Falls and mobility in Parkinson's disease: protocol for a randomised controlled clinical trial

Background Although physical therapy and falls prevention education are argued to reduce falls and disability in people with idiopathic Parkinson\u27s disease, this has not yet been confirmed with a large scale randomised controlled clinical trial. The study will investigate the effects on falls, mobility and quality of life of (i) movement strategy training combined with falls prevention education, (ii) progressive resistance strength training combined with falls prevention education, (iii) a generic life-skills social program (control group). Methods/Design People with idiopathic Parkinson\u27s disease who live at home will be recruited and randomly allocated to one of three groups. Each person shall receive therapy in an out-patient setting in groups of 3-4. Each group shall be scheduled to meet once per week for 2 hours for 8 consecutive weeks. All participants will also have a structured 2 hour home practice program for each week during the 8 week intervention phase. Assessments will occur before therapy, after the 8 week therapy program, and at 3 and 12 months after the intervention. A falls calendar will be kept by each participant for 12 months after outpatient therapy. Consistent with the recommendations of the Prevention of Falls Network Europe group, three falls variables will be used as the primary outcome measures: the number of fallers, the number of multiple fallers and the falls rate. In addition to quantifying falls, we shall measure mobility, activity limitations and quality of life as secondary outcomes. Discussion This study has the potential to determine whether outpatient movement strategy training combined with falls prevention education or progressive resistance strength training combined with falls prevention education are effective for reducing falls and improving mobility and life quality in people with Parkinson\u27s disease who live at home

Protocol for a home-based integrated physical therapy program to reduce falls and improve mobility in people with Parkinson’s disease

Background The high incidence of falls associated with Parkinson’s disease (PD) increases the risk of injuries and immobility and compromises quality of life. Although falls education and strengthening programs have shown some benefit in healthy older people, the ability of physical therapy interventions in home settings to reduce falls and improve mobility in people with Parkinson’s has not been convincingly demonstrated.Methods/design 180 community living people with PD will be randomly allocated to receive either a home-based integrated rehabilitation program (progressive resistance strength training, movement strategy training and falls education) or a home-based life skills program (control intervention). Both programs comprise one hour of treatment and one hour of structured homework per week over six weeks of home therapy. Blinded assessments occurring before therapy commences, the week after completion of therapy and 12 months following intervention will establish both the immediate and long-term benefits of home-based rehabilitation. The number of falls, number of repeat falls, falls rate and time to first fall will be the primary measures used to quantify outcome. The economic costs associated with injurious falls, and the costs of running the integrated rehabilitation program from a health system perspective will be established. The effects of intervention on motor and global disability and on quality of life will also be examined. Discussion This study will provide new evidence on the outcomes and cost effectiveness of home-based movement rehabilitation programs for people living with PD

Influência do fortalecimento muscular no equilíbrio e qualidade de vida em indivíduos com doença de Parkinson

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of muscle strengthening in the balance, mobility and quality of life (QoL) in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD), and to check the correlation between muscle strengthening and QoL. Nine subjects belonging to both sexes, diagnosed with PD, participated in this study. Initially, they went through an evaluation of their balance and functional mobility through the Berg Balance Scale (BBS), the ­Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, and a QoL test through the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39). The subjects also performed a test for determining the maximum load (one-repetition maximum) for the muscle groups trained. After the normality and homogeneity of the data were verified, the Student's t-test and Spearman correlation test were carried out. A significance level of p<0.05 was considered. We verified an improvement in balance (p=0.008) and QoL (p=0.013), and a negative correlation between balance and QoL (evaluation: r=-0.65 and p=0.05, revaluation: r=-0.82 and p=0.005). It was concluded that muscle strengthening was efficient in the improvement of balance and QoL in individuals with PD.Esse estudo teve como objetivo avaliar o ­efeito do fortalecimento muscular no equilíbrio, mobilidade e na qualidade de vida (QV) de indivíduos com doença de Parkinson (DP), e verificar a correlação entre fortalecimento muscular e qualidade de vida. Participaram do estudo nove sujeitos, de ambos os sexos, com diagnóstico médico de DP. Eles, inicialmente, passaram por ­avaliação do equilíbrio e da mobilidade funcional por meio da Escala de Equilíbrio de Berg (EEB) e teste Timed Up and Go (TUG) e da QV pelo questionário Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39). Os sujeitos realizaram ainda o teste de determinação de carga máxima (1 RM) para os grupos musculares treinados. Depois de verificadas a normalidade e homogeneidade dos dados, foram realizados o teste t de Student e o teste de correlação de Spearman. Foi considerado nível de significância de p<0,05. Foi verificada melhora no equilíbrio (p=0,008) e na QV (p=0,013), e correlação negativa entre equilíbrio e QV (avaliação r=-0,65 e p=0,05; e na reavaliação r=-0,82 e p=0,005). O ­fortalecimento muscular foi eficaz na melhora no equilíbrio e na qualidade de vida de indivíduos com doença de Parkinson.Este estudio tiene como objetivo evaluar el efecto del fortalecimiento muscular en el equilibrio, movilidad y en la calidad de vida (CV) de individuos con Enfermedad de Parkinson (EP), y verificar la correlación entre el fortalecimiento muscular y calidad de vida. Participaron del estudio nueve sujetos, de ambos sexos, con diagnóstico médico de EP. Inicialmente los sujetos pasaron por una evaluación del equilibrio y la movilidad funcional por medio de la Escala de Equilibrio de Berg (EEB) y el test Timed Up and Go (TUG), y de la CV por el cuestionario Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39). Los sujetos realizaron también el test de determinación de carga máxima (1 RM) para los grupos musculares entrenados. Después de verificar la normalidad y homogeneidad de los datos fue realizado el Test t de student y el test de correlación de Spearman. Fue considerado nivel de significancia de p<0,05. Fue verificada una mejora en el Equilibrio (p=0,008) y en la CV (p=0,013), y correlación negativa entre el equilibrio y CV (evaluación r= -0,65 y p=0,05; y en la reevaluación r=-0,82 p=0,005). El fortalecimiento muscular fue eficaz en la mejora del equilibrio y en la calidad de vida de individuos con enfermedad de Parkinson

