Effects of Exercise on Falls, Balance, and Gait Ability in Parkinsons Disease: A Meta-analysis

The objectives of our study were to determine the effects of exercise training on the enhancement of balance and gait ability and reduction in falls for people with PD and to investigate potential factors contributing to the training effects on balance and gait ability of people with PD. We included 25 randomized control trials of a moderate methodological quality in our meta-analysis. The trials examined the effects of exercise training on balance and gait ability and falls against no intervention and placebo intervention. The results showed positive effects of exercise intervention on enhancing balance and gait performance (Hedges’ g = 0.303 over the short-term in 24 studies and 0.419 over the long-term in 12 studies; P < .05) and reducing the fall rate (rate ratio = 0.485 over the short-term in 4 studies and 0.413 over the long-term in 5 studies; P < .05). The longest follow-up duration was 12 months. There was no evidence that training decreased the number of fallers over the short- or long-term (P > .05). The results of our metaregression and subgroup analysis showed that facility-based training produced greater training effects on improving PD participants’ balance and gait ability (P < .05). The findings support the application of exercise training to improve balance and gait ability and prevent falls in people with PD.
Source: Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair - Category: Neurology Authors: Tags: Reviews Source Type: research