Determinants of impaired bed mobility in Parkinson’s disease: Impact of hip muscle strength and motor symptoms

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Although most patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) present difficulties of bed mobility, the contributing factors to impaired bed mobility in PD are unknown. OBJECTIVE: To compare bed mobility and muscle strength between PD patients and healthy controls, and investigate the determinants of bed mobility in PD. METHODS: Sixteen patients with PD and ten age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HC) were enrolled. Time and pattern to get out of bed to their preferred side at usual speed, muscle torque in lower extremities and motor symptom burden were also measured. RESULTS: PD exhibited significantly slower speed in bed mobility and lower torque in the hip adductor/abductor/flexor muscle than HC. Slower movement time in PD was correlated with weaker hip adductor torque on the more affected side (Rs = –0.56, p < 0.05) and with higher score in arm rigidity both sides (Rs≥0.79, p < 0.01). There were no significant differences between the categorised movement patterns and movement time in PD (p = 0.31). CONCLUSIONS: Reduced hip adductors torque and severe arm rigidity are associated with slowness of getting out of bed, implying that these components could be used as targets for rehabilitation practice to improve bed mobility in PD.