Determination of Muscle Strength in Parkinsonian Patients Through the Use of an Isokinetic Dynamometer
Condition: Parkinson's Disease
MeSH terms: Parkinson Disease
Study type: Observational

Summary: 
      Decreased muscle strength has been reported to be a factor contributing to increased
      incidences of falling in the elderly patients causing fractures, joint dislocations, severe
      soft tissue lesions and head trauma. Parkinson's Disease (PD) patients often complain of
      weakness and it has been reported that they have reduced muscle strength, decreased rate of
      force development, impaired ability to maintain constant force, and increased muscle
      coactivation during balance perturbation tasks. The specific cause of this weakness is not
      known, and in this study the investigators have analyzed and measured isokinetic muscle
      strength in PD patients to clarify this issue. The investigators have compared the data
      obtained with those of age-matched controls.
    

Detailed description: 
      An isokinetic muscle action is defined by its performance at a constant speed or velocity.
      The laboratory measurements of isokinetic strength provides torque measurements throughout
      the active range of motion during a maximal effort. Torque is the force rotating about an
      axis and is produced and recorded from the angular motion. Consequently, the peak torque is
      an index of the muscular strength. Isokinetic testing was introduced as a quantitative
      measurement of both statistic and dynamic muscular contraction in which all variables
      involved (resistance, limb velocity, joint position) are under control. This is because
      isokinetic muscle testing allows objective, valid, and reliable measurement of the force
      produced by skeletal muscle during exercise at constant velocity and accommodating resistance
      and it is appropriate for measuring muscle strength and muscle endurance across the
      disability spectrum.

      Decreased muscle strength has been reported to be a factor contributing to increased
      incidences of falling in the elderly patients causing fractures, joint dislocations, severe
      soft tissue lesions and head trauma. Parkinson's Disease (PD) patients often complain of
      weakness and it has been reported that they have reduced muscle strength, decreased rate of
      force development, impaired ability to maintain constant force, and increased muscle
      coactivation during balance perturbation tasks. The specific cause of this weakness is not
      known, and in this study the investigators have analyzed and measured isokinetic muscle
      strength in PD patients to clarify this issue. the investigators have compared the data
      obtained with those of age-matched controls.
    

Observational model: Cohort
Time perspective: Cross-Sectional
Sampling method: Probability Sample
Study population: 
        Patients diagnosed with PD in stage 2-3 of Hoen&Yahr according to the United Kingdom Brain
        Bank criteria.

        Healthy Volunteers
      
Keywords: Strength in PD patients; Isokinetic muscle strength