Abstract
BACKGROUND:

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurological disorder which often results in joint rigidity, bradykinesia and decreased range of motion (ROM). Segmental biomechanical muscle stimulation (BMS) can increase ROM in healthy young adults. However, acute effects on ROM in PD have not been examined.
OBJECTIVE:

To examine whether BMS and active-assisted cycling (AAC) of the legs results in acute changes in ROM in PD.
METHODS:

Seventeen individuals with PD completed four sessions. Subjects first came to the lab 'on' PD medications and completed baseline assessments. During session 2, subjects were 'off' PD medications and watched a video describing the interventions. In the 3rd and 4th visits, subjects were 'off' medications and the order of AAC or BMS was counterbalanced. Shoulder and hip ROM was measured prior to and immediately after each intervention and hip kinematics were examined during over-ground walking.
RESULTS:

There was a significant improvement in hip and shoulder ROM after BMS and AAC. Hip velocity during over-ground walking improved after BMS but not after AAC.
CONCLUSIONS:

Single bouts of BMS and AAC have a positive effect on ROM and hip velocity during over-ground walking. This suggests that BMS and AAC may be altering central motor control processes.

We certainly observed repeatedly significant improvements in Jan's movement and cognitive status after sessions on a Theracycle, forced cadence of arms and legs. She loves it, wishes we had one at home or accessible daily.

Trisha PDX

Hi badboy99
We have to comply with copyright here so please could you provide the link where you copied this abstract from as well as the full attribution.
thanks

TrishaPDX writes:

"She loves it, wishes we had one at home or accessible daily. "

A thread, Forced Exercise of the Arms,

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread152834.html

describes how you can build a machine for about $50 an arm.

John

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23949066