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Computerized Dynamic Posturography for Postural Control Assessment in Patients with Intermittent Claudication
Published on: December 11, 2013
External focus instructions reduce postural instability in individuals with Parkinson disease
Gabriele Wulf1, Merrill Landers, Rebecca Lewthwaite
1Department of Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, NV 89154-3034, USA. gabriele.wulf@unlv.edu
Physical Therapy
|December 17, 2008
Summary
Directing attention outward improves balance in Parkinson disease (PD). Focusing on the environment, not body movements, reduces postural sway, potentially lowering fall risk for individuals with PD.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Motor Control
- Gerontology
Background:
- Parkinson disease (PD) significantly impairs postural stability, increasing fall risk and activity limitations.
- External focus of attention enhances motor skill performance and learning, but research in PD is limited.
- Attentional focus strategies may offer benefits for stability and movement effectiveness in individuals with PD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the generalizability of the attentional focus effect on balance in older adults with Parkinson disease (PD).
Main Methods:
- A within-participant design was employed to manage individual balance variations.
- Fourteen participants with idiopathic PD (Hoehn and Yahr stages II-III) balanced on an unstable disk.
- Attentional focus conditions included external (focus on disk), internal (focus on feet), and control (no instruction).
Main Results:
- An external focus of attention significantly reduced postural sway compared to internal focus and control conditions.
- No significant difference in postural sway was observed between internal focus and control conditions.
- External focus demonstrated a benefit for postural stability in individuals with PD.
Conclusions:
- External attentional focus reduces postural instability in individuals with PD, consistent with findings in other populations.
- Subtle instructions directing attention externally can improve standing balance.
- These findings have practical implications for clinical interventions aimed at reducing fall risk in PD.
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