Efficacy of Rehabilitation in Parkinson's Disease Patients using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and Three-dimensional Motion Analysis / The Japanese Journal of Rehabilitation Medicine

ABSTRACT

Objective : To demonstrate the importance of physical motor function using the unified Parkinson's disease rating scale (UPDRS) and three-dimensional motion analysis in Parkinson's disease rehabilitation strategies. Participants : Seventeen inpatients with Parkinson's disease. Intervention : Physical training to improve joint mobility, muscle strength and muscle stretch to increase physical capacity was conducted for about four weeks. Results: The mean total scores of UPDRS significantly decreased from 37.9±13.2 (before training) to 27.3±11.2 (after training). The ADL scores of the UPDRS decreased from 12.4±6.9 (before training) to 9.5±6.3 (after training). The motor scores decreased from 22.5±7.5 to 15.3±6.5. Furthermore, muscle rigidity and akinesia, two key Parkinson symptoms, were improved as shown by assessment of the UPDRS motor scores. And physical function of the trunk, and upper and lower extremities was also improved. Finally, the increment of stride length and walking velocity and range of motion (ROM) at the hip and pelvic joints were observed by assessment of three-dimensional motion analysis. Conclusion : This study suggests that improvement of Parkinson symptoms and increment of ROM at the pelvic and lower limbs by physical training may improve stride length and walking velocity.