Immediate Effects of a Jewett Brace on Posture and Dynamic Balance in Parkinson’s Disease-Associated Camptocormia: A Case Report

Camptocormia (CC) in Parkinson's disease (PD) is a disabling axial postural deformity characterized by involuntary thoracolumbar flexion. Although trunk orthoses are used for management, correcting the flexed posture may disrupt compensatory strategies for postural instability and potentially worsen dynamic balance. We report the case of a man in his 80s with PD (Hoehn & Yahr stage 3) who exhibited upper CC. We evaluated the immediate effects of a Jewett brace on posture and balance using a three-dimensional motion analysis system (Vicon, Oxford Metrics Ltd., Oxford, UK). Outcome measures included the trunk flexion angle during a three-minute standing task, Center of Gravity (COG) sway, and stepping responses during the Push and Release Test (PRT). Assessments were performed with the orthosis, followed by without it. The orthosis attenuated the increase in trunk flexion during standing (+5.1° with the orthosis vs. +12.3° without). No deterioration was observed in the COG sway range or PRT time variables (step initiation, first contact, and final stabilization) between conditions. In this case, the Jewett brace stabilized static posture without compromising dynamic balance or compensatory stepping responses. These findings suggest that trunk orthoses may be a safe intervention for postural correction in CC, provided that individual balance function is carefully assessed.