Effects of Nordic Walking in Parkinson Disease Patients

Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul

Status: Completed

Conditions: Parkinson Disease 10; Parkinson Disease

Treatments: Other: Free Walking; Other: Nordic Walking

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03355521

emonteiro

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the effects of a Nordic and free walking training program on clinical, functional and biomechanical parameters of gait, in people with PD.

Outcomes: Motor symptoms: Staging and severity of PD, balance, walking functional mobility, self-selected walking velocity, and rehabilitation index. Non-Motor symptoms: Cognitive function, depressive symptoms, and quality of life (QL). Outcomes Biomechanics: Kinematic parameters (spatiotemporal and dynamic stability of walking) and neuromuscular parameters (amplitude of the electromyography signal, initial and final activation threshold, activation time and co-contraction index, of the following muscles: Vastus Lateralis (VL), Biceps Femoris (BF), Tibialis Anterior (TA), Gastrocnemius Medialis (GM).

Full description

Introduction: Changes in clinical, functional and biomechanical parameters of gait are remarkable features in Parkinson's disease (PD). Such changes are disabling for the performance of daily living activities (DLAs) as they represent a high risk of falls and impair quality of life (QL) in this population. Although exercise is recommended as an effective model of therapeutic intervention, to minimize the symptoms of this disease, little is known about the effects of Nordic walking on motor and non-motor symptoms in patients with PD. Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the effects of a Nordic and free walking training program on clinical, functional and biomechanical parameters of gait, in people with PD. Experimental Design: Randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT). Study Site: Physical Education School of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul and the Clinical Hospital of Porto Alegre, in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Methods: The sample comprised 33 participants, aged above 50 years, of both sexes, with a clinical diagnosis of idiopathic PD, with the staging of 1-4 in the Hoehn and Yahr scale (H&Y). The participants received two types of intervention: Nordic walking training program (NW, n = 16) and free walking training program (FW, n = 17), during six weeks. Aiming to evaluate the effects of the training program, the participants underwent the tests in the following period: pre-training + pre-familiarization (T1); post-familiarization + pre-training (T2); post-training (T3).

Enrollment: 33 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 50 to 80 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Inclusion Criteria: volunteers aged over 50 years, of both sexes, with a clinical diagnosis of idiopathic PD and staging between 1 and 4 in Hoehn and Yahr Scale (H&Y).

Exclusion Criteria:

• Show chronic pain or presence of a migraine or nausea in daily life;
• History of labyrinthitis;
• Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS);
• The frequency of training below of 75%.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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33 participants in 2 patient groups

Nordic walking Experimental

Experimental group

Description:

Experimental: Nordic walking Training The total period of training was composed by 9-week of walking with poles, two sessions per week. The cycles were divided into four microcycles composed of three training sessions. Each training session took 60 min. Nordic walking aerobics training was used during the training period. These exercises were performed alternating volume and intensity. The training session was divided into three stages: (a) stretching, joint mobility, and heating; (b) main part (NW); (c) return to the calm and ultimate stretching.

Treatment:

Other: Nordic Walking

Other: Free Walking

Free walking

Active Comparator group

Description:

Free walking Training The total period of training was composed by 9-week of walking without poles, two sessions per week. The cycles were divided into four microcycles composed of three training sessions. Each training session took 60 min. Free walking aerobics training was used during the training period. These exercises were performed alternating volume and intensity. The training session was divided into three stages: (a) stretching, joint mobility, and heating; (b) main part (FW); (c) return to the calm and ultimate stretching.

Treatment:

Other: Nordic Walking

Other: Free Walking