Objective: This case series aims to explore the potential benefits of a guitar adaptation in enhancing mechanics of guitar strumming among this patient sample. Specifically, this pilot study examined how this guitar adaptation influences strumming technique and wrist stability in patients with PD with the eventual goal on how it may facilitate musical expression in those with movement disorders.

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) impairs motor coordination, presenting challenges for activities requiring fine motor control, such as playing the guitar. Strumming the guitar, a rhythmic and coordinated task, can serve to enhance motor skills, yet motor symptoms such as tremors and rigidity often interfere. This case series examined the influence of a forearm stabilization device, the Strum Perfect™ (Figure 1), in improving strumming mechanics in PD patients.

Method: A case series of four PD patients (mean age: 71.8 years, SD: 8.7; three women) was conducted. Participants performed standardized strumming tasks at 60, 90, and 120 beats per minute (bpm) with and without the adaptation. Strumming dynamics were assessed using a wrist-mounted motion sensor capturing forearm and wrist movements. The orbit coefficient (∆ϕ/∆θ), a metric of wrist-to-elbow coordination, was calculated (Figure 2). Changes in motion patterns were evaluated using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test.

Results: The Strum Perfect™ adaptation demonstrated its greatest impact at 60 bpm (Table 1), with the mean orbit coefficient increasing from 1.0 (SD: 0.3) to 1.7 (SD: 0.8) (p = 0.06). At higher tempos, the orbit coefficient showed modest changes, increasing from 1.3 (SD: 0.4) to 1.5 (SD: 0.5) at 90 bpm (p = 0.06) and from 1.4 (SD: 0.4) to 1.6 (SD: 0.7) at 120 bpm (p = 0.27).

Conclusion: The Strum Perfect™ guitar adaptation enhances wrist-to-elbow coordination, particularly at slower tempos, offering potential benefits for music therapy in PD. By improving strumming mechanics, the adaptation may lower barriers to learning guitar, promoting motor rehabilitation and engagement in music learning. Further research is needed to validate these findings in a larger cohort of PD patients and explore long-term outcomes.

Figure 1

Figure 2

Table 1

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/improving-guitar-strumming-mechanics-in-parkinsons-disease-a-case-series-using-a-forearm-stabilization-device/