Effects of an intensive Nordic walking intervention on the balance function and walking ability of individuals with Parkinson’s disease: a randomized controlled pilot trial

Abstract

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is associated with impairment in balance and postural control, accompanied by a progressive reduction in the speed and amplitude of movement. Aims: The aim of our study was to evaluate the therapeutic effects of Nordic walking on a treadmill on the balance function and walking ability of individuals with PD. Method: Twenty participants with stage 1–3 PD in the Hoehn and Yahr scale were randomly allocated to the Nordic walking training (NWT) group and treadmill training (TT) group, with ten participants per group. Measured outcomes included: the motor subscale of the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS-M), the Berg balance scale (BBS), the Timed Up-and-go test (TUG), the 10-meter walk test (10 MWT), and the 6-minute walk test (6 MWT). Results: Improvement on all outcome measures was identified from pre-to-post intervention for both groups (p < 0.05). Post-intervention, there was a significant between-group difference on measured outcomes (p < 0.05). The NWT group exhibited greater improvement in the UPDRS-M (p = 0.006; 95 % CI 0.825–4.374), BBS (p = 0.002; 95 % CI 1.307–5.092), TUG (p = 0.048; 95 % CI 0.028–2.582), 10 MWT (p = 0.047; 95 % CI 0.108–2.306), and 6 MWT (p = 0.003; 95 % CI 20.302–42.097) compared to the TT group. Conclusions: Our outcomes provide evidence of the therapeutic benefit of Nordic walking on a treadmill to improve balance function and walking ability in individuals with PD.