Contractures and Parkinson's Disease: Understanding the Connection

Contracture occurs when normally stretchy tissue becomes permanently tight and inflexible. It can occur in the skin, muscles, tendons and joints. This problem can occur in people with Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's Disease and Contracture

• Contracture is rare among Parkinson's patients but has affected those in advanced stages of the disease, according to Dr. William Koller of Medscape.com. It can cause severe deformity in the hands and feet.

Cause

• The exact causes remain unknown but possible triggers include the postural problems linked with this condition and Parkinson's medications derived from the fungus ergot.

Occurrence

• Contracture appears more frequently in women than men, according to Koller.

Contracture vs. Dystonia

• Contracture can appear similar to dystonia---another condition that causes muscle contractions in Parkinson's disease patients. Unlike dystonia, however, contracture is unmitigated by levodopa---a primary treatment for this disease or manipulation and the contracture remains during sleep.

Treatment

• Koller notes most treatments do not successfully address this condition. Possible treatments include botulinum toxin (Botox), physical therapy and stereotactic thalamotomy---a surgical procedure commonly used for tremors and dystonia.