Instrumental or Physical-Exercise Rehabilitation of Balance Improves Both Balance and Gait in Parkinson’s Disease

Figure 3

Training effects on body stabilization assessed by the moving-platform test in the two groups of patients (PD-E and PD-P) at baseline (T1, yellow columns) and after treatment (T2, pink columns). All subjects were tested at 0.4 Hz perturbation frequency, eyes closed. At T2, patients endured longer periods on the platform than at T1 (a). Head (b) and hip (c) displacement (Index of Stability (IS)) improved significantly after both platform and exercise training, indicating a decrease in body segment oscillation. IS at T2 was better in the PD-P than in the PE-E group for both the head and hip. (d) shows that feet position on the platform was substantially unvarying for patients in both groups. Asterisks (; ) indicate differences (T1, T2) within groups and between groups at T2.

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