Aquatic Exercise Therapy for People with Parkinson's disease: a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Aquatic Exercise Therapy for People with Parkinson's disease: a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2017 Jan 11;:

Authors: Carroll LM, Volpe D, Morris ME, Saunders J, Clifford AM

Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of aquatic exercise therapy on gait variability and disability compared to usual care for people with Parkinson's disease (PD).
DESIGN: Single-blind randomized control trial (RCT).
SETTING: A community based hydrotherapy pool in Ireland.
PARTICIPANTS: Twenty one individuals with PD (Hoehn-Yahr Stages I-III).
INTERVENTIONS: Participants were randomly assigned to either an aquatic exercise therapy group (45 minutes, twice a week for 6 weeks) or a control group that received usual care.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): The primary outcome measure was gait variability as measured using a Coda CX1 motion capture system. Secondary outcomes were quality of life measured on the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-39, freezing of gait and motor disability quantified by the Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS III). Feasibility was evaluated by measuring safety, adverse events and participant satisfaction.
RESULTS: People in the aquatic therapy group and control group showed similar small improvements in gait variability. The aquatic therapy group showed greater improvements in disability than the control group (P<0.01). No differences between groups or over time were identified for freezing of gait or quality of life. Aquatic therapy sessions were safe and enjoyable with no adverse events.
CONCLUSIONS: Aquatic therapy appears feasible and safe for some people in the early stages of Parkinson's disease.

PMID: 28088380 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

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