On the characterization of Leg Agility in patients with Parkinson's Disease

Abstract

In this paper, we focus on the characterization of the Leg Agility (LA) task, which contributes to the evaluation of the degree of severity of the Parkinson's Disease (PD) through semiquantitative evaluation scales, such as the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). By extracting relevant kinematic variables, such as the angular amplitude and speed of thighs' motion, we analyze, in a comparative way, the results obtained when a healthy subject and a PD patient perform the LA task. Our investigation relies on the use of wireless inertial systems, whose accuracy is confirmed by direct comparison with optoelectronic systems. Although preliminary, the proposed analysis allows to derive significant insights in possible approaches to accurately evaluate the degree of severity of PD.