Mak MKY, Wong-Yu ISK, Cheung RTH, Ho SL. Effectiveness of balance exercise and brisk walking on alleviating non-motor and motor symptoms in people with mild-to-moderate Parkinson's Disease: A randomized clinical trial with 6-month follow-up.
Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2024:S0003-9993(24)01052-9. [PMID:
38866225 DOI:
10.1016/j.apmr.2024.05.031]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 05/23/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
Investigate the effects of balance exercise and brisk walking on non-motor and motor symptoms, balance and gait functions, walking capacity, and balance confidence in Parkinson's disease (PD) at post-training and 6-month follow-up.
DESIGN
Two-arm, assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial SETTING: University research laboratory and the community PARTICIPANTS: Ninety-nine eligible individuals with mild to moderate PD INTERVENTIONS: Participants were randomized to balance and brisk walking group (B&B, n=49) or active control group (CON, n=50). B&B received ten 90-minute sessions of balance exercises and brisk walking supervised by physical therapists for 6 months (week 1-6: weekly, week 7-26: monthly), whilst CON practiced whole-body flexibility and upper limb strength exercise at same dosage (180 minutes/week). Both groups performed unsupervised home exercises 2-3 times/week during intervention and continued at follow-up.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
Primary outcomes were Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale non-motor (MDS-UPDRS-I) and motor (MDS-UPRDS-III) scores. Secondary outcomes were Mini-Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Mini-BEST) score, comfortable gait speed (CGS), six-minute walk distance (6MWD), dual-task timed-up-and-go (DTUG) time, and Activities-Specific Balance Confidence Scale (ABC) score.
RESULTS
Eighty-three individuals completed the 6-month intervention with no severe adverse effects. The mean between-group (95% CI) difference for the MDS-UPDRS non-motor score was 1.50 (0.19-2.81) at 6 months and 1.09 (-0.66-2.85) at 12 months. The mean between-group (95% CI) difference for the MDS-UPDRS motor score was 3.75 (0.69-6.80) at 6 months and 4.57 (1.05-8.01) at 12 months. At 6 months and 12 months, there were significant between-group improvements of the B&B group in Mini-BEST score, CGS, 6MWD and DTUG time.
CONCLUSIONS
This combined balance and brisk walking exercise program alleviates non-motor and motor symptoms and improves walking capacity, balance, and gait functions post-training, with positive carry-over effects for all except non-motor outcomes, at 6-month follow-up in mild to moderate PD.
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