Investigation of the effect of scapular dysfunction on anticipatory postural adjustments and gait in individuals with parkinson disease

This study was planned to investigated the effect of the presence of scapular dysfunction on anticipatory postural adjustments and gait in individuals with Parkinson's disease. Ten healthy individuals whose mean age of 60.80±6.55 years, eleven individuals with Parkinson disease and scapular dysfunction whose mean age of 62.36±8.49 years and nine individuals with Parkinson disease without scapular dysfunction whose mean age of 61.11±7.32 years were included. After the demographic information and disease status of the participants were recorded, scapular dysfunction assessments, balance assessments (with Timed Up and Go Test, Tandem Stance Test, Functional Reach Test, Dynamic Gait Index) and walking speed (with 10-Meter Walk Test) were evaluated. Anticipatory postural adjustments (APA) duration (with inertial measurement unit) during right and left stepping and activation of muscles around the scapula (with superficial electromyography) during stepping and gait were assessed. As a result of the study, scapular dysfunction was observed in %55 of Parkinson's patients who participated in the study. It was found that scapular dysfunction had a moderate relationship with right and left APA durations in a negative direction and with gait speed in a positive direction (respectively r= -0.470, r= -0.588, r= 0.497, p<0.05). A significant difference was found in terms of gait balance, right and left APA durations in the comparison of the three groups (p<0.05). When the healthy group with the group of individuals with Parkinson disease and scapular dysfunction were compared, gait balance, right and left APA durations were found to be significantly different (p<0.017). As a result, it was thought in our study that scapular dysfunction can be seen in individuals with Parkinson disease starting from the early stages and may has negative effects on muscle activations. It has been revealed that scapular dysfunction may has detrimental effects on gait balance, gait speed and APA durations from the early stages.