Treadmill Training With Additional Body Load: Effects on Gait of Subjects With Parkinson´s Disease

Background: Studies about the effects of walking training with additional body load in Parkinson's disease (PD) are lacking. There is evidence that the increase of body load during treadmill walking improves reflex activity and leg extensor muscle activity, which are impaired in subjects with PD.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of treadmill walking training with additional body load on the ground reaction forces, spatiotemporal, and kinematic variables of the gait of subjects with moderate PD.

Design: This study was an A1-B-A2 single-case. Setting: The evaluation and the training were conducted in a movement analysis laboratory, and at the rehabilitation unit of the University, respectively.

Participants: Nine patients with PD (Hoehn and Yahr 2 through 3) and gait disturbances.

Interventions: Phases A1 and A2 included 6 weeks of gait training on a treadmill with 10% increase of normal body mass. Phase B included 6 weeks of conventional physical therapy.

Measurements: Measures included the ground reaction forces, spatiotemporal, and kinematic variables during overground walking, at baseline and after each phase.

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Key information

Conditions

Parkinson´s Disease Basal Ganglia Diseases Brain Diseases Central Nervous System Diseases Movement Disorders Nervous System Diseases Neurodegenerative Diseases Parkinson Disease Parkinsonian Disorders Synucleinopathies

Age range

51 year–81 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Universidade Federal de São Carlos

São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Idiopathic PD (previously diagnosed by one specialist physician,)
Hoehn and Yahr (H-Y) stages 2 through 3,
Absence of dementia (Mini-Mental Status Examination - MMSE, defined according to educational level) and,
Capacity to ambulate independently for at least 10 meters.

Exclusion criteria

Change medication (dopaminergic) during the study period,
Use treadmill for at least six months prior to the study, and
Other neurologic problems or musculoskeletal, cardiovascular and respiratory disease or uncorrected visual deficit that could represent risk and interfere in the performance of the training.

Treatment and study plan

Treadmill walking training with additional body load

Other

The training program was divided into three phases (A1-B-A2):

treadmill training with additional body load (A1), control condition (conventional physical therapy) (B). and treadmill training with additional body load again (A2). Each phase lasted six weeks, totaling 18 weeks. Both evaluations and training were performed during on-phase of the medication cycle.

Primary outcomes

Significant increase in propulsive forces, stride length, speed, maximum hip extension during stance were observed after the training program.

Time frame: 4 times, once before treatment, and 3 after each treatment phase.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start: 2007
Primary completion: 2008
Study completion: 2008
First posted: Aug 25, 2009
Registry last updated: Aug 25, 2009

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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Completed