Changes in motor performance in persons with Parkinson's disease after exercise in a mountain area.
For one week in autumn, over a period of three consecutive years, a total of 12 persons with Parkinson's disease (PD) participated in daily walks of about 4 kilometers in a mountain area in Sweden in order to train rhythm, balance and coordination on the soft heaths. These persons were 60-78 years of age and had been found to be between stage 1 and stage 3 on the Hoehn and Yahr Staging Scale. The aim of the study was to find out whether a week of daily walks in the Swedish mountains would affect the motor performance of persons with PD, objectively and quantitatively assessed by a computer-assisted, opto-electronic movement analysis program, the Posturo-Locomotor-Manual (PLM) test. As compared with those before the journey, the results showed improved motor performance both immediately after the walking week and also at 3 but not 6 months later. The first year of participation showed the most pronounced improvements. The results demonstrate a long-lasting improvement in decreased movement time, indicating enhanced general motor performance and also an improved simultaneous index (SI), indicating a possible effect on the central nervous system. These findings, along with participants' narratives about what they did after returning home, may be indicative of strengthened self-confidence.
Sunvisson
H
H
Centre of Caring Sciences, Huddinge University Hospital, Sweden. Helena.Sunvisson@cvvp07.hs.sll.se
Lökk
J
J
Ericson
K
K
Winblad
B
B
Ekman
S L
SL
D000368:Aged; D000978:Antiparkinson Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008124:Locomotion / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D009051:Mountaineering / Q000502:physiology*; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D013548:Sweden; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*
D000978:Antiparkinson Agents