PARKINSONS DISEASE- COMPARISION OF GAIT HYPOKINESIA BETWEEN FORWARD, BACKWARD AND SIDEWAYS WALK AMONG FREEZERS AND NON FREEZERS

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic degenerative disease. It is characterized by its cardinal symptoms of rigidity, resting tremor, bradykinesia and impaired postural reflexes. Objective of the study was to evaluate the gaits peed in forward, backward and sideways direction to both right and left side in freezers and non-freezers and also to compare the speed of walking in different directions within and between the groups. Methods: 30 subjects were included in the study. They were divided into two groups: Group A (N=15) consisted of freezers, Group B (N=15) consisted of non-freezers. All the subjects performed 10 meter walk test in their off state of medication in forward direction, backward direction, sideways to right and sideways to left. Three readings were taken and their average was included for the analysis. Within group comparison and between groups comparison was performed. Results: In Group A, there was a significant difference between FW and BW (p=0.001), FW and SW ( Rt) (p= 0.007) , FW and SW(Lt) (p=0.009). There was no significant difference between BW and SW (Rt) (p=0.910), BW and SW (Lt) (P= 0.890). No statistical difference was found when SW (Rt) was compared with SW (Lt) with p value of 1. In group B, there was a statistical difference between FW and BW (p=0.002), FW and SW (Rt) (p=0.002), FW and SW (Lt) (p=0.0001). There was no statistical difference in between B Wand SW (Rt) (p=1), BW and SW (Lt) (p=0.957), SW (Rt) and SW(Lt) (p=0.959). In ‘between group analysis’, there was no statistical difference in FW between the groups (p=0.073). There was a statistical difference in BW (p=0.021), SW (Rt) (p=0.004) and SW (Rt) (p=0.011) between the groups. Conclusion: Backward walking and sideways walking to either direction is more affected than forward walking in freezers and nonfreezers.