Relation of chair rising ability to activities of daily living and physical activity in Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND

Many persons living with Parkinson's disease (PD) have difficulty rising from a chair. Impaired ability to perform the chair rise may be associated with low physical activity levels and reduced ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL).

METHODS

Cross-sectional analysis was performed in 88 persons with PD to study the association of chair rising ability with ADL and physical activity.

RESULTS

We found that the participants who pushed themselves up from the chair had more severe PD, higher motor impairment and more comorbidity than those who rose from a chair normally. The Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale ADL (UPDRS-ADL), Schwab and England Activities of Daily Living Scale (SE-ADL) and the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) scores for the participants who pushed themselves up to rise (17.20 ± 7.53; 76.67 ± 13.23; 46.18 ± 52.64, respectively) were significantly poorer than for those who rose normally (10.35 ± 3.79; 87.64 ± 8.30; 112.90 ± 61.40, respectively) (all p < .05). Additionally, PASE scores were significantly poorer for participants who pushed themselves up to rise compared to those who rose slowly (95.21 ± 60.27) (p < .01). Pushing up to rise from a chair was a significant predictor of UPDRS-ADL (β = .357; p < .001; R = .403), SE-ADL (β = -.266; p = .009; R = .257) and PASE (β = -.250; p = .016; R = .162).

CONCLUSIONS

Ability to rise from a chair was associated with ADL limitation and physical activity in persons with PD. Poor ability to rise from a chair may prevent persons from living independently and engaging in physical activity.