Treadmill Training and Quality of Life in Parkinson's Disease

Treadmill Walking Training With Additional Body Load Improves Quality of Life in Subjects With Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) causes motor and non-motor impairments that affect the quality of life of the subjects. The purpose was to assess the effects of treadmill walking training with additional body load on the quality of life and motor symptoms of the subjects with PD.

Methods: Nine subjects with PD, Hoehn and Yahr stages 2 through 3, not demented and with capability to ambulate independently voluntarily participate in this study. The training program was divided into three phases (A1-B-A2): treadmill training with additional body load (A1), control condition (conventional physical therapy group) (B) and treadmill training with load again (A2). Each phase lasted six weeks. The quality of life and motor symptoms were assessed by PDQ-39 and UPDRS, respectively. Both evaluations and training were performed during on-phase of the medication cycle.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Hoehn and Yahr (H-Y) stages 2 through 3
• Absence of dementia (Mini-Mental Status Examination - MMSE, defined according to educational level)
• Capacity to ambulate independently for at least 10 meters

Exclusion Criteria:

• Change medication (dopaminergic) during the study period
• Use treadmill for at least six months prior to the study
• Other neurologic problems or musculoskeletal, cardiovascular and respiratory disease or uncorrected visual deficit that could represent risk and interfere in the accomplishment of the training