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Research: DUVAL and co-workers,
Listed in Issue 87
Abstract
DUVAL and co-workers, Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Quebec, Canada, investigated the effect of Trager therapy on the level of evoked stretch responses in patients with Parkinson’s disease and rigidity .
Background
The aim of the study was to quantify changes in the evoked stretch responses in the most rigid arm of patients with Parkinson’s disease after Trager therapy, a gentle manual therapy .
Methodology
Gentle rocking motion was imparted to the upper limbs and body of 30 patients for 20 minutes . A pre-treatment and two post-treatment (1 and 11 minutes) measurements were performed consisting of electromyographic recordings on two muscles in the patients’ forearms while their wrist were being passively flexed and extended to 60 degrees at a frequency of once per second. Patients received the treatment either on the more rigid side of their bodies or on the contralateral side. Half of the patients in each group were treated whilst lying down and the other half whilst sitting .
Results
Overall the level of evoked stretch response was lowered by the treatment by 36% at one minute and by 32% at eleven minutes (p = 0.05). Patients who received the treatment lying down benefited from a 42% reduction . The side on which patients received the treatment did not at first appear to influence results; however post-hoc analysis of the triple interaction revealed that the sitting position was much less efficient for a sustained contralateral effect.
Conclusion
These results strongly suggest that it is possible to modify the evoked stretch response using Trager therapy . This stretch reflex inhibition may induce a reduction of the muscular rigidity typically seen in Parkinson’s disease. The present results may eventually lead to the development of a specific manual therapy for patients with Parkinson’s disease and rigidity .
References
Duval C, Lafontaine D, Hebert J, Leroux A, Panisset M, Boucher JP, et al. The effect of Trager therapy on the level of evoked stretch responses in patients with Parkinson’s disease and rigidity. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 25 (7): 455-464, Sep 2002.
Comment
In view of the difficulty of treating Parkinson’s disease, these types of drug-free therapies can make a difference to the quality of life of Parkinson’s patients.
