Patients with Parkinson's disease who receive treadmill training are more likely to improve their impaired gait hypokinesia. However, the results must be interpreted with caution because there were variations between the trials in patient characteristics, the duration and amount of training, and types of treatment. Additionally, it is not known how long these improvements may last.
Long-term effect of body weight-supported treadmill training in Parkinson's disease: a randomized controlled trial.
To investigate whether body weight-supported treadmill training (BWSTT) is of long-term benefit for patients with Parkinson's disease (PD).
                Randomized controlled trial.
                Inpatient rehabilitation unit for neurologic diseases in Japan.
                Twenty-four patients (Hoehn and Yahr stages 2.5 or 3) who were not demented (Mini-Mental State Examination score, >27).
                Patients were randomized to receive either a 45-minute session of BWSTT (up to 20% of body weight supported) or conventional physical therapy (PT) for 3 days a week for 1 month.
                Outcome measures were evaluated at baseline and at 1, 2, 3, and 6 months. Measures included the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), ambulation speed (s/10 m), and number of steps taken for a 10-m walk as a parameter for stride length.
                Four patients needed modification of medications in the follow-up period. Twenty patients (BWSTT, n=11; PT, n=9) without modified medications were analyzed for functional outcome. Age, duration of PD, gender, and doses of medications were comparable. There was no difference in the baseline UPDRS (BWSTT=33.3; PT=32.6), speed (BWSTT=10.8; PT=11.5), and steps (BWSTT=23.4; PT=22.8). The BWSTT group had significantly greater improvement than the PT group (Mann-Whitney U test, Bonferroni adjustment for multiple comparison) in ambulation speed at 1 month (BWSTT=8.5; PT=10.8; P<.005); and in the number of steps at 1 (BWSTT=20.0; PT=22.7; P<.005), 2 (BWSTT=19.5; PT=22.4; P<.005), 3 (BWSTT=20.1; PT=23.1; P<.005), and 4 months (BWSTT=21.0; PT=23.0; P=.006).
                BWSTT has a lasting effect specifically on short-step gait in PD.
                Copyright 2002 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation