Proprioceptive and sensorimotor performance in Parkinson’s disease

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We explored the effects of random whole-body-vibration on leg proprioception in Parkinson’s disease. In earlier studies it was found that this treatment leads to improved postural control in these patients. Thus, one could speculate that these effects result from modified proprioceptive capabilities. Twenty-eight Parkinson’s disease patients were subdivided in one experimental and one control group. Proprioceptive performance was analyzed using a tracking task basing on knee extension and flexion movements. Treatment consisted of 5 series of random whole-bodyvibration taking 60 seconds each. Control subjects had a rest period instead. Prominent overand undershooting-errors were found in both groups representing proprioceptive impairments. However, no significant differences became evident neither between preand posttests nor between experimental and control group. One might therefore conclude that spontaneous improvements in postural control are not directly connected with proprioceptive changes. Nevertheless, one should also keep the mind on general aspects and difficulties of analyzing proprioception.

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