Objective: To explore the relationship between the strength of specific lower limb muscle

groups and their associations with PIGD motor features.

Background: Postural instability and gait difficulties (PIGD) are a significant cause of

falls, mobility loss and lower quality of life in People with Parkinson’s Disease (PwPD). The connection between diminished strength in the lower limbs and PIGD has been established, however, it is still unknown which specific lower limbs muscle groups are linked to PIGD.

Method: 95 people with PD underwent detailed clinical motor and non-motor test batteries, including lower limb isometric strength testing and whole body lean mass assessments (DXA scans). Correlation analysis, univariate and multivariate linear/logistic forward stepwise regression were performed to test associations between PIGD motor features and normalized muscle strength (z-score) of lower limb muscle groups.

Results: : 95 PwPD were included in the study: 74 males and 21 females, mean age 67.41 ± 6.13 years, mean disease duration 7.57±4.93 years, and mean LED 714.16 ± 410.13 mg. In the correlation analysis, normalized strength of hip abductor (r = -0.312, p=0.002), and hip adductor (r = -0.240, p = 0.02) were found to negatively correlate with PIGD motor features. In regression analysis, normalized strength of hip extensor (β= -0.313, p=0.125), hip abductor (β = -0.552, p = 0.006), hip adductor (β = -0.450, p = 0.024), and knee flexor (β = -0.273, p = 0.179) identified through univariate linear regression analysis, were included in a multivariate linear forward stepwise regression. After adjusting for age, gender, and LED it showed that normalized strength of hip abductor (β = -0.686, p<0.001) was significantly negatively associated with PIGD motor features.

Conclusion: We found that lower hip abductor strength is significantly negatively associated with PIGD motor features. These findings may have therapeutic implications for physical therapy interventions and exercise prescriptions. Focus on Abductor strengthening as well as balance exercises might prevent or mitigate PIGD motor features in the future.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/correlation-between-specific-lower-limb-muscle-strength-and-postural-instability-and-gait-difficulties-in-parkinsons-disease/