[Role of rehabilitation Parkinson's disease, by disease severity and disability pattern]

Physical therapy is recognized as one of the most helpful means of improving the disabling side-effects of Parkinson's disease. Techniques which reduce stiffness, and improve muscle contracture and respiratory function are well established in different fields of rehabilitation including rheumatology and orthopedics. Parkinson's disease patients derive an obvious benefit from such treatments, suitably adapted to each stage of the disease course. New avenues for rehabilitation care include the cognitive approach for learning strategies or mental preparation for a given action in an attempt to reduce the akinesia, one of the main features of parkinsonism. Attractive as this new approach may be, its effectiveness remains to be proven.