Adapted resistance training with instability improves gait disorders in patients with Parkinson’s disease

This study investigated the effectiveness of resistance training with instability (RTI) in treating gait disorders in PD. Researchers suggested that RTI improves gait in these patients.

PD affects 60,000 Americans every year. This disease attacks the brain cells which control body functions. These body functions are lost through the course of the disease, leaving patients with symptoms such as gait disorder.

Gait disorders might consist of slow gait speed, reduced stride length, or freezing of gait. Freezing of gait (FOG) consists of sudden, short, and temporary inability to move the feet forward. This condition leads to increased numbers of falls and decreased quality of life. Freezers also have a deficit in dual-tasking (doing two things at once). This is caused by a reduced automatic gait and capacity to divide attention between tasks. So far, no study has reported significant effects of exercise therapy in improving the gait of these patients. 

RTI consists of dual-task and balance exercises performed on an unstable device. Patients with FOG are asked to perform exercises on an unstable device, dividing their attention between tasks.  The effects of RTI in patients with PD and FOG are still not clear.

This study included information about 32 patients with PD and FOG. All participants were assigned to receive either RTI (17 patients) or conventional therapy (15). Both groups performed exercises 3 times a week for 12 weeks.

Both groups improved FOG. However, RTI had the best effectiveness in improving brain activation, the dual-task cost in gait speed and stride length. It also improved the dual-task stride length. Only RTI improved attention shift after training.

This study concluded that RTI is a good and safe treatment option for patients with PD disease and FOG. 

The participants of this study were on PD medication during training and evaluation. This does not reflect their true disease state. Therefore, the results might have been affected. Also, the number of participants was low.