Article

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effects of repetitive volitional and compensatory step
training with preparatory signals on the limits of stability, postural and gait
skills, and spatiotemporal gait characteristics in patients with Parkinson's
disease with no falls during the previous 12 months. DESIGN: Randomized clinical
trial with assessor blinded to group assignment. SUBJECTS: Twenty-eight patients
with Parkinson's disease with no falls during the previous 12 months. METHODS:
Eligible patients were randomly assigned to an experimental group, which
undertook repetitive step training with preparatory visual cues, or a control
group, which undertook lower limb strength training for 4 weeks. Outcome measures
included limits of stability test, postural and gait sub-scores from Unified
Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale motor score (UPDRS-PG), and spatiotemporal gait
characteristics. All tests were conducted before and after training at patients'
peak medication cycle. RESULTS: The experimental group showed significant
improvements in reaction time, movement velocity, and endpoint excursion of
limits of stability, as well as UPDRS-PG score and stride length (p < 0.05),
compared with the control group. Both groups significantly increased gait
velocity (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Repetitive step training with preparatory cues
can enhance limits of stability, postural and gait skills and spatiotemporal gait
characteristics in patients with Parkinson's disease with no falls during the
previous 12 months.

Langue : ANGLAIS