Landers MR, Backlund A, Davenport J, Fortune J, Schuerman S, Altenburger P
Forty-nine participants with a diagnosis of idiopathic PD were included in this study to identify those at risk of falling. Each was assessed using three categories of measurement tools: PD-specific scales (modified Hoehn and Yahr [HY] and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale [UPDRS]), balance-specific scales (Berg Balance Scale [BBS], Sensory Organization Test [SOT], and Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale [ABC]), and functional gait scales (Self-Selected Gait Velocity [SSGV], Dynamic Gait Index [DGI]), and a standardized obstacle course.
Results from this study suggest that the UPDRS-ADL, UPDRS-Overall, and the BBS are the best clinical tests for discriminating falls in persons with PD.
Journal of Neurolgic Physical Therapy, 2008, 32(2), 56-61