The Global Postural Reeducation (GPR) method is a physical therapy based on the stretching of antigravity muscle chains with the parallel enhancement of the basal tone of antagonistic muscles addressed to improve static and dynamic stability. Through a three-dimensional motion analysis (3DMA) system, our study aims to investigate whether in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients a GPR program results in a more physiological gait pattern. The kinematic parameters of gait of twenty subjects with clinically diagnosed PD were calculated. The patients were randomly assigned to a study (10 or control (10) group. All subjects underwent neurological and 3DMA assessments at entry time (t 0), at 4 weeks (t 1, end of GPR program), and at 8 and 12 weeks (t 2 and t 3, follow-up evaluation). The study group underwent a four-week GPR program, three times a week, for 40 min individual sessions. Kinematic gait parameters of thigh (T), knee (K) and ankle (A) and UPDRS-III scores were evaluated. At the end of the GPR program, we observed an improvement of the kinematic gait pattern, documented by the increase in KΔc and TΔc values that respectively express the flexion amplitude of knee and thigh. The amelioration was persistent at follow-up assessments, with a parallel enhancement in clinical parameters. GPR intervention shows a long-term efficacy on gait pattern in PD patients. Furthermore, we validated 3DMA as a valuable tool to study the kinematics of gait thus refining the understanding of the effects of specific rehabilitation programs.
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of a Global Postural Rehabilitation (GPR) program on motor symptoms and gait parameters of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) by means of three-dimensional motion analysis study. Ten subjects with clinical diagnosis of PD were enrolled (study group). Age-, sex- and disease duration-matched PD patients were recruited as a control group (no treatment). Three-dimensional motion analysis was conducted by means of a stereophotogrammetric system. After basal evaluation, the study group underwent a specific rehabilitation program consisting of individual 40 min GPR daily sessions, 3 days a week for 4 consecutive weeks. Neurological status and spatiotemporal gait parameters of the two groups were evaluated at study entry (t (0)), at 4 weeks (t (1), end of rehabilitation protocol) and at 8 and 12 weeks (t (2) and t (3), follow-up evaluation). At baseline evaluation, the two groups did not differ in clinical features and gait parameters. At the end of rehabilitation protocol (t (1)) and at follow-up evaluation (t (2) and t (3)), a significant improvement in temporal gait parameters and UPDRS scores was observed in all treated patients as compared to baseline and controls. Our preliminary findings showed that significant improvements in mobility and gait parameters of PD patients can be obtained through GPR treatment, with a parallel improvement in clinical status. Quantitative analysis of gait pattern can be considered a useful tool to assess the efficacy of rehabilitation interventions in patients affected by PD.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.