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Interesting... So, we must focus on the floor not moving...;-) Nic 57/15 On Fri, Mar 27, 2009 at 6:19 AM, rayilynlee <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > External focus improves postural stability in patients with Parkinson's > disease > March 26th, 2009 > > ALEXANDRIA, VA - Patients with Parkinson disease may be able to improve > their postural stability by directing their attention to the external > effects of their movements rather than to the movements of their own body, > according to a study published in the February 2009 issue of Physical > Therapy, the scientific journal of the American Physical Therapy Association > (APTA). > > Adults with Parkinson disease are at greater risk for posture and balance > impairments. These conditions may lead to falls, resulting in head injuries > and fractures, which can end with hospitalization and further mobility > limitations. Approximately 90 percent of people with Parkinson disease will > fall at some point during their lives.1 In the past 12 months, two-thirds of > patients with Parkinson disease reported a fall.2 > > According to physical therapist researcher and APTA spokesperson Merrill > Landers, PT, DPT, OCS, "of the major motor signs of Parkinson disease, > postural instability is the least responsive to medication. It is crucial > that physical therapists continue to develop effective rehabilitation > strategies to address this issue." > > Lead researcher Gabriele Wulf, PhD, and her team observed 14 adults with > idiopathic Parkinson disease as they balanced on an unstable surface (an > inflated rubber disk) under three attentional focus conditions -- external > focus, internal focus, and a control condition. > > Patients were instructed to either focus on reducing movements of the > rubber disk (external focus) or movements of their feet (internal focus), or > they were not given attentional focus instructions (control condition). The > results were consistent with previous findings on attentional focus, which > showed that directing attention to the effects of an individual's movement > on the environment (external focus) improved postural stability, compared > with internal focus and control conditions, during standing for individuals > with Parkinson disease. > > "In the past 12 years or so, numerous studies have been done - many of them > involving healthy adults learning sport skills - and it has consistently > been found that individuals perform and learn motor skills more effectively > when they are instructed to adopt an external focus. Other studies have > shown that those advantages generalize to people after stroke as well as to > the rehabilitation of ankle sprains, for example. This is a very reliable > effect, and the current study demonstrates that persons with Parkinson > disease benefit from an external attentional focus as well," Wulf explained. > > "Findings from this study not only have the potential to enhance the > rehabilitation strategies of physical therapists working with patients with > Parkinson disease, but may ultimately give patients with postural > instability more control over their lives through the use of strategies that > help them manage their own balance safely and effectively," said Rebecca > Lewthwaite, PhD, of Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center, a > co-author on the study. > > Rayilyn Brown > Director AZNPF > Arizona Chapter National Parkinson Foundation > [log in to unmask] > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto: > [log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn