Abstract
[Purpose] In order to verify which balance tests are useful for Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients, we examined the relationship between activities of daily living (ADL) and various balance tests frequently used in clinical practice for PD patients. [Subjects] The subjects were 20 PD patients with a mean age of 72.4 years. [Method] We measured timed up-and-go (TUG), single leg standing, and functional reach as well as center of gravity sway (envelope area and total path length), and investigated their relationships with the Functional Independence Measure motor scale (FIM-M) and its sub-scales using Pearson’s correlation coefficients. [Results] We found significant correlations between TUG and FIM-M and its sub-scales of Transfer and Locomotion, but not Self-Care and Sphincter Control. Significant relationships with FIM-M or its sub-scales were not found for the other balance tests. [Conclusion] The results suggest that among the balance tests investigated, only TUG is related to ADL of PD patients.
