Objective: To explore the effects of a short-term, intermittent exercise program combined dynamic movement and core muscle training on balance and gait in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Background: People with PD experience decreased balance ability and gait speed. Previous evidence showed that interventions targeting these aspects in PD patients have proved effective, but most of these interventions were long-term and continuous interventions. Our study aimed to determine if a combination of different approaches in a short-term, intermittent training course could produce similar results. We also further explore the association between balance ability and gait speed.

Method: 63 patients (70.5±7.7 years old) completed the five-week program with two sessions per week, each including 25 minutes of dynamic movement training and 25 minutes of core muscle training. Balance and gait were assessed before and after intervention by applying the Mini Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Mini-BESTest, which consists of four subcomponents including anticipatory, reactive postural control, sensory orientation, and dynamic gait, and the 10-Meter Walk Test (10MWT). Statistical difference between pre- and post-training was determined using a paired-t test, with a significance level set at p<0.05. Pearson correlation was used to explore the relationship between differences of the total score and subcomponents of the Mini-BESTest with 10MWT, with a significance level of 0.05.

Results: There were significant differences in the Mini-BESTest total score (M_diff=3.56±2.42, p<0.001) and the 10MWT (M_diff=0.08±0.19, p=0.002) before and after training. Exploration of correlation between differences of the 10MWT and differences of the total score and subcomponents of the Mini-BESTest showed a significant correlation between the differences of the “anticipatory” subcomponent and 10MWT (p<0.05, r=0.254). However, there was no significant correlation between the Mini-BESTest total score and 10MWT.

Conclusion: The results indicate that the short-term, intermittent exercise program significantly improved the balance ability and gait speed of PD patients. These findings suggest that a short-term, intermittent dynamic movement combined core muscle exercises can effectively enhance the balance and gait abilities of PD patients.

References: 1. Godi M, Arcolin I, Giardini M, Corna S, Schieppati M. Responsiveness and minimal clinically important difference of the Mini-BESTest in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Gait Posture. 2020 Jul;80:14-19. doi: 10.1016/j.gaitpost.2020.05.004. Epub 2020 May 17. PMID: 32464537.
2. Debû B, De Oliveira Godeiro C, Lino JC, Moro E. Managing Gait, Balance, and Posture in Parkinson’s Disease. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep. 2018 Apr 6;18(5):23. doi: 10.1007/s11910-018-0828-4. PMID: 29623455.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/short-term-intermittent-exercise-program-improved-the-balance-and-gait-in-patients-with-parkinsons-disease/