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Treadmill training for patients with Parkinson's disease
Jan Mehrholz1, Robert Friis, Joachim Kugler
1Wissenschaftliches Institut, Private Europäische Medizinische Akademie der Klinik Bavaria in Kreischa GmbH, An der Wolfsschlucht 1-2, Kreischa, Germany, 01731.
The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|January 22, 2010
Summary
Treadmill training significantly improves gait speed, stride length, and walking distance in Parkinson's disease patients. This therapy is safe and well-tolerated, though long-term effects require further investigation.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Movement Disorders
Background:
- Treadmill training is a common rehabilitation technique.
- It is recognized for its potential to enhance gait parameters in individuals with Parkinson's disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of treadmill training in improving gait function for Parkinson's disease patients.
- To assess the safety and acceptability of treadmill training as a therapeutic intervention.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
- Searched multiple databases including Cochrane, MEDLINE, and EMBASE up to March 2009.
- Included eight trials with 203 participants comparing treadmill training to no training.
Main Results:
- Treadmill training demonstrated significant improvements in gait speed (SMD 0.50), stride length (SMD 0.42), and walking distance (MD = 358m).
- No significant improvement was observed in walking cadence (MD 1.06).
- Treadmill training did not increase dropout rates (RD -0.07) and adverse events were not reported.
Conclusions:
- Treadmill training is effective in improving gait hypokinesia in Parkinson's disease patients.
- Results should be interpreted cautiously due to trial variations in patient characteristics and training protocols.
- The long-term duration of these gait improvements remains unknown.
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