Session Information
Date: Thursday, June 23, 2016
Session Title: Parkinson's disease: Clinical trials, pharmacology and treatment
Session Time: 12:00pm-1:30pm
Location: Exhibit Hall located in Hall B, Level 2
Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of additional load (5% and 10%) with treadmill gait training on the overall motor aspects of individuals with PD.
Background: A portion of the population with Parkinson’s disease (PD) has postural instability and gait deficits in the early stages of the disease, causing negative impact on both their activities of daily living and quality of live. The use of additional load (5% and 10% of body mass) during training on treadmill seems to promote improved proprioceptive with an increased reflex activity of the gastrocnemius and therefore better gait pattern in PD.
Methods: A randomized controlled single-blind trial. Thirty individuals (20 men and 10 women), aged between 41 and 75 years (62.23 ±8.96), stages 2 and 3 of the Modified Hoehn & Yahr Scale and having independent gait. The volunteers were divided into three groups (treadmill with 0%, 5% or 10% loading), where clinical data and Unified Parkinson’s disease Rating Scale data were taken, their ON phase antiparkinson medication, as well as the motor function, history of falls and postural instability. Gait training was conducted over 4 consecutive weeks, with three weekly sessions on a treadmill of 30 minutes each (GaitTrainer®).
Results: There was a significant reduction in all groups in the time factor for motor function (F = 12.92; P = .001) and postural instability (F = 11.23; P = .002), but without differences in the falls history (F = 1.00; P = .38). No significant difference was observed in group x time interaction for the analyzed outcomes (F< 1.76; P > .19). A significant correlation between motor function and postural instability was found at the end of the protocol (r = .56; P = .001).
Conclusions: The treadmill comprises an effective therapy for the rehabilitation of people with PD, for important motor aspects such as motor function and postural instability. Additional loads (5% and 10%) had no influence on results, since all groups presented advances after training.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
L.C.L. Trigueiro, A.V.C. Sousa, G.L. Gama, T.S. Ribeiro, L.G.L.M. Ferreira, C.R. Simão, É.R.V.P. Galvão, E.M.G.S. Silva, C.G. Júnior, A.R.R. Lindquist. Influence of treadmill gait training with additional load on motor function, postural instability and history of falls for individuals with Parkinson’s disease: A randomized clinical trial [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2016; 31 (suppl 2). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/influence-of-treadmill-gait-training-with-additional-load-on-motor-function-postural-instability-and-history-of-falls-for-individuals-with-parkinsons-disease-a-randomized-clinical-trial/. Accessed May 9, 2025.« Back to 2016 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/influence-of-treadmill-gait-training-with-additional-load-on-motor-function-postural-instability-and-history-of-falls-for-individuals-with-parkinsons-disease-a-randomized-clinical-trial/