ABSTRACT
Studies which have investigated muscular performance during the initial stages of Parkinson´s disease (PD) without L-dopa treatments were not found.
Objective
to assess whether muscular performance, work and power, of the trunk and lower limbs in L-dopa naïve patients in the early stages of PD was lower than those of healthy subjects and to compare muscular performance between the lower limbs.
Method
Ten subjects with PD, Hoehn and Yahr (HY) I-II, L-dopa naïve and 10 subjects in the control group were assessed with the isokinetic dynamometer.
Results
ANOVAs revealed that work and power measures of the trunk, hip, knee, and ankle muscular groups were lower in PD compared with the control group (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in muscular performance between the lower limbs.
Conclusion
The results suggested the use of specific exercises, as rehabilitation strategies, to improve the ability to produce work and power with this population.
Parkinson’s disease; muscle strength; Muscle strength dynamometer; rehabilitation; physical therapy speciality