Citation

Lorenzo-García P, Cavero-Redondo I, Torres-Costoso AI, Guzmán-Pavón MJ, de Arenas-Arroyo SN, Álvarez-Bueno C. Arch. Phys. Med. Rehabil. 2021; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.apmr.2021.02.016

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness of body weight support (BWS) gait training to improve the clinical severity, gait and balance in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). DATA SOURCES: A literature search was conducted until July 2020 in MEDLINE, PEDro, CENTRAL and CINAHL. STUDY SELECTION: Randomized controlled trials that aimed at determining the effectiveness of physical activity interventions with BWS during gait training in patients with PD. DATA EXTRACTION: The methodological quality of randomized clinical trials was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool (RoB 2.0). Effect size (ES) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), the UPDRS section III, the 6-minute walk test (6MWT), gait parameters (i.e., velocity, cadence, and stride length) and the Berg Balance Scale (BBS). DATA SYNTHESIS: 12 studies were included in the systematic review. The pooled ES for the effect of BWS on total UPDRS was -0.35 (95% CI: -0.57, -0.12; I(2) = 1.9%, p = 0.418), whereas for UPDRS III was -0.35 (95% CI: -0.68, -0.01; I(2) = 66.4 %, p = 0.000). Furthermore, the pooled ES for 6MWT was 0.56 (95% CI: -0.07, 1.18; I2 = 77.1%, p = 0.002), for gait velocity was 0.37 (95% CI: -0.10, 0.84); I2 = 78.9%, p = 0.000), for cadence was 0.03 (95% CI: -0.25, 0.30; I2 = 0.0%, p = 0.930), for stride length was 1.00 (95% CI: 0.23, 1.78; I(2) = 79.5%, p = 0.001) and for BBS was 0.65 (95% CI: 0.30, 0.99; I(2) = 51.8%, p = 0.042).

CONCLUSIONS: Interventions with BWS could improve the general and motor clinical severity of patients with PD, as well as other parameters such as stride length and balance. However, the effect does not appear to be statistically significant in improving gait parameters such as velocity, cadence, and distance.

Language: en

Keywords

balance; gait; body weight support; Parkinson's disease; physical therapy modalities