Home-based prescribed exercise improves balance-related activities and gait speed in people with Parkinson 's disease , and these improvements are similar to improvements with equivalent centre-based exercise .
QUESTIONS In people with Parkinson 's disease , does home-based prescribed exercise improve balance-related activities and quality of life compared with no intervention ?
Are the effects of home-based exercise similar to those of equivalent centre-based exercise ?
The Effects of Highly Challenging Balance Training in Elderly With Parkinson’s Disease
Background . Highly challenging exercises have been suggested to induce neuroplasticity in individuals with Parkinson ’s disease ( PD ) ; however , its effect on clinical outcomes remains largely unknown . Objective . To evaluate the short-term effects of the HiBalance program , a highly challenging balance-training regimen that incorporates both dual-tasking and PD-specific balance components , compared with usual care in elderly with mild to moderate PD . Methods . Participants with PD ( n = 100 ) were r and omized , either to the 10-week  HiBalance program  ( n = 51 ) or to the  control group ( n = 49 ) . Participants were evaluated before and after the intervention . The main outcomes were balance performance ( Mini-BESTest ) , gait velocity ( during normal and dual-task gait ) , and concerns about falling ( Falls Efficacy Scale – International ) . Performance of a cognitive task while walking , physical activity level ( average steps per day ) , and activities of daily living were secondary outcomes . Results . A total of 91 participants completed the study . After the intervention , the between group comparison showed significantly improved balance and gait performance in the training group . Moreover , although no significant between group difference was observed regarding gait performance during dual-tasking ; the participants in the training group improved their performance of the cognitive task while walking , as compared with the control group . Regarding physical activity levels and activities of daily living , in comparison to the control group , favorable results were found for the training group . No group differences were found for concerns about falling . Conclusions . The HiBalance program significantly benefited balance and gait abilities when compared with usual care and showed promising transfer effects to everyday living . Long-term follow-up assessment s will further explore these effects
Home-based prescribed exercise improves balance-related activities and gait speed in people with Parkinson 's disease , and these improvements are similar to improvements with equivalent centre-based exercise .
QUESTIONS In people with Parkinson 's disease , does home-based prescribed exercise improve balance-related activities and quality of life compared with no intervention ?
Are the effects of home-based exercise similar to those of equivalent centre-based exercise ?