Treadmill training can improve gait in Parkinson's disease

January 01, 0001

Treadmill training can improve gait in Parkinson's disease

Clinical Question:How effective is treadmill training in improving the gait function of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD)?

Bottom line: Treadmill training did improve gait speed, stride length and walking distance; cadence did not improve. Acceptability of treadmill training for study participants was good and adverse events were rare.

Caveat: This review was based on a limited number of small trials, the largest involving only 54 patients. The results must be interpreted with caution because there were variations between the trials in patient characteristics, the duration and amount of training (from one session of about 30 minutes, to 8 weeks) and types of treatment. Additionally, it is not known how long these improvements may last.

Context: The role of treadmill training for people with PD in improving gait parameters is unclear. Gait hypokinesia is typically one of the primary movement disorders associated with PD. It is an important determinant of disability and quality of life for people with mild to moderate PD. Treadmill training uses specialised machines to facilitate gait rehabilitation.

Cochrane Systematic Review: Mehrholz J et al. Treadmill training for patients with ParkinsonÕs disease. Cochrane Reviews 2010, Issue 1. Article No. CD007830. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD007830.pub2. This review contains 8 studies involving 203 participants.

Cochrane PEARLS Practical Evidence About Real Life Situations. No. 235, March 2010.
Written by Brian R McAvoy. Published by the Cochrane Primary Care Group

Category: N. Neurological. Keywords: Parkinson's disease, gait, treadmill
Synopsis edited by Dr Linda French, Toledo, Ohio. Posted on Global Family Doctor 6 July 2010

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Pearls are an independent product of the Cochrane primary care group and are meant for educational use and not to guide clinical care.