MANUAL EXERCISES EFFECTS ON HAND´S FUNCTION AND PERFORMANCE IN DAILY LIFE ACTIVITY IN PARKINSON´S DISEASE

Resumo

Introduction: The patient with Parkinson´s disease (PD) may have reduced capacity of interarticular coordination and alteration of tonus, resulting on inferior performance on accomplishment of daily life activities (ADAs). Aim: To evaluate a manual exercise protocol on prehension strength, performance on ADAs and manual ability in PD person. Material and Method: 4 PD individuals had participated being 3 males, age average: 74,25±2,98 years. The performance in ADAs was rated before and after the intervention, through the Index of Barthel (IB), the bilaterally prehension strength on hand, using an analogical dynamometer and bearish manual ability through  the test of block box (TBB). Ten manual exercises sessions were accomplished with a three times frequency per week, duration of 30 minutes. Results: Prehension strength improvement, initially found average 27,75±5,19 KgF and final 30,75±4,99 on the right, and 27,75±9,74 initial e final 32,50±7,33 on the left. The same was observed with the ADAs performance, measured by the BI, and that in the beginning was found a moderate score of 75,00±27,08 e final de 91,25±11,09. A significant improvement on the ability was obtained, and in the beginning the individuals moved 44,75±16,21 block per minute on the right and 40,25±15,73 block per minute on the left, on average, and at final 49,25±14,08 block per minute on the right and 49,50±12,69 block per minute on the left (p< 0,05). Conclusion: The manual exercises had contributed in this sample to improve on prehension strength on hand, manual ability and performance on ADAs.