the scores of the 3 tests at the 3 time points as dependent variables in a 3-factor ANOVA with Bonferroni correction (significance defined as 0.05/3=0.0167). Results: No increase in amotivation to exercise or refusal to exercise was observed. Significant improvements at 8 weeks versus the baseline were observed in the TUG scores (baseline: 9.0, 95% CI 8.4-9.6; 8 wk: 7.5, 95% CI 7.1-8.0; P=.001) and GLFS-25 results (baseline: 18.7, 95% CI 14.5-22.8; 8 wk: 11.7, 95% CI 8.8-14.7; P=.004). The Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-3 and its subscale data did not differ significantly at any assessment time point. Conclusions: These results indicate that an 8-week locomotive training intervention using DTx significantly improved middle-aged and older adults' TUG and GLFS-25 scores and will help prevent and ameliorate LS and establish better exercise habits among them.

Indexed as

Exercise TherapyMobile ApplicationsSmartphoneAgedFemaleHumansJapanLocomotionLongitudinal StudiesMaleMiddle AgedProof of Concept StudyProspective Studies25-GLFS25-question Geriatric Locomotive Function ScaleBehavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire-3BREQ-3digital therapeuticDTxlocomotion traininglocomotive syndromeLSLTTimed Up and Go testTUG test

Identifiers

PMID41824633
PMCPMC12987407

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.