Positive Effects of Specific Exercise and Novel Turning-based Treadmill Training on Turning Performance in Individuals with Parkinson’s disease: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

Two different training strategies to improve turning performance in individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD) were designed and investigated in this study. Subjects were randomly assigned to a specific exercise group, turning-based training group, or control group to receive training that emphasized balance and strengthening, turning-based treadmill training, and general exercise training, respectively. A total of 12 30-min training sessions followed by 10 min of turning training on a level surface were administered over 4 to 6 weeks. The results (n = 12 for each group) showed that both the specific exercise and turning-based training group experienced improved turning performance, the primary outcome, compared with the control group (specific exercise, 33% change, p = 0.016; turning-based training, 35% change, p = 0.021). For the secondary outcomes, the specific exercise group performed better than the control group on the Tinetti balance scale, limit of stability test and lower extremity extensor and abductor strength. The turning-based training groups performed better than the control group in sensory organization and ankle plantar flexor strength. In summary, specific exercise training and turning-based treadmill training were both effective in improving turning performance in participants with PD. However, the improvements in turning performance of these two groups resulted from improving different aspects of impairment in individuals with PD.

International Parkinson and movement disorder society evidence‐based medicine review: Update on treatments for the motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease

“…48 The remaining lower quality studies compared 2 interventions (a mixture of treadmill-based exercises and aerobics and resistance/ strengthening exercises; water-based physiotherapy or usual physical activity), and both interventions were generally positive with improvements when compared with baseline in both groups but not compared to each other. [49][50][51][52][53][54][55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64][65] Studies in which there was no active intervention or unclear final statistical analysis were all low quality, and therefore the interpretation of outcomes was limited. [66][67][68][69] Overall, although the 3 high-quality level I studies that compared 2 interventions had 1 positive outcome in 1 type of PT compared to another, none had a best medical therapy/control group; thus the overall conclusion is "likely efficacious."…”

Effects of Dynamic Perturbation-Based Training on Balance Control of Community-Dwelling Older Adults

“…Previous studies have used various methods to provide balance perturbations to challenge body’s postural stability, such as waist pulling 32 , mastoid vibration 33 , a rotational treadmill 34 , decelerated walking speed 8 and a movable platform 5 , 7 , 35 , 36 . The results have shown that the effect of perturbation-based training may decrease the incidence of falls 5 .…”

Pilates Exercise and Functional Balance in Parkinson's Disease

“…Some studies however indicate significantly positive effects of more complicated types of exercises such as walking on treadmill and in different directions, walking on unstable surfaces with open and closed eyes, walking in different directions as well as moving and walking in water on balance indices. These exercises mainly improve the musculoskeletal factors contributing to mobility, neuromuscular coordination and the application of balancemotor strategies, which are followed by facilitating motor learning, while light walking does not cause such significant changes [15,[50][51][52][53][54].…”