Exercise and Parkinson Disease: Comparing Tango, Treadmill, and Stretching.

ABSTRACT:

Background and purpose

Impaired gait, balance, and motor function are common in Parkinson disease (PD) and may lead to falls and injuries. Different forms of exercise improve motor function in persons with PD, but determining which form of exercise is most effective requires a direct comparison of various approaches. In this prospective, controlled trial, we evaluated the impact of tango, treadmill walking, and stretching on gait, balance, motor function, and quality of life. We hypothesized tango and treadmill would improve forward walking and motor symptom severity, and tango would also improve backward walking, balance, and quality of life.

Methods

Ninety-six participants (age: 67.2 ± 8.9 years, 42% female) with mild to moderate idiopathic PD were serially assigned to tan

SUBMITTER: Rawson KS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6294320 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature