The quantitative reduction of muscle strength in the spine, hip, and ankle, along with impaired proprioception, visual sense, and smaller base of support, were the main causes for postural instability in Parkinson's disease patients. A correlation was seen between muscle strength, static and dynamic balance, and gait in both ON and OFF states. In contrast to the previous studies, the present study showed that medications improved the muscle strength, gait speed, and use of ankle strategy but did not worsen proprioceptive sense.

Background: Most people with stroke in India have no access to organised

To evaluate the effects of game-based virtual reality (VR) training program for trunk postural control and balance in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) and to assess the results according to the motor completeness (severity) of lesions using the American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS). Overview of Literature: Training with VR based gaming has a role to play in improving balance in patients with SCI. Methods: Patients with SCI (traumatic and non-traumatic) for <6 months were included in this hospital-based study. Participants were divided into two groups: experimental group (EG) consisting 21 patients, and control group (CG) consisting 12. Both groups underwent the conventional rehabilitation program. An additional training with semi-immersive VR therapy was conducted 5 days a week for 3 weeks in the EG with the focus on balance rehabilitation using the "Rhetoric." The outcome measures were the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), balance section of the Tinetti Performance-Oriented Mobility Assessment (POMA-B), and Functional Reach Score (FRS). Results: Both groups consisted of young participants (mean age, 28 and 30.5 years, respectively) and predominantly men (>80%). One-third of them had tetraplegia and two-third had paraplegia. Between-group analyses showed no statistically significant differences in the main effects between groups (p-value: BBS, 0.396; POMA-B, 0.238; FRS, 0.294), suggesting that the EG group did not show significant improvement in the trunk and posture at the end of training sessions than the CG group. Similarly, no significant difference was observed according to the severity (completeness) of SCI in the between-group analyses using the AIS (A/B vs. C/D). Conclusions: VR is an adjunctive therapy for balance rehabilitation in patients with SCI.

Aims:To observe prevalence of sleep disturbance (SD) in cerebral palsy (CP) children in a specific age-group and its correlation with SD in primary caregivers and other associated factors.Materials and Methods:This was a prospective cross-sectional study. SD assessed using Sleep Disturbance Scale for Children (SDSC) in CP children and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) in caregivers. Fifty cases of clinically diagnosed CP [27 females, mean age: 107.9 ΁ 29.5 months (range: 78-180 months)] fulfilling criteria were included.Results:Eighteen (36%) children had pathological sleep total score (TS) and Disorders of Initiating and Maintaining Sleep (DIMS) was the commonest SD (n = 25, 50%). All primary caregivers were mothers. Twenty-five (50%) mothers had SD on PSQI scale. DIMS, Disorders of Excessive Somnolence (DES), and TS had significant correlation with PSQI (P < 0.05). Disorders of Arousal (DA) and TS had significant correlation with seizures (P < 0.05) in CP children. Bed-sharing had significant correlation with SD in caregivers (P < 0.001) but not with CP children. No significant correlation was observed between SD in CP and gross motor function (Gross Motor Function Classification System), use of orthoses, and dental caries.Interpretation:Children with CP have underreported significant SD, which negatively impacts caregiver's sleep also. Seizure disorders and medications contribute significantly to SD.