title: Technology-assisted balance and gait training reduces falls in patients with Parkinson's disease: a randomized controlled trial with 12-month follow-up.
abstract: Objective. To examine the effects of technology-assisted balance and gait training on reducing falls in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods. Eligible subjects were randomly allocated to an experimental group given technology-assisted balance and gait training (BAL, n = 26) and an active control group undertaking strengthening exercises (CON, n = 25). The training in each group lasted for 3 months. The number of fallers and fall rate were used as primary outcomes, and single-leg-stance-time, latency of postural response to perturbation, self-selected gait velocity, and stride length as secondary outcomes. Fall incidence was recorded over 15 months after the baseline assessment (Pre). Other tests were performed at Pre, after 3-month intervention (Post(3m)), at 3 months (Post(6m)), and 12 months (Post(15m)) after treatment completion. Results. Forty-five subjects who completed the 3-month training were included in the data analysis. There were fewer fallers in the BAL than in the CON group at Post(3m), Post(6m), and Post(15m) (P < .05). In addition, the BAL group had lower fall rate than the CON group at Post(3m) and Post(6m) (incidence rate ratio: 0.111-0.188, P < .05), and marginally so at Post(15m) (incidence rate ratio: 0.407, P = .057). Compared with the CON subjects, the BAL subjects demonstrated greater reduction in the postural response latency and increase in the stride length against baseline at each assessment interval (P < .05), and marginally more increases of single-leg-stance-time at Post(3m) (P = .064), Post(6m) (P = .041) and Post(15m) (P = .087). Conclusions. Our positive findings provide evidence for the clinical use of technology-assisted balance and gait training in reducing falls in people with PD.
authors: Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China Guangdong Provincial Work Injury Rehabilitation Hospital, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Xia
authors: X
authors: Shen
authors: Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China margaret.mak@polyu.edu.hk.
authors: Margaret K Y
authors: MK
authors: Mak
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004856:Postural Balance; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Parkinson’s disease; accidental falls; balance; gait; physical therapy; rehabilitation