The Acute Effect of Lumbosacral Mobilization in Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disease including resting tremor, bradykinesia, rigidity and postural instability. In addition, postural disorders, motor freezing, gait disturbances, decreased arm swing and axial rotation loss accompany the disease. There is an important relationship between axial rotation and turning, which is one of many activities in daily life. Parkinson's patients with loss of axial rotation have a difficulty gait, daily living activities and is associated with falls. Classical physiotherapy methods for Parkinson's patients such as stretching, strengthening and posture exercises, balance, coordination and gait training, and different methods such as motor imagery, sensory stimuli and neurophysiological approaches can be used in the treatment of Parkinson's patients. Although there are applications that can increase axial rotation in physiotherapy programs, all programs may be able to focus adequately on the treatment of this symptom. In addition, according to the literature, the effects of all physiotherapy approaches emerge as a result of long-term training. Mobilization techniques are applications that are included in physiotherapy programs and have a wide area of use. It is divided into three subtitles according to its severity and degree: Grade A (mobilization), grade B (mobilization) and grade C (manipulation). Considering the effects of mobilization on muscle activation and balance, grade A and grade B mobilization applications are likely to increase the mobility of this area when applied on the lumbosacral region. Therefore, these practices can affect balance, gait and functional activities by regulating muscle tone (rigidity) and muscle activation and reducing axial symptoms in Parkinson's patients. Based on this information, the aim of our study is to investigate the acute effect of lumbosacral mobilization on balance, gait and functional activities in patients with Parkinson's disease.