Effect of partial weight-supported treadmill gait training on balance in patients with Parkinson disease.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of conventional gait training and partial weight-supported treadmill gait training (PWSTT) in improving the balance of patients with Parkinson disease (PD). DESIGN: Prospective randomized controlled design. SETTING: National-level university tertiary hospital for mental health and neurosciences. PATIENTS: Sixty patients with PD fulfilling the United Kingdom Brain Bank PD diagnostic criteria were recruited from the neurology outpatient department and movement disorder clinic. METHODOLOGY: The patients were randomly assigned into 3 equal groups: (1) a control group that only received a stable dosage of dopaminomimetic drugs; (2) a conventional gait training (CGT) group that received a stable dosage of dopaminomimetic drugs and conventional gait training; and (3) a PWSTT group that received a stable dosage of dopaminomimetic drugs and PWSTT with unloading of 20% of body weight. The sessions for the CGT and PWSTT groups were provided for 30 minutes per day, 4 days per week, for 4 weeks (16 sessions). OUTCOME MEASURES: The Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) motor score, dynamic posturography, Berg Balance Scale, and Tinetti performance-oriented mobility assessment (POMA) were used as main outcome measures. RESULTS: A significant interaction effect was observed in the UPDRS motor score, mediolateral index, Berg Balance Scale, limits of stability (LOS) total score, POMA gait score, and balance score. Post-hoc analysis showed that in comparison with the control group, the PWSTT group had a significantly better UPDRS motor score, balance indices, LOS in 8 directions, POMA gait, and balance score. The CGT group had a significantly better POMA gait score compared with control subjects. Compared with the CGT group, the PWSTT group had a significantly better UPDRS motor score, mediolateral index, POMA gait score, and LOS total score. CONCLUSION: PWSTT may be a better interventional choice than CGT for gait and balance rehabilitation in patients with PD.