Research Article

Exercise Therapies for Parkinson’s Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Table 3

Summary of the included studies.

Study. First author, yearParticipants
Sample size (E/C)
PD duration (E/C) (range or mean ± SD)
H&Y (range or mean ± SD)
InterventionRegimenControlOutcome measuresAdverse events

1. Walking exercise
Canning, 2012 [23]20 (10/10) 6.1 ± 4.0/5.2 ± 4.1
N/A
W: comfortable gait speed on treadmill (hold on to the handrails)30–40 min, 4 times/wk for 6 wksUsual care6 MWT PS UPDRS IIINo adverse events
Miyai, 2002 [24]20 (11/9) 4.1 ± 0.8/4.5 ± 0.7 2.9 ± 0.1/2.8 ± 0.1W: treadmill training (body weight supported) 10 min walking with 20% of BWS⟶10 min walking with 10% of BWS⟶10 min walking with 0% of BWS⟶15 min rest. Treadmill speed was initiated at 0.5 km/h and increased to 3.0 km/h by increments of 0.5 km/h as tolerated45 min, 3 times/wk for 1 MonConventional physical therapy 45 min, 3 times/wk for 1 MonTotal UPDRS UPDRS I UPDRS II UPDRS IIIN/A
Picelli, 2016 [25]17 (9/8) 11.2 ± 5.6/10.8 ± 4.1
3 (all participants)
W: treadmill training without body weight support. Each training session comprised three parts with a 5 min rest after each session. The speed of 1.0 km/h for 10 min ⟶ 1.5 km/h for 10 min ⟶ 2.0 km/h for 10 min45 min, 3 times/wk for 4 wksRegular social interactions 45 min, 3 times/wk for 4 wks6 MWT PSNo adverse events

2. Strength and flexibility exercise
Morris, 2015 [26]203 (70/68/65)
6.7 ± 5.6 (all participants)
1–4 (all participants)
S: progressive resistance strength training. Exercises were progressed by increasing: repetitions to a maximum of 15, sets to a maximum of 3, or weights by 2% of the person’s body weight2 hr, 1 time/wk for 8 wksC1 : movement strategy training (active control) 2 hr, 1 time/wk for 8 wks C2 : life skills program 2 hr, 1 time/wk for 8 wksUPDRS II UPDRS III PS TUGTNo serious adverse events
Li, 2015 [27]38 (19/19)
8.71 ± 6.23/7.21 ± 5.53
2–3 (all participants)
S: physical exercises trunk stretching, section stretching, lower extremities stretching, hold knee in one’s arms, upper extremities stretching, walking, turn waist, punching, running, athetotic gait exercise, and kinematic contact exercise120 min, 7 times/wk for 14 MonsUsual careUPDRS II UPDRS IIIN/A
Wang, 2014 [28]64 (32/30)
N/A
N/A
S: physical exercises divided into 8 methods30–45 min, 5 times/wk for 8 wks twice a dayUsual careUPDRS III BBSN/A
Yu, 2015 [29]71 (37/34)
3.9 ± 1.4/4.1 ± 1.3
3 (all participants)
S: core muscular strengthening exercise. Trunk anteflexion, extension, lateroflexion, and rotation. Abdominal muscles exercise, hold knee in one's arms in the supine position, straight leg raising in the supine position, and Fowler’s position change. Lumbodorsal strengthening exercise, gluteus strengthening exercise, and straight leg raising in the pronation position30 min, 2 times/d, 5-6 times/wk for 3 MonsUsual careBBSN/A

3. Balancing exercise
Conradsson, 2015 [30]91 (47/44) 6.0 ± 5.1/5.6 ± 5.0 2-3 (all participants)B: plus cognitive and/or motor tasks
1. Sensory integration (walking tasks on varying surfaces with or without visual constraints)
2. Anticipatory postural adjustments (voluntary arm/leg/trunk movements, postural transitions, and multidirectional stepping, and emphasizing movement velocity and amplitude)
3. Motor agility (interlimb coordination under varying gait conditions and quick shifts of movement characteristic during predictable and unpredictable conditions)
4. Stability limits (controlled leaning tasks performed while standing with varying bases of support, stimulating weight shifts in multiple directions)
60 min, 3 times/wk for 10 wksUsual careUPDRS II PSTotal 13 adverse events (fallings during training)
Gu, 2013 [31]38 (20/18)
5.8 ± 1.9/6.2 ± 2.1
1–3 (all participants)
B: 1. Standing with gathering legs, standing after tandem gait, stand on one foot, standing for a long time, and standing with eyes closed.
2. Standing holding a thing.
3. Walking with spreading legs, walking fast.
4. Walking fast changing direction, passing obstacle.
5. Sitting up and standing up, crossed arms on the chest.
6. Standing with lift the heel.
7. Hang a wooden board on the legs to load weight, increasing the weight.
8. Sitting up and standing up, putting the back on the wall
40∼60 min, 3 times/wk for 8 wksUsual careUPDRS I UPDRS II UPDRS IIIN/A

