Cued task‐specific training is better than exercise in improving sit‐to‐stand in patients with Parkinson's disease: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

We examined whether 4 weeks of audio-visual (AV) cued task-specific training could enhance sit-to-stand (STS) and whether the treatment effects could outlast the treatment period by 2 weeks. Fifty-two subjects with PD completed the study. They were randomly allocated to receive 4 weeks of AV cued task-specific training, conventional exercise (Ex), or no treatment (control). Each subject was assessed before, at the end of 2 and 4 weeks of treatment, and 2 weeks after treatment ended. After 2 weeks of training, the AV group significantly increased the peak horizontal velocity (by 13%, P<0.01) when compared with the Ex group. After 4 weeks of training, AV group increased both peak horizontal and vertical velocities, respectively by 18% and 51%, and reduced the time taken to complete STS by 25%. These improvements were greater than those of the Ex group, who showed 8% (nonsignificant between-group) and 20% (P<0.05 between-group) increases respectively for peak horizontal and vertical velocities, and 10% decrease in movement time (P<0.05). Worth-noting is the improvements in AV group could be carried over to 2 weeks after treatment ended. These findings provided concrete evidence for the use of AV cued task-specific training to reeducate STS in patients with PD.

A Kinect-Based System for Lower Limb Rehabilitation in Parkinson’s Disease Patients: a Pilot Study

“…A common feature of these studies deals with the introduction of enhanced sensory feedback (auditory, visual or somatosensory) cues to provide augmented feedback about performance. Motor learning is enhanced by external cueing [47] whilst clinical studies have shown that externally cued practice over more extended periods (3-6 weeks) leads to significant benefits for gait and balance [48][49][50] and is more effective than interventions that do not use augmented feedback [44,51].…”

Task‐specific training: evidence for and translation to clinical practice

“…Evidence indicates that task-specifi c training could have relevance for people affected by a traumatic brain injury (Canning et al, 2003;Chua et al, 2007), Parkinson's disease (Mak and Hui-Chan, 2008), a total hip replacement (Drabsch et al, 1998), a work-related injury (McCannon et al, 2005) and/or a spinal cord injury (Betker et al, 2007;Kubasak et al, 2008). However, most of the taskspecifi c training evidence relates to post-stroke recovery.…”

Physical therapy and occupational therapy in Parkinson's disease

“…They can help PwP to ascertain their best cueing modality, frequency and timing for the situations in which they experience problems with initiating or maintaining movements. The effectiveness of cueing on gait (including turning) in PD is well-established, even in the patient's home environment, without increasing the risk for falls [94][95][96]. Rhythmic auditory cues even seem to reduce the interference effect of a dual task on gait [93,97].…”