NCT02674724

The Effect of Resistance Training in Parkinson Disease: A Pilot Study

The Effect of Resistance Training on Balance in Patients With Parkinson Disease: A Pilot Study

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 63 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of Sao Paulo General Hospital · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 50 Years – 75 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

To investigate if resistance training exercises performed twice a week with or without gym equipment assistance in a 12-week period could improve balance in patients with Parkinson Disease (PD). Methods: Sixty three patients with idiopathic PD (Hoehn and Yahr stage II - III) and preserved cognitive function will participate in this study. Patients will be randomized among three intervention groups: resistance training with free weights, resistance training with gym equipment and control group. Investigators will use static platform balance variables to assess the primary end-point outcome measures. For the secondary outcomes measures, most common clinical functional balances tests for PD will be applied: Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Mini-BESTest - Balance Evaluation (Mini-BESTest), Timed Up and Go test (TUG) and variables from dynamic posturography.

Detailed description

Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects motor functions and is characterized by bradykinesia, resting tremor, rigidity, and postural instability. Despite of pharmacological treatments, patients remain with deficits in balance, gait, autonomic system functions and cognition which impact on their quality of life. The effects of resistance training on PD are still controversial when balance and improvement on functional tests are the targets. Since the results of previous studies about resistance training on balance are still controversial, more interventions are required to address the question if strengthening exercise may improve or not the balance of PD patients. Our exercises will target the trunk, leg and shoulder muscles because of their contribution on patient's posture.

Conditions

• Parkinson Disease

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Gym Group	Patients from Gym Group will perform a strengthening program of 45 minutes sessions, twice a week in a 12-week period. The initial load is established as 60% of one-repetition maximum strength test (1RM) applied for each exercise at the beginning of program. Patients will be encouraged to perform 3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions. All subjects will be instructed to rest for 30-60 second intervals between sets.
OTHER	Free Weights Group	Patients from Free Weights Group will perform a strengthening program of 45 minutes sessions, twice a week in a 12-week period. The program aim to recruit the same muscles requested in Gym Group. Investigators will apply six different exercises with patients lying supine,standing in stance, sitting and in four points kneeling. All exercises aim to strengthen abdominal muscles, trunk extensors, gluteus, quadriceps and scapula adductors. Patients will perform 3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions, the load will be offered with dumbbells, elastics with different resistances and anklets.
OTHER	Control Group	All three groups will be instructed to perform stretching exercises of trunk, leg and shoulder muscles, according to an illustrated booklet. Only the Control Group patients will be instructed to perform stretching exercises at home in the same 12-week period.

Timeline

• Start date: 2016-01-01
• Primary completion: 2018-05-01
• Completion: 2018-10-08
• First posted: 2016-02-04
• Last updated: 2019-04-18

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Brazil