THE APPLICATION OF THAI TRADITIONAL MASSAGE ON PARKINSON'S DISEASE SYMPTOMS ON PATIENTS IN KING CHULALONGKORN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL: A RANDOMIZED INTERVENTION STUDY

Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of Thai Traditional Massage on bradykinesia (slowness of movement) and rigidity (stiffness of the limbs and trunk) which are two of four main symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients. This was a randomized controlled trial study. The study was conducted at the Parkinson’s disease and movement disorder department of King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital. Participants were the total of 56 PD patients between the ages of 43 and 85 completed this study. Interventions, Usual medical care was compared to the usual medical care with TTM treatments which was for six TTM sessions for twenty minutes per session during three weeks. Post data was conducted after one week since the sixth TTM sessions. Result showed there were statistically significantly difference between two groups for the strength of Isokinetic motion and hand grip and UPDRS score of upper limbs extremities parts. There were no difference for the continuous passive motion and PDQ39. UPDRS total score was shown the improvement for study group. Results indicated that TTM may have a positive effect in improving bradykinesia symptoms in PD patients. Conclusions, the over a period of three weeks, our findings suggested that TTM could be used as a complementary therapy for PD patients.