Correction of Hypomimia Through Activation of Gait Function in Patients with Parkinson`s Disease

Abstract

Aim: To assess the influence of gait function activation on manifestations of hypomimia in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Design: A comparative clinical study. Materials and methods. The study enrolled 18 patients with stage of 2–3 PD according to Hoehn — Yahr Rating Scale aged 70 [65; 76] years. Analysis of facial expression in PD patients was analysed by using a proprietary method of computer video-analysis of facial muscle movement. Activation of the gait function used another proprietary method: the apparatus for functional foot therapy that mechanically activates the rear push of the foot at the moment of the lift of the foot from the supporting surface. Results. Activation of the gait function has statistically significantly improved the mimic function of the face, in particular the blink frequency (p = 0.022), eyebrow movement amplitude along the Y axis in the «brow furrow» test (p = 0.048) and the amplitude of mouth movement while reading a text along the axis X (p = 0.012). Conclusion. The confirmation of the decrease of hypomimia manifestations through affecting the condition of general hypokinesia creates the prerequisites for appearance of rehabilitation methods making it possible to perform simultaneously correction of these two symptoms. Keywords: Parkinson’s disease, hypomimia, hypokinesia, gait function activation.