Correlation Analysis of Hand Flexibility and Balance Function in Patients with Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disorder caused by a reduction in dopamine in the substantia nigra and striatum of the basal ganglia. Patients with mild to moderate PD have poor hand dexterity, reduced grip strength, and lower self-perceived hand function ability. The aim of the study was to explore the correlation between hand function and balance function in patients with PD.

Overall, 196 patients with PD who visited the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine and the Department of Neurology of Huashan Hospital affiliated to Fudan University from June 2022 to December 2024 were selected, with Hohn-Yahr stages II-III. The hand function and balance function of the patients were evaluated. The correlation between the hand function and balance function of the patients was observed through the Simple Test for Evaluating Hand Function (STEF), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT).

The hand function of the patients was positively correlated with the balance function. The right hand STEF test was negatively correlated with the total Berg score at the opening period (r = -0.563, p < 0.01) and was positively correlated with the duration of TUGT (r = 0.527, p < 0.01). The results obtained with the left hand were similar to those of the right hand.

Improved hand function correlates with better balance and shorter completion times on the Timed Up and Go Test (TUGT). Hand function assessments may therefore predict balance performance in patients. Future research should determine whether these functions are interdependent or operate independently.