OBJECTIVE: To test whether body weight-supported treadmill training (BWSTT) is effective in improving functional outcome of patients with Parkinson's disease. DESIGN: Prospective crossover trial. Patients were randomized to receive either a 4-week program of BWSTT with up to 20% of their body weight supported followed by 4 weeks of conventional physical therapy (PT), or the same treatments in the opposite order. Medications for parkinsonism were not modified throughout the study. SETTING:Inpatient rehabilitation unit for neurologic diseases. SUBJECTS:Ten patients (5 men, 5 women) with Hoehn and Yahr stage 2.5 or 3 parkinsonism; mean age 67.6 years, mean duration of Parkinson's disease 4.2 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), ambulation endurance and speed (sec/10 m), and number of steps for 10-meter walk. RESULTS: The mean total UPDRS before/after BWSTT was 31.6/25.6, and before/after PT was 29.1/28.0. Analysis of covariance for improvement of UPDRS demonstrated a significant effect of type of therapy (F(1, 16) = 42.779, p < .0001) but not order of therapy (F(1, 16) = 0.157, p = .697 1). Patients also had significantly greater improvement with BWSTT than with PT in ambulation speed (BWSTT, before/after = 10.0/8.3; PT, 9.5/8.9), and number of steps (BWSTT, 22.3/19.6; PT, 21.5/20.8). CONCLUSIONS: In persons with Parkinson's disease, treadmill training with body weight support produces greater improvement in activities of daily living, motor performance, and ambulation than does physical therapy.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: To test whether body weight-supported treadmill training (BWSTT) is effective in improving functional outcome of patients with Parkinson's disease. DESIGN: Prospective crossover trial. Patients were randomized to receive either a 4-week program of BWSTT with up to 20% of their body weight supported followed by 4 weeks of conventional physical therapy (PT), or the same treatments in the opposite order. Medications for parkinsonism were not modified throughout the study. SETTING: Inpatient rehabilitation unit for neurologic diseases. SUBJECTS: Ten patients (5 men, 5 women) with Hoehn and Yahr stage 2.5 or 3 parkinsonism; mean age 67.6 years, mean duration of Parkinson's disease 4.2 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), ambulation endurance and speed (sec/10 m), and number of steps for 10-meter walk. RESULTS: The mean total UPDRS before/after BWSTT was 31.6/25.6, and before/after PT was 29.1/28.0. Analysis of covariance for improvement of UPDRS demonstrated a significant effect of type of therapy (F(1, 16) = 42.779, p < .0001) but not order of therapy (F(1, 16) = 0.157, p = .697 1). Patients also had significantly greater improvement with BWSTT than with PT in ambulation speed (BWSTT, before/after = 10.0/8.3; PT, 9.5/8.9), and number of steps (BWSTT, 22.3/19.6; PT, 21.5/20.8). CONCLUSIONS: In persons with Parkinson's disease, treadmill training with body weight support produces greater improvement in activities of daily living, motor performance, and ambulation than does physical therapy.
Authors: Beth E Fisher; Allan D Wu; George J Salem; Jooeun Song; Chien-Ho Janice Lin; Jeanine Yip; Steven Cen; James Gordon; Michael Jakowec; Giselle Petzinger Journal: Arch Phys Med Rehabil Date: 2008-06-13 Impact factor: 3.966
Authors: Shinichi Amano; Joe R Nocera; Srikant Vallabhajosula; Jorge L Juncos; Robert J Gregor; Dwight E Waddell; Steven L Wolf; Chris J Hass Journal: Parkinsonism Relat Disord Date: 2013-07-05 Impact factor: 4.891
Authors: Giselle M Petzinger; Beth E Fisher; Garnik Akopian; Daniel P Holschneider; Ruth Wood; John P Walsh; Brett Lund; Charles Meshul; Marta Vuckovic; Michael W Jakowec Journal: Neurodegener Dis Manag Date: 2011-04-01
Authors: Claire L Tomlinson; Clare P Herd; Carl E Clarke; Charmaine Meek; Smitaa Patel; Rebecca Stowe; Katherine H O Deane; Laila Shah; Catherine M Sackley; Keith Wheatley; Natalie Ives Journal: Cochrane Database Syst Rev Date: 2014-06-17