Search

Introduction: Rigidity is a cardinal symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD). Clinically, rigidity is usually assessed by passively flexing and extending a patient's limb. Few studies have assessed rigidity in trunk muscles in PD patients., Aims: To develop an objective measurement to quantify trunk rigidity in PD patients, and to examine its relationship with disease severity using the Hoehn and Yahr staging score (HY) and the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale III (UPDRS-III), disease duration, functional status with the Schwab & England activities of daily living scale and health related quality of life (HRQoL) was assessed with the European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions and Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-39 items (PDQ-39)., Patients and Methods: An isokinetic dynamometer Biodex System 3 was employed to assess trunk rigidity in 36 PD patients. Passive trunk flexion and extension at 3 angular velocities, 30 degrees/s, 45 degrees/s and 60 degrees /s were applied and resistive torques were recorded as trunk flexor and extensors rigidity., Results: Significant correlations between trunk flexors-extensors tone and HY staging score, UPDRS-III, disease duration and functional status at 30 degrees/s, 45 degrees/s and 60 degrees/s were obtained. Trunk rigidity was correlated with the HRQoL assessed with the PDQ-39., Conclusions: Our results suggest that the 30 degrees/s, 45 degrees/s and 60 degrees/s angular velocities of this objective method was valid to assess trunk rigidity and was correlated with disease severity, disease duration, functional status and HRQoL in PD patients.

Introduction: The limitations of gait in children with cerebral palsy are common. In fact, the training of locomotion is an essential therapeutic goal. There are various treatment approaches, but in recent years, the treadmill training, framed within the motor learning task-oriented, has increased its presence at the clinical level., Aim: To determine whether treadmill training with or without partial body weight support, improves the ability to walk, the motor function of the lower limb, the disability and the quality of life in children with cerebral palsy., Materials and Methods: We selected only those articles with the highest level of evidence for each type of intervention. We searched in the National Guideline Clearinghouse, Trip Database, SUMsearch, Medline, CINHAL, Embase, Amed, Cochrane Library Plus and PEDro. Data were extracted from these six studies, which recruited 127 participants. Only a meta-analysis was given. We used a fixed effects model, data were not significant between increased of speed and treadmill training., Results: According to the individual studies, the intervention improved lower extremity function and spatiotemporal parameters during gait. However, the differences between groups in favor of the experimental condition, were mostly not significant., Conclusions: The systematic review shows some limitations. Firstly, it includes a small number of studies, which is also a small sample of participants. In addition, among the studies, there is a great clinical diversity and many articles did not described relevant data exactly for critical reading.