Treadmill training with additional body load: Effects on the gait of people with Parkinson's disease

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the effects of treadmill walking training with additional body load on the gait of people with moderate Parkinson's disease. Methods: Nine people with Parkinson's disease (Hoehn and Yahr Scale 2–3) and gait disturbance participated in this study. This study was an A1–B–A2 single-case. Phases A1 and A2 included 6 weeks of gait training on a treadmill with a 10% increase of normal body mass. Phase B included 6 weeks of conventional physical therapy (control condition). Measurements included ground reaction forces, spatiotemporal and kinematic variables during walking on the ground at baseline and after each phase. Findings: A significant increase in propulsive forces, stride length, speed, and maximum hip extension during stance were observed after the training programme. No changes in joint range of motion of ankle, knee, and hip were observed. Conclusions: Treadmill training with additional body load was associated with an improvement in important variables for the maintenance of a functional gait, and it is a promising alternative to optimise the rehabilitation process together with conventional physical therapy. However, further studies are needed.