Dear Murray,
I am Elaine, CP of Dick, age 72 diagnosed about 12 yrs. ago. Dick went to the hospital several times this past summer. When he came home, he walked like Kokopelli, the Indian flute player. He would try to straighten up, but it would only last for a few seconds. He said he would try to stand up while brushing his teeth, but soon he could no longer see himself in the mirror because he was already bending over so much. His balance is poor and I was afraid of his falling with so much forward weight. His back hurt, of course. He started phtysical therapy to strengthen his core. At the same time, I would remind him when he was walking like Kokopelli because he thought he was upright. I sometimes had to gently put my hand on his chest and between his shoulder blades and guide him to an upright position. He is walking almost upright now after several months of concentrated exercise and gentle help with positioning of the upright position, but if he is feeling very sick
and tired, he will somewhat revert to the posture. Even sick, he can now correct himself for a few minutes, and I am not quite so worried about his pitching forward and getting injured. I have never heard the term " "camptocorrnia" so perhaps it is different than what Dick is experiencing. I know it is very tiring to walk in that position, and I hope you find relief. I will ask our physical therapist about it by copying the report and let you know what she says.
Thinking of you.
Elaine
"Nina P. Brown" <[log in to unmask]> wrote: I don't have it, but when I looked it up, I found this written by my
neurologist.
Have you tried botox....maybe you might be one that it works for?
Sorry...it's the pits!
Nina
"Circumstances determine our lives, but we shape our lives by what we
make of our circumstances."
Camptocormia
Pathogenesis, classification, and response to therapy
Shaheda N. Azher, MD and Joseph Jankovic, MD
From Parkinson’s Disease Center and Movement Disorders Clinic,
Department of Neurology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX.
Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Joseph Jankovic,
Professor of Neurology, Director of Parkinson’s Disease Center and
Movement Disorders Clinic, Department of Neurology, Baylor College of
Medicine, 6550 Fannin, Suite 1801, Houston, TX 77030; e-mail: [log in to unmask]
Originally considered a psychogenic disorder, camptocormia, an
abnormal posture with marked flexion of thoracolumbar spine that
abates in the recumbent position, is becoming an increasingly
recognized feature of parkinsonian and dystonic disorders. Prior
reports were limited by sample size, short follow-up, and paucity of
data on response to therapy. The authors reviewed 16 patients
evaluated in their PD Center and Movement Disorders Clinic diagnosed
with camptocormia. In addition to detailed neurologic assessment all
patients were videotaped. The mean age was 64.9 ± 17.4 years, mean age
at onset of neurologic symptoms was 51.5 ± 19.9 years, duration from
onset of neurologic symptoms to development of camptocormia was 6.7 ±
7.6 years, and the mean duration of camptocormia was 4.5 ± 3.9 years.
Of the 16 patients, 11 (68.8%) had Parkinson disease (PD); others had
dystonia (n = 4) and Tourette syndrome (n = 1). Twelve patients
received levodopa, with minimal or no improvement in the camptocormia.
Nine patients received botulinum toxin type A injections into the
rectus abdominus, with notable improvement in their camptocormia in
four. One patient underwent bilateral subthalamic nucleus deep brain
stimulation for PD, but there was no improvement in camptocormia.
Based on this series and a thorough review of the literature of
camptocormia, head drop, and bent spine syndrome, the authors propose
etiologic classification of camptocormia and conclude that this
heterogeneous disorder has multiple etiologies and variable response
to systemic and local therapies.
Additional material related to this article can be found on the
Neurology Web site. Go to www.neurology.org and scroll down the Table
of Contents for the August 9 issue to find the title link for this
article.
Disclosure: The authors report no conflicts of interest.
Received November 20, 2004. Accepted in final form April 18, 2005.
On Mar 3, 2008, at 5:26 AM, Murray Kastner wrote:
> Firstly, let me apologize. I have been a peripatetic reader here for a
> few years but I have been mute for quite a while as other matters
> (like making my daily bread!) interfered, and my PD seemed to be
> quiet. No more. So I am looking for more info on camptocormia, which
> has debilitated me far worse than any of my other symptoms.
>
> Anyone else stooped over to the extent of not being able to walk more
> than a few city blocks and only with a walker?
>
> TIA for any help profferred. I feel like I have just been imprisoned.
>
> Murray Kastner
> Montreal, Canada
> [log in to unmask]
> (514)296-8808
>
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