Parkinson's disease evaluation of range of motion to vertebral column and relationship to fall

Fifty right handed patients with PD, H&Y stage 1-4, diagnosed by means of the United Kingdom Parkinson?s Disease Society Brain Bank Clinical Diagnostic Criteria (referans) were included in the study. Patients who have neck and back pain, vertebral column disease and vertebral column surgery were excluded from the study. Fifty right handed subjects were set up and evaluated as the control group.Cervical Range of Motion meter and inclinometer used to measure cervical flexion, extension, right-left lateral flexion, right-left rotation and lomber flexion, extension, and history of falling of the groups were evaluated. All statistical analyses were performed with the SPSS software (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 17.0, SSPS Inc, and Chicago, IL, USA).Twenty six Patients H&Y Stage 1-2 were evaluated as mild and 24 patients with H&Y Stage 3-4 were evaluated as moderate grup. Patients with H&Y Stage 5 were not included into the study. History of falling at least one time for the last six months were present in 14 patients.There was statistical difference between vertebral column range of motions between patient and control groups but there were no statistically signifcant difference between mild and moderate groups. These results show that vertebral range of motions are decreased in the early stages. There were no statistical difference between vertebral range of motions of the patient and control groups who have history of falling or not.There were not statistically significant difference between UPDRS scores and Berg Balance Scale scores between the patients who have history of falling or not.In this study, we found that vertebral range of motions are decreased at the early stages of the disease and this decrease can affect balance control and the functionality of the patients. Therefore, beside the pharmacological therapy, physical therapy and exercise should not be forgotten.