Effect of intramuscular lidocaine injection with physical therapy on camptocormia in patients with Parkinson's disease who had previously had deep brain stimulation.
Toshitaka Sakai, Shota Nagai, Kazutaka Takao and 2 others
PMID 36628138WHAT IT FOUND
Nine patients with Parkinson's disease and camptocormia showed improved posture and balance after lidocaine injections and treadmill training.
Walking speed did not change, and stride length improved slightly. The study cannot determine whether the injection or the therapy caused these effects.
Key findings
01Total and upper camptocormia angles significantly decreased after the intervention.
02Berg Balance Scale scores significantly increased, indicating better balance.
03Maximum walking speed did not change significantly, though stride length improved.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study included only nine patients, making the results preliminary. There was no control group, so natural variation or placebo effects cannot be ruled out. It is impossible to separate the effects of the lidocaine injection from the effects of the physical therapy. The study only measured short-term outcomes, with no data on long-term benefits or risks.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume the lidocaine injection alone caused the improvements. The study combined injections with physical therapy and had no control group, so the contribution of either component cannot be separated.