Joint moment during gait initiation in people with Parkinson's Disease

Abstract

People with Parkinson's disease (PD) show asymmetry during early stages of the disease, and may persist throughout its progression. Asymmetry in PD may help the diagnosis of the disease, as it differentiates it from other neurodegenerative diseases. Another factor that may influence gait initiation in people with PD is the decreasing in joint moments, caused by damage in muscle strength and endurance, which alter the behavior of movements in this population. In addition, it is possible that asymmetry and decrease in joint moment influence gait initiation, impairing the mobility of people with PD, because during this period anticipatory postural adjustments and postural stability are required for a safe gait initiation. However, little is known about the effects of asymmetry and joint moment during gait initiation in people with PD. Thus, the aim of the internship project is to expand the student's knowledge about the new joint moment related analyzes and the advanced calculations required for this analysis. Furthermore, the gains will improve the data analysis of this project under development in Brazil. All gait initiation data has already been collected. All center of pressure (CoP) variables in the mediolateral and anteroposterior direction will be analyzed, in addition to ground reaction forces and variables related to spatiotemporal parameters. Thus, these findings may indicate whether this population is influenced by asymmetry and/or joint moment of the lower limbs, such as hip, knee and ankle joints. During the internship period, the student will learn about the calculations necessary for the joint analysis of the moment, as well as attending scientific meetings and assisting in data collection. The activities developed in this period will be of great importance in the theoretical learning about the joint moment, mainly in PD. (AU)