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: To evaluate and compare the efficacy of a home-based balance programme to therapist-supervised programme on gait parameters, dynamic balance, balance confidence and motivation in individuals diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD).
Background: Poor locomotion and balance in PD often diminishes independence. Accordingly gait is considered to be one of the most relevant rehabilitation outcomes, and home-based balance exercises might be a viable mode of exercise delivery for individuals with PD. However research on PD exercise interventions rarely indicate best practices to deliver exercises. Therefore this study endeavoured to evaluate and compare the efficacy of a home-based balance training programme.
Methods: An experimental study design, including a cluster randomized convenience sample, of 40 participants with idiopathic PD (Hoehn and Yahr stage I–III; age: 65.0±7.7 years). Participants were divided into a Therapist-supervised group (n=24) and Home-based group (n=16). Groups received eight weeks of balance training with either an exercise therapist or via a DVD at home. Outcome measures include the instrumented Timed-Up-and-Go, Functional Gait Analysis (FGA), Activity-specific Balance confidence (ABC) scale and Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (IMI).
Results: Both groups improved in stride length (p<0.05). Similar FGA improved by 9% and 16% in the Therapist-supervised and Home-based group, respectively (p<0.01). Only Therapist-supervised group showed improvements in ABC (p=0.051), stride velocity (p=0.0006) and cadence (p=0.046) over study period; the latter two were also better compared to Home-based (p<0.05). Post-test revealed that Therapist-supervised group had more motivation (p=002).
Conclusions: The Home-based balance programme was effective in improving some aspects of gait, albeit the programme supervised by an exercise therapist included somewhat more benefits after the intervention i.e. stride velocity and cadence in individuals with mild to moderate PD.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
E.M. Atterbury, K.E. Welman. Balance training in individual’s with Parkinson’s disease: Therapist-supervised vs. home-based exercise programmes [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2016; 31 (suppl 2). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/balance-training-in-individuals-with-parkinsons-disease-therapist-supervised-vs-home-based-exercise-programmes/. Accessed May 19, 2025.« Back to 2016 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/balance-training-in-individuals-with-parkinsons-disease-therapist-supervised-vs-home-based-exercise-programmes/