Effect of Global Postural Rehabilitation program on spatiotemporal gait parameters of parkinsonian patients: a three-dimensional motion analysis study

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of a Global Postural Rehabilitation (GPR) program on motor symptoms and gait parameters of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) by means of three-dimensional motion analysis study. Ten subjects with clinical diagnosis of PD were enrolled (study group). Age-, sexand disease duration-matched PD patients were recruited as a control group (no treatment). Three-dimensional motion analysis was conducted by means of a stereophotogrammetric system. After basal evaluation, the study group underwent a specific rehabilitation program consisting of individual 40 min GPR daily sessions, 3 days a week for 4 consecutive weeks. Neurological status and spatiotemporalgait parameters of the two groups were evaluated at study entry (t0), at 4 weeks (t1, end of rehabilitation protocol) and at 8 and 12 weeks (t2 and t3, follow-up evaluation). At baseline evaluation, the two groups did not differ in clinical features and gait parameters. At the end of rehabilitation protocol (t1) and at follow-up evaluation (t2 and t3), a significant improvement in temporal gait parameters and UPDRS scores was observed in all treated patients as compared to baseline and controls. Our preliminary findings showed that significant improvements in mobility and gait parameters of PD patients can be obtained through GPR treatment, with a parallel improvement in clinical status. Quantitative analysis of gait pattern can be considered a useful tool to assess the efficacy of rehabilitation interventions in patients affected by PD

Efeitos do exercício físico sobre o estado redox cerebral Effects of physical exercise over the redox brain state

A atividade física é conhecida por promover saúde e bem-estar. O exercício também é responsável por aumentar a produção de Espécies Reativas de Oxigênio (ERO) pelo acréscimo do consumo de oxigênio mitocondrial nos tecidos. O desequilíbrio entre a produção de EROs e as defesas oxidantes dos tecidos pode provocar danos oxidativos a proteínas, lipídios e DNA. O dano oxidativo cerebral é um mecanismo etiopatológico comum da apoptose e da neurodegeneração. O fator de crescimento cérebro-derivado desempenha um importante papel neste contexto. Nesta revisão, apresentamos os resultados de diferentes modelos de exercício físico no metabolismo oxidativo e neurotrófico do Sistema Nervoso Central (SNC). Também revisamos estudos que utilizaram suplementação antioxidante para prevenir danos oxidativos exercício-induzido ao SNC. Os modelos de exercício físico mais comuns foram as rodas de correr, a natação e a esteira com configurações de treinamento muito diferentes como a duração e a intensidade. Os resultados do treinamento físico no tecido cerebral são muito controversos, mas geralmente demonstram ganhos na plasticidade sináptica e na função cognitiva com exercícios de intensidade moderada e baixa.<br>Physical activity is known for promoting health and well-being. Exercise is also responsible for increasing the production of Oxygen Reactive Species (ORS) by increasing mitochondrial oxygen consumption causing tissue oxidative stress. The imbalance between ORS production and tissue antioxidant defenses can cause oxidative damage to proteins, lipids and DNA. Brain oxidative damage is a common etiopathology mechanism of apoptosis and neurodegeneration. The brain-derived neurotrophic factor plays an important role in this context. In this review, we showed the results of different models and configurations of physical exercise in oxidative and neurotrophic metabolism of the Central Nervous System (CNS). We also reviewed studies that utilized antioxidant supplementation to prevent exercise-induced oxidative damage to CNS. The commonest physical exercise models were running wheels, swimming and treadmill with very different configurations of physical training such as duration and intensity. The results of physical training on brain tissues are very controversial, but generally show improvement in synaptic plasticity and cognition function with low and moderate intensity exercises