Article

Introducing evidence-based exercise guidelines of Parkinson's disease
(PD) into clinical practice and community settings has been highlighted. AIM:
This study tested the feasibility and compared the weekly effects of a 12-week
walking training program on PD patients and community-dwelling seniors. DESIGN: A
prospective quasi-experimental design was used. PD patients in Hoehn and Yahr
Stage I through III (PG) and community-dwelling adults older than 65 were
recruited (CG). METHODS: In the outpatient department of a hospital, the
information of personal data, coordination test, and walking ability of
participants were collected first. They then participated in a 36-session,
12-week treadmill walking training program. RESULTS: Weekly data of step length
and velocity in PG and CG were collected. The walking training program achieved
significant velocity (chi(2) = 126.38, p < 0.001) and step length (chi(2) =
27.27, p = 0.001) improvements in PG. Differences in improvement between PG and
CG in terms of velocity (chi(2) = 7.089, df = 1, p = 0.008) and step length
(chi(2) = 7.718, df = 1, p = 0.005) were also identified. CONCLUSION: The
applicability of this 12-week walking program both for PD patients and
community-dwelling older adults was identified. Conducting the economic
evaluation and neurology studies of the 12-week walking program and test the
effects of five-week walking program are suggested.

Langue : ANGLAIS