The risk of falls in old age is very high, and even more so for those who suffer from Parkinson’s disease. For them, a fall can mark the beginning of a loss of independence.
Some studies have estimated that after the age of 50, one in two women and one in five men will experience significant orthopedic trauma at least once in their lifetime.
In patients with Parkinson’s disease, this risk percentage rises frighteningly, albeit in an inverse proportion. Fractures are indeed more likely in male subjects than females, as the disease shows a preference of over 50% towards male patients.
In a study published in the international journal PlosOne, it is explained how Parkinson’s patients have double the risk, compared to the rest of the population, of fracturing their femur.
Undergoing surgery for a patient with Parkinson’s exposes them to a high risk of developing pneumonia, urinary infections, surgical complications, and post-surgical complications, such as pressure sores, as well as dislocations, prosthetic fixation failures, infections, and the risk of lateral fractures.
It is now documented that Parkinson’s patients do not die due to their own condition but because of the indirect consequences, it brings: falls and accidental traumas are, in fact, one of the main causes of death for patients suffering from this disorder.
Scientific studies have estimated that in a Parkinson’s patient, hip fracture results in death in 10% of cases within a month. Furthermore, less than half of those who suffer such a fracture are able to return home.
A clinical study published in the International Journal of Engineering and Innovative Technologies has highlighted how AMPS therapy, provided by GONDOLA®, allows for a reduction in motor disturbances from the very first application and, consequently, a reduction in the risk of falls.
Restoring, at least in part, safety and balance in movements, therefore, not only results in a significant improvement in the quality of life for Parkinson’s patients and their families but also reduces the risk of experiencing significant, disabling, and, in some cases, lethal physical injuries.
Professor Fabrizio Stocchi, head of the Center for Parkinson’s Care and Diagnosis at the IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana in Rome, one of the authors of the study, also stated:
AMPS therapy has a positive effect on bradykinesia (slowing down of movements) and improves walking speed, step length, and gait stability during movement. In the study, the improvement in some parameters increased by up to 50% compared to the baseline value measured before stimulation.
