title: The effects of additional arm weights on arm-swing magnitude and gait patterns in Parkinson's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Recently, arm facilitation has been interested in gait rehabilitation. However, there have been few studies concerning arm facilitation in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of increasing arm weights on gait pattern in patients with PD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-seven patients with PD were enrolled, and they underwent gait analysis using a three-dimensional motion capture system. Sandbags were applied to the distal forearms in all participants. We compared gait parameters including arm swing, pelvic motion, spatiotemporal data, and relative rotational angle between the weighted and unweighted gaits.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total arm-swing amplitude and pelvic rotation were significantly higher when walking with additional arm weights than without arm weights. Cadence, walking speed, stride length, and swing phase were significantly higher, whereas stride time, double-support time, and stance phase were significantly lower, when walking with additional arm weights than without arm weights.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that adding weights to the arm during walking may facilitate arm and pelvic movements, which results in changes to gait patterns. The therapeutic use of additional arm weights could be considered for gait rehabilitation in PD to improve gait impairment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Arm-swing facilitation using weight load improved gait in Parkinson's disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jiyeon
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: jinsepark@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Jinse
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kunbo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Geunyeol
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jo
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University, Busan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Haeyu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Gangneung Asan Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Gangneung, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Wooyoung
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Soonchunhyang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Sun
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Samsung Medical Center, College of Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jinyoung
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Youn
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Chungnam National University Hospital, College of Medicine, Daejun, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Eung Seok
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hee-Tae
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Coaching, College of Medicine, Dong-A University, Busan, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Chang Hong
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Youm
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001132:Arm / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait / Q000502:physiology*; D020233:Gait Disorders, Neurologic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D014891:Weight Lifting / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Arm swing; Motion analysis; Parkinson’s disease; Rehabilitation