Movement deficits in Parkinson's disease and restorative occupational therapy.

This paper focuses on movement deficits that interfere with smooth execution of movement following Parkinson's disease. Difficulty in initiating, slowness in executing, inhibition of a current movement and preparation for a new movement as well as, switching between sets of movements, and freezing are explained. Effectiveness of occupational therapy has been difficult to establish with methodological flaws in research. However, measurements that quantify movement deficits and the neuroinvestigative evidence based activities and contexts in occupational therapy could restore movement capabilities. Such focussed movement restitution in occupational therapy would, in turn, increase participation in daily life and improve the quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]