Effect of resistance exercises on gait of middle-aged and older adults with Parkinson’s disease

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative condition that occurs more often in middle-aged and older adults, negatively affecting both their functional ability and quality of life. Resistance training can reduce the motor deficits caused by the disease and improve the walking ability of the patients. However, the effects of resistance exercises are disputed. The aim of this review is to highlight recent research data on the efficacy of resistance exercises as a treatment method for the improvement of motor symptoms in middle-aged and older adults with PD. The Google Scholar and PubMed databases were searched with the following keywords: “resistance training AΝD Parkinson’s AND gait AND elderly AND middle-aged” and filtered for clinical studies published from 2010 and after. Ultimately, eight clinical studies were included in the review with a total sample of 322 PD patients. The results showed that resistance exercises are effective in improving gait, balance, and muscle strength in middle-aged and older adults with PD. However, exercise parameters are still under investigation and further research is needed on the matter to produce optimal guidelines.