Static and dynamic postural control: Comparison between community old adults and people with Parkinson's disease.

AIMS: To compare the static and dynamic postural control of people with Parkinson's disease and community old adults. METHODS: Thirty-five people were in the Parkinson's disease group (PDG; 12 women, 62.4 ± 11.0 years, 77.9 ± 15.6 kg, 166.5 ± 11.0 cm, 27.9 ± 3.8 kg/m2 , 1.9 ± 0.5 Hoehn & Yahr) and 32 were in the old adults group (OAG; 13 women, 69.5 ± 6.0 years, 74.2 ± 12.3 kg, 165.0 ± 8.3 cm, 27.2 ± 4.0 kg/m2 ). The static balance was measured on a force platform, three 30-s trials in four conditions: feet side-by-side (FSBS) and semi-tandem stance (ST) positioning, eyes open (EO) and eyes closed (EC). The total sway path length (SPL), sway area (SA), anterior-posterior (APSR) and medial-lateral (MLSR) sway range of the centre of pressure were obtained. Dynamic balance was assessed using the timed-up-and-go test (TUG). For comparison between groups and repeated-measures, a mixed-design ANOVA was carried out and the Mann-Whitney U test to compare TUG between groups. The significance level was set at p ≤ .05. RESULTS: Between groups, PDG presented higher mean values for SPL, APSR and SA in feet side-by-side eyes open compared to the OAG, for SPL in feet side-by-side eyes closed, for SPL and SA in STEO. For repeated-measures, both groups had higher mean values in the EC condition compared to EO and MLSR compared to APSR. No significant difference was found between groups for TUG. CONCLUSION: Balance disorders are found early in people with Parkinson's disease compared to healthy older adults. Thus, Parkinson's disease seems to advance the process of alterations in the postural control system.

Gait characteristics of persons with incomplete spinal cord injury in shallow water.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the kinematic gait characteristics of individuals with incomplete chronic spinal cord injury in a water environment and to compare these characteristics with those of healthy individuals. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS: Nineteen adults divided into 2 groups: individuals (n = 9) with incomplete chronic spinal cord injury (> 1 year), American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) C or D; and a second group (n = 10) of healthy young adults. The groups were paired up according to body mass and height. METHODS: Participants walked at a self-selected speed in a heated pool with water at the level of the xiphoid process. Participants with spinal cord injury were allowed to hold the researcher's hands. The body segment and joint angle coordinates in the sagittal plane were retrieved with SIMI Motion software. Temporal-spatial variables and joint ranges of motion were compared between groups. RESULTS: Duration of stance phase, stride length and speed differed significantly (p < 0.05) between groups. The ranges of joint motion were not significantly different (p > 0.05), and the joint angle patterns were qualitatively similar between groups. CONCLUSION: The physical properties of water provided the required time for reorganization of gait phases and allowed all individuals with spinal cord injury to walk in the water environment.

Aquatic gait modulation by resistance and its effects on motor behavior

O meio aquático determina diversas modificações nos gestos motores, estas mudanças estão diretamente ligadas às características e princípios físicos que regem este meio. A marcha é um ato motor funcional adquirido na infância, repetido e automatizado. O objetivo é identificar como a resistência da água interfere no comportamento motor na marcha aquática. MÉTODO: realizou-se uma revisão bibliográfica na base de dados da Bireme (LILACS, IBECS, MEDLINE, Biblioteca Cochrane, SciELO). Os artigos estudados apresentam que a marcha pode ser definida e influenciada pelo seu histórico evolutivo, pelas variáveis do ambiente aquático (profundidade, densidade, fluxo), pelas caracteríticas do corpo em deslocamento (forma, composição, peso, etc). Os achados apontam para uma resposta somatosensorial, que se efetiva pela ação em função da composição, da forma, do peso, etc.(AU)

The aquatic environment causes many modifications in motor gestures, changes directly linked to the characteristics and physical principles that govern this medium. Gait is a functional motor act acquired in childhood, repeated and automated. The objective of this study was to identify how the resistance of the water interferes with the motor behavior in aquatic gait. METHODS: a review was carried out using the Bireme database (LILACS, IBECS, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, SciELO). The articles studied showed that gait could be defined and influenced by its historical evolution, the variables of the water environment (depth, density, flow) and the characteristics of the body being displaced (shape, composition, weight, etc). The findings point to a somatosensory response that is enabled by the action as a function of the composition, shape, weight, etc.(AU)

Aquatic gait modulation by resistance and its effects on motor behavior

O meio aquático determina diversas modificações nos gestos motores, estas mudanças estão diretamente ligadas às características e princípios físicos que regem este meio. A marcha é um ato motor funcional adquirido na infância, repetido e automatizado. O objetivo é identificar como a resistência da água interfere no comportamento motor na marcha aquática. MÉTODO: realizou-se uma revisão bibliográfica na base de dados da Bireme (LILACS, IBECS, MEDLINE, Biblioteca Cochrane, SciELO). Os artigos estudados apresentam que a marcha pode ser definida e influenciada pelo seu histórico evolutivo, pelas variáveis do ambiente aquático (profundidade, densidade, fluxo), pelas caracteríticas do corpo em deslocamento (forma, composição, peso, etc). Os achados apontam para uma resposta somatosensorial, que se efetiva pela ação em função da composição, da forma, do peso, etc.

The aquatic environment causes many modifications in motor gestures, changes directly linked to the characteristics and physical principles that govern this medium. Gait is a functional motor act acquired in childhood, repeated and automated. The objective of this study was to identify how the resistance of the water interferes with the motor behavior in aquatic gait. METHODS: a review was carried out using the Bireme database (LILACS, IBECS, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, SciELO). The articles studied showed that gait could be defined and influenced by its historical evolution, the variables of the water environment (depth, density, flow) and the characteristics of the body being displaced (shape, composition, weight, etc). The findings point to a somatosensory response that is enabled by the action as a function of the composition, shape, weight, etc.