Objective: Recent evidence suggested that the use of treadmill training may improve gait parameters, such as gait speed and stride length. Visual deprivation could engage alternative sensory strategies to control dynamic equilibrium and stabilize gait based on vestibulo-spinal reflexes (VSR). We aimed to investigate the efficacy of a blindfolded balance training (BBT) in the improvement of gait parameters in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) compared to patients treated with standard physical therapy (PT) program.

Methods: 30 PD patients were randomized in two groups, one treated with BBT during two weeks (15 patients) and another group treated with standard PT (15 patients) during eight weeks. We evaluated gait parameters pre and post BBT and PT interventions, comparing double stance, swing and stance phase percentage.

Results: BBT induced an improvement of double stance phase as revealed (decreased percentage of double stance phase during the gait cycle) in comparison to PT. The other gait parameters swing and stance phase did not differ between the two groups.

Conclusions: These results support the introduction of complementary rehabilitative strategies based on sensory-motor stimulation in the traditional PD patient’s rehabilitation program based on enhancement of vestibular-spinal system. Further studies are needed to verify the long term efficacy of BBT and to investigate the neurophysiological circuits and mechanism underlying clinical and motor modifications.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/blindfolded-balance-training-in-patients-with-parkinsons-disease-a-sensory-motor-strategy-to-improve-the-gait/