Nordic Walking and Walking in Parkinson's disease: a randomized single-blind controlled trial.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to compare the effects of Nordic Walking versus regular Walking on motor and non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease patients.
Results Summary
Both Nordic Walking and regular Walking improved motor and non-motor symptoms, including balance, fatigue, anxiety, and quality of life, but Nordic Walking was not superior to regular Walking.
Population
Parkinson's disease patients at Hoehn and Yahr stages 2-3.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
8 weeks
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Nordic Walking | no change | all considered outcomes | Parkinson's disease patients at a Hoehn and Yahr stage between 2 and 3 | - | failed to show any difference compared to the control group (Walking) | #1 |
Nordic Walking | no change | - | the studied population | - | was not superior compared to Walking | #2 |
Moderate intensity outdoor group activities like Nordic Walking and Walking | increase | motor and non-motor symptoms parameters | patients with Parkinson's disease | - | seem to improve | #3 |
Nordic Walking vs. Walking | increase | global motor outcome | 32 patients who ended the study period | p 0.001 | improvements were observed | #4 |
Nordic Walking vs. Walking | increase | dynamic and static balance ability | 32 patients who ended the study period | p 0.005; p 0.002 | improvements were observed | #5 |
Nordic Walking vs. Walking | increase | global non-motor symptoms outcome | 32 patients who ended the study period | p 0.003 | improvements were observed | #6 |
Nordic Walking vs. Walking | increase | fatigue | 32 patients who ended the study period | p 0.016 | improvements were observed | #7 |
Nordic Walking vs. Walking | increase | anxiety | 32 patients who ended the study period | p 0.043 | improvements were observed | #8 |
Nordic Walking vs. Walking | increase | quality of life | 32 patients who ended the study period | p 0.003 | improvements were observed | #9 |
INTRODUCTION: Non-pharmacological interventions are increasingly being acknowledged as valuable options to overcome or reduce functional problems in patients with Parkinson's disease. In the last decades, Nordic Walking was employed and investigated by rehabilitation specialists. Clinical trials on the effect of Nordic Walking on motor and non-motor Parkinson's disease symptoms are few, small, and heterogeneous for inclusion criteria and intervention protocols. As a result, Nordic Walking training cannot be recommended as a standard rehabilitative tool in Parkinson's disease patients. METHODS: This randomized controlled single-blind trial recruited Parkinson's disease patients at a Hoehn and Yahr stage between 2 and 3 assigned to a Nordic Walking vs. Walking group. Subjects were extensively assessed for motor and non-motor symptoms at baseline and after 8 weeks of intervention period. To study the effects of intervention on the overall sample, paired-sample t test and Wilcoxon signed rank test were used, while differences between groups were estimated with general linear models repeated-measure and Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: Among 32 patients who ended the study period, improvements were observed in the following assessments: global motor outcome (p 0.001), dynamic and static balance ability (p 0.005; p 0.002), global non-motor symptoms outcome (p 0.003), fatigue (p 0.016), anxiety (p 0.043), and quality of life (p 0.003). The treatment group (Nordic Walking) failed to show any difference compared to the control group (Walking) in all considered outcomes. CONCLUSION: Nordic Walking was not superior compared to Walking in the studied population. Moderate intensity outdoor group activities like Nordic Walking and Walking seem to improve motor and non-motor symptoms parameters in patients with Parkinson's disease.