title: Effects of an intensive Nordic walking intervention on the balance function and walking ability of individuals with Parkinson's disease: a randomized controlled pilot trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Parkinson's disease (PD) is associated with impairment in balance and postural control, accompanied by a progressive reduction in the speed and amplitude of movement.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of our study was to evaluate the therapeutic effects of Nordic walking on a treadmill on the balance function and walking ability of individuals with PD.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty participants with stage 1-3 PD in the Hoehn and Yahr scale were randomly allocated to the Nordic walking training (NWT) group and treadmill training (TT) group, with ten participants per group. Measured outcomes included: the motor subscale of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS-M), the Berg balance scale (BBS), the Timed Up-and-go test (TUG), the 10-meter walk test (10 MWT), and the 6-minute walk test (6 MWT).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Improvement on all outcome measures was identified from pre-to-post intervention for both groups (p < 0.05). Post-intervention, there was a significant between-group difference on measured outcomes (p < 0.05). The NWT group exhibited greater improvement in the UPDRS-M (p = 0.006; 95 % CI 0.825-4.374), BBS (p = 0.002; 95 % CI 1.307-5.092), TUG (p = 0.048; 95 % CI 0.028-2.582), 10 MWT (p = 0.047; 95 % CI 0.108-2.306), and 6 MWT (p = 0.003; 95 % CI 20.302-42.097) compared to the TT group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our outcomes provide evidence of the therapeutic benefit of Nordic walking on a treadmill to improve balance function and walking ability in individuals with PD.
authors: Department of Physical Therapy, Oriental Hospital, Wonkwang University, Sinyong-dong, Iksan-si, Jeollabuk-do, 54649, Republic of Korea.
authors: Dae-Hyouk
authors: DH
authors: Bang
authors: Department of Physical Therapy, Collage of Natural Science, Daejeon University, 62, Daehak-ro, Dong-gu, Daejeon, 300-716, Republic of Korea. shinws@dju.kr.
authors: Won-Seob
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6515-7020
authors: WS
authors: Shin
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000145:classification / Q000628:therapy*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D000070857:Walk Test / Q000379:methods*; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Balance; Nordic walking training; Parkinson’s disease; Walking