http://www.corriere.it/salute/12_apr...986f349a.shtml

This is the first time that mechanical stimulation effects not simply gets the drug levodopa

MILAN-the 12th National Congress of Parkinson's disease just concluded at Verbania Italy was presented by Dr. Franca Barbic Humanitas Institute a revolutionary approach for patients suffering from Parkinson's disease. Through a mechanical stimulation lasting 6 seconds which is repeated sequentially to 4 times with a blunt tip on the dynamometer and the first toe joint involvement of the sole of the foot improves the way disturbances and posture of patients. The new technique is called FMS, an acronym for Foot Mechanical Stimulation, i.e. mechanical stimulation.

EXPERIMENT -to evaluate efficacy was conducted a study comparing the correct stimulation to placebo stimulation on other areas of the foot. The clinical evaluation participated in various centres and associations for the recruitment of patients: the University Hospital in Seriate Bolognini and, in Milan, the Prohibitions to the study of the Movement disorders, Parkinson Center Polytechnic institutes, the Clinical Improvement Technologies for the Department of Health, the Institute Galeazzi Maugeri Foundation, the Association for research on Neuroscience and the Fondazione Grigioni for Parkinson's disease. While placebo stimulation did not get any results, the correct one has increased the length of the pitch and the speed of the walk. It also decreased the time of execution of the movement and the number of steps to accomplish a rotation on the spot. This is the first time that mechanical stimulation effects simply gets even unreached by the drug levodopa, which for a century is the main treatment for this disease, but it can do little about eating disorders.

Some examples:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBUa2LX592s

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmOZQ...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjmD5...eature=related

(translated with Google translator).