Effects Of Motor Timing Training On The Golf Performance In Parkinson’S Disease

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Motor timing is essential for improving motor skills and it is a critical factor to determine the success in a golf swing. However, individuals with Parkinson’s disease have deficits in motor timing due to bradykinesia, tremor, and rigidity. Rehabilitative training that employs a metronome beat to set a rhythm (Interactive Metronome) could provide rehabilitative training to improvement in motor timing and variability in golf performance. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of 10 sessions of Interactive Metronome training on motor timing and variability in the golf performance of older adults with Parkinson’s disease. METHODS: The participants with Parkinson's disease completed 10 sessions, 35-40 minutes per session, three times a week for 4 weeks. The speed and tempo of the golf swing with a seven iron were measured. Motor timing was analyzed by using Long Form Assessment (LFA) which evaluates timing and accuracy when performing movement tasks of the hands and feet. The speed and tempo data were obtained using a golf simulator. Paired sample t-test was used to compare the pre and post measure outcomes. RESULTS: After 10 sessions, there was a significant improvement in motor timing between pre-post testing (pre: 158.16±75.05, post: 94.66±67.76, t=3.102, p=0.027). However, tempo variability (pre: 22.81±14.00, post: 11.05±7.16, t=1.739, p=0.143) and speed variability (pre: 5.99±3.58, post: 4.49±1.81, t-.721, p=0.503) were not significantly different. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that Interactive metronome training can promote improvements in motor timing and golf performance in older adults with Parkinson’s disease. In addition, motor timing training could be widely utilized along with the exercise to reduce the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.