Clinical Research Directory

Proprioceptive Exercise in Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease is frequently associated with impaired postural control, balance deficits, trunk misalignment, altered proprioception, and an increased risk of falls. These impairments may contribute to reduced mobility, pain, loss of independence, and decreased quality of life. Although rehabilitation is a key component of Parkinson's disease management, conventional approaches often focus primarily on motor training, while sensory and proprioceptive aspects of postural control may receive less specific attention. The aim of this randomized controlled longitudinal study is to evaluate the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of SuPerSense, a CE-marked sensorized proprioceptive rehabilitation table, in individuals with Parkinson's disease. SuPerSense is designed to detect pressure distribution on multiple contact points placed under the participant's back while lying on the device. The system provides quantitative information about trunk loading and symmetry, allowing the therapist to guide the patient during proprioceptive exercises and to provide visual feedback and positive reinforcement during training. Participants with clinically diagnosed Parkinson's disease and postural or motor deficits will be randomized to either an experimental group or a control group. Both groups will receive the same amount of standard neuromotor rehabilitation. In addition, the experimental group will receive SuPerSense-based proprioceptive trunk rehabilitation three times per week for four weeks, for a total of 12 sessions. Each session will last approximately 30 minutes and will include periods of supine positioning with knees extended or flexed, followed by active proprioceptive exercises focused on perceiving back-contact information and improving symmetry of trunk loading. The control group will receive conventional rehabilitation for posture and balance with the same frequency and duration. Assessments will be performed before and after the one-month rehabilitation period. Outcome measures will include objective postural and gait parameters collected using a baropodometric and stabilometric platform and an inertial gait analysis system. Clinical measures will include balance and gait scales, such as the Tinetti Balance and Gait assessments, the Berg Balance Scale, and a numerical rating scale for back pain. Participants will also undergo an assessment session with the SuPerSense device before and after treatment, in order to compare device-derived measures with standard instrumental and clinical outcomes. The study is expected to provide information on the feasibility of sensorized proprioceptive trunk rehabilitation in Parkinson's disease and on the immediate and medium-term effects of the SuPerSense system on posture, balance, gait function, and pain. The results may support the integration of quantitative sensory-proprioceptive feedback into rehabilitation programs for individuals with Parkinson's disease.