Evaluating the effects of Baduanjin exercise on motor function, balance, and gait in patients with Parkinson’s disease.

This study evaluated the effects of Baduanjin exercise on motor function, balance, and gait in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). The data showed that Baduanjin exercise significantly improved motor function, balance, and gait in these patients.

PD is a disorder in which part of the brain is progressively damaged over many years. The disease affects certain brain cells and causes movement symptoms such as muscle rigidity, tremors, and impaired balance. Patients can see their gait affected due to symptoms such as slow movements and abnormal posture. An impaired gait is characterized by a lack of movement of the trunk, upper body, and lower body muscles. This results in slow and alternate steps that are short and rapid. The standard treatment for this disorder is levodopa. However, this therapy is associated with high levels of side effects. Therefore, new treatment regimens are necessary.

Rehabilitation, aerobic exercise, and many traditional Chinese exercises are known to significantly improve balance in patients with PD. Baduanjin is a traditional Chinese physical and mental exercise that regulates organs, the nervous and motor systems. This consists of eight simple movements, in which the whole set of activities are gentle, slow, and continuous. This is characterized by deep and slow breathing, emphasizing static and dynamic posture control, and combining body movement and breathing patterns. The effects of Baduanjin exercise on motor function, balance, and gait in patients with PD are still unclear.

This study analyzed 10 other studies and involved 804 patients with PD. Patients were divided into two groups. Group 1 (control group) received drug therapy, balance board training, conventional physical therapy, etc. Group 2 (experimental group) received any of the interventions in the control group plus Baduanjin exercise training. Patients’ motor function, balance, and gait were measured by standardized tests.

Baduanjin exercise significantly improved motor function, balance, and gait in patients with PD compared to control treatment.

This study concluded that Baduanjin exercise significantly improved motor function, balance, and gait in patients with PD.

The studies analyzed had different study intervention durations. Only studies in English and Chinese languages were included and studies in other languages might have been missed.