Article

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of aquatic exercise therapy on gait
variability and disability compared with usual care for people with Parkinson
disease (PD). DESIGN: Single-blind randomized controlled trial. SETTING:
Community-based hydrotherapy pool. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals with PD (Hoehn-Yahr
stages I-III) (N=21). INTERVENTIONS: Participants were randomly assigned to
either an aquatic exercise therapy group (45min, twice a week for 6wk) or a group
that received usual care. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome measure was
gait variability as measured using a motion capture system. Secondary outcomes
were quality of life measured on the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-39 and
freezing of gait and motor disability quantified by the Unified Parkinson's
Disease Rating Scale. Feasibility was evaluated by measuring safety, adverse
events, and participant satisfaction. RESULTS: People in the aquatic therapy
group and usual care group showed similar small improvements in gait variability.
The aquatic therapy group showed greater improvements in disability than the
usual care group (P<.01). No differences between groups or over time were
identified for freezing of gait or quality of life. Aquatic therapy sessions were
safe and enjoyable with no adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Aquatic therapy appears
feasible and safe for some people in the early stages of PD.
CI - Copyright (c) 2017 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS