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Ok, I get it. Instead of 'thinking' about your leg and feet muscles, to stay upright, you rather concentrate, (focus), on the stable surroundings. Much like focusing on the horizon to avoid sea sickness on a rocking boat. So far the only time that I have a problem with balance is when I want to change direction in mid course. This has resulted in a few unintended collisions with other shopping mall pedestrians! Nic 57/15 On Sat, Mar 28, 2009 at 9:53 AM, rayilynlee <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > I have two putting greens in my backyard and I'm hoping focusing on the > holes will help my balance some. > > Rayilyn Brown > Director AZNPF > Arizona Chapter National Parkinson Foundation > [log in to unmask] > > -------------------------------------------------- > From: "Nic Marais" <[log in to unmask]> > Sent: Saturday, March 28, 2009 12:26 AM > To: <[log in to unmask]> > Subject: Re: External focus improves postural instability > > > 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 >> > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > 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