The effects of osteopathic treatment on proprioception in mild to moderate Parkinson’s patients. A single case study.
Item
- Title
- The effects of osteopathic treatment on proprioception in mild to moderate Parkinson’s patients. A single case study.
- Author(s)
- Farrell, S
- Abstract
- Background: Those with Parkinson’s disease (PD) have an increased probability of falls which then further impacts their quality of life. Therefore the management of those with PD is vital to reduce the incidence rate as current pharmacological intervention has little effect on proprioception. Objective: The objective is to investigate the potential role osteopathic treatment has on proprioception in patients with PD. Design: Mixed methods: Multiple baseline ABAB single subject design with descriptive thematic analysis. Method: Patients diagnosed with PD already undergoing conventional treatment methods. All patients had not been subject to osteopathic treatment in the last 6 months. During the four phases, over 10 weeks. 4 treatment sessions were designed to address the patient’s proprioception. The quantitative outcome measures assessed were balance age, falls risk, mean distance and sway area. Graphic analysis was completed to provide visual representation of the subject outcomes before, during and after intervention. A focus group was conducted on the second from last interaction and included 5 questions directed at the patients experience over the 10 weeks. Visual representation was completed in the forms of word clouds and thematic analysis table.Results: One participant showed positive statistical significance in balance age, falls risk and Pondera test report results as a response to intervention. The other two participants showed no positive significance in all quantitative measures. In addition no positive statistical significance was found in either mean distance or sway area in all three participants. However the study suggests that all three participants had areas of positive treatment response through focus group thematic analysis. Positive qualitative measures examples include QOL (quality of life) and ADL (activities of daily living). Discussion: The implication of these findings supports existing research to suggest passive articulation improves proprioception. No positive significance was found in two out of the three participants. Therefore due to methodological issues, the outcome measures may not be the most reliable measures and if this study would be repeated again other measures may be more appropriate for PD research. Conclusion: Osteopathic intervention decreases falls risk and balance age in mild to moderate PD sufferers. In addition intervention also suggested improvements to QOL and ADL in those with PD.
- presented at
- European School of Osteopathy
- Date Accepted
- 2018
- Date Submitted
- 25.1.2019 17:18:25
- Type
- osteo_thesis
- Language
- English
- Submitted by:
- 62
- Pub-Identifier
- 16394
- Inst-Identifier
- 1229
- Keywords
- Osteopathy
- Recommended
- 0
- Item sets
- Thesis
Farrell, S, “The effects of osteopathic treatment on proprioception in mild to moderate Parkinson’s patients. A single case study.”, Osteopathic Research Web, accessed May 4, 2025, https://www.osteopathicresearch.org/s/orw/item/370