Article

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between spatiotemporal parameters of
forward and backward gait and quality of compensatory stepping responses in
forward and backward directions in people with Parkinson's disease with and
without freezing of gait.
SUBJECTS: A total of
111 individuals with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease. METHODS: Forward and
backward gait velocity and step length were evaluated using a GAITRite walkway.
Forward and backward postural responses were evaluated using items from the Mini
Balance Evaluation Systems Test and the Movement Disorders Society Unified
Parkinson Disease Rating Scale motor subsection. Relationships between gait and
postural responses were examined for the full sample and for sub-groups with and
without freezing of gait. RESULTS: There were significant (p < 0.05) low to
moderate correlations between postural responses and gait overall. Correlations
were similar in the freezer and non-freezer sub-groups. Freezers performed worse
than non-freezers on all gait parameters and backward postural response items (p
< 0.05). CONCLUSION: Low to moderate relationships between gait and postural
responses indicate the complexity of postural control and the potential
involvement of different neural circuitry across these tasks. Better understanding of the relationships between gait and postural deficits in
Parkinson's disease may inform the future development of targeted interventions
to address these impairments.

Langue : ANGLAIS