Patients with Parkinson’s disease who contract COVID-19, as well as those who avoid infection, report worsening or new motor and non-motor symptoms. This finding was reported July 17 in a preprint of a study sponsored by the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. |
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Due to a reduction in home care and canceled therapy appointments, nearly two-thirds of the group not infected with the virus also reported adverse effects. That’s right. Not only those with Covid-19, but also patients with Parkinson’s who did not contract Covid-19 reported worsening symptoms. I’ve seen this happening in my community and I’ve been getting calls from my referral sources and patients wondering why this was happening. This research validates what I have been seeing clinically. I’m sure some of you’re seeing the same thing. The authors collected data mid-April thru mid-May of this year. They surveyed over 5,000 patients with Parkinson’s Disease and found that the majority reported new or worsening motor symptoms (63%) and non-motor symptoms (75%), including stiffness, tremor, difficulty walking, mood symptoms, cognition issues, and fatigue. This was true for both the group who had COVID and those who did not. The authors found this to be “remarkable,” but it made perfect sense to me. When you stop needed rehabilitation programs, symptoms will worsen whether the person has COVID or not. The groups at the highest risk of decline were those who experienced interruptions to exercise, social activities, or who were asked to self-isolate and in lower income, non-white households, and unfortunately, these last two categories were under-represented in the sample. I am sure that there will be many more of these kinds of studies coming out in the near future that detail the importance of our role in rehabilitation and in helping the country keep our older adults safe and healthy. Sincerely, Carole Lewis, PT, DPT, GCS, GTCCS, MSG, MPA, PhD, FSOAE, FAPTA President, Great Seminars Online President, Great Seminars and Books |