Treadmill training improves overground walking economy in Parkinson's disease: a randomized, controlled pilot study

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Exercise Physiology
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Gait disturbances and impaired walking economy are major symptoms in Parkinson's disease (PD), contributing to fatigue.
• Previous research indicates treadmill training improves kinematic parameters in PD.
• The impact of treadmill versus overground training on walking economy in PD remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate changes in walking economy following treadmill and overground training programs in mild PD patients.
• To compare the walking economy during treadmill versus overground walking.

Main Methods:

• Twenty-two mild PD patients were randomized into treadmill or overground training groups.
• Training involved 5 weeks of 3 sessions per week.
• Energy expenditure during overground walking was measured before and after training; treadmill walking energy expenditure was measured pre-training.

Main Results:

• Treadmill training, but not overground training, improved walking economy (oxygen consumption per distance) in PD patients.
• Treadmill walking required greater energy expenditure than overground walking at the same speed.
• Treadmill training demonstrated superior benefits for walking economy compared to overground training in mild PD.

Conclusions:

• Treadmill training offers greater benefits for improving walking economy in mild Parkinson's disease compared to overground training.
• These findings have clinical implications for designing exercise interventions for PD patients.