Comparison of the Total Stance Time And the Phase Ratio in Parkinson's Disease Patients And Normal Subjects

The purpose of this study is to investigate the gait characteristics in Parkinson's disease patients. Specifically, the total stance time and the ratio of each stance phase (heel strike, mid-stance, propulsion) are analyzed from the foot-pressure measurement system which requires low cost and small space compared to the conventional gait analysis system. The gait characteristics were analyzed in 23 Parkinson's disease patients (before and after L-dopa medication), 34 elderly (sixties) normal subjects and 21 young (twenties) normal subjects. Bradykinesia global score (self-developed score of slowness of body movement) of patients before medication was determined to see the relationship between the score and the gait characteristics. The total stance time was greater in the erde. of patients, elderly, youngs (p