4. Aerobic exercise
Duncan, 2012 [32]62 (32/30) 5.8 ± 1.1/7.0 ± 1.0 2.6 ± 0.1/2.5 ± 0.1A: dance both leader and follower roles, change partners frequently, and learn new steps and/or integrated previously learned steps in new ways at each class throughout the 12 months1 hr, 2 times/wk for 12 monthsUsual careMDS-UPDRS IIIN/A
Hashimoto, 2015 [33]59 (19/21/19) 6.3 ± 4.6/7.8 ± 6.2/6.9 ± 4.0
2–4 (all participants)
A: combinations of steps and movements from aerobic, jazz, and tango dances and movements from classical ballet60 min, 1 time/wk for 12 wksC1: Parkinson disease exercise 2 hr, 1 time/wk for 12 wks. C2: usual careTUGT BBS total UPDRSN/A
Ma, 2011 [34]33 (17/16) 5.32 ± 4.43/5.16 ± 3.43
2-3 (all participants)
A: virtual reality training. Reaching for 60 fast-moving balls with the right hand10 min training (once)Placebo exercise. (Turning wooden cylinders with their nondominent hand)FSFatigue
Romenets, 2015 [35]33 (18/15) 5.5 ± 4.4/7.7 ± 4.7 1.7 ± 0.6/2.0 ± 0.5A: traditional Argentine tango. Each class consisted of a review of the previous class, plus a new step or elements, followed by improvisation activities1 hr, 2 times/wk for 12 wksUsual careMDS-UPDRS III TUGTFalling, respiratory infection (unrelated with training) and fatigue

5. Complex exercise
Ashburn, 2007 [36]130 (65/65) 7.7 ± 5.8/9.0 ± 5.8 2–4 (all participants)S: muscle strengthening (knee and hip extensors and hip abductors), range of movement (ankle, pelvic tilt, trunk, and head).
B: static, dynamic and functional.
W: inside and outside.
A: U/A
60 min, daily for 6 wksUsual careBBSN/A
Frazzita, 2014 [37]25 (15/10)
N/A
N/A
W/B: balance and gait using a stabilometric platform with a visual cue and treadmill. All treadmill therapies were aerobic with a heart rate reserve ≤ 60% and a maximum speed of treadmill scrolling of 3.5 km/h.
A: occupational therapy: transferring from sitting to standing position, rolling from supine to sitting position and from sitting to supine, dressing, use of tools, and exercises to improve hand functionality and skills.
S: U/A
3 hr, 5 times/wk for 4 wksUsual careUPDRS IIIN/A
Goodwin, 2011 [38]130 (64/66) 9.1 ± 6.4/8.2 ± 6.4 2.6 ± 0.9/2.4 ± 0.9B: side steps, side taps, side sway, lunges, toe walk, heel walk, and tandem walk.
S: heel raise, toe raise, sit to stand, seated leg press with band, seated upper back strengthener with band, and seated outer leg strengthener with band.
W: U/A
A: U/A
60 min, 1 time/wk for 10 wksUsual careBBS TUGTNo adverse events
Ma, 2006 [39]50 (25/25) 3.6 ± 1.8/3.5 ± 2.0 3.3 ± 0.4/3.3 ± 0.3S: breathing training, spinal joint distraction training, changing of position, sitting up, and standing up.
B: standing balance training, trunk anteflexion, extension, lateroflexion, rotation, keeping the balance during perturbed by shoulder pulls from the trainer, using weight loss device, using visual disturbance device, and standing on one foot.
W: walking, walking position correcting training, and whole body training.
A: U/A
30 min, 5 times/wk for 3-4 wksUsual careBBS TUGTN/A
Zhang, 2013 [40]60 (30/30) 5 Mon-6 yr (all participants) 1–5 (all participants)S: stretching of range of motion and strengthening training (joint distraction).
B: walking posture correction practice, and balance training.
W: standing up training and walking training.
A: U/A
8 wksUsual careUPDRSN/A

E, exercise group; C, control group; H&Y, Hoehn and Yahr scale; W, walking exercise; B, balance exercise; S, strength and flexibility exercise; A, aerobic exercise; UPDRS, the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale; BBS, Berg Balance Scale; TUGT, Timed Up and Go Test; PS, preferred speed (m/s), walking on preferred velocity; FS, fast speed (m/s), walking on peak velocity; Wk, weeks; 6 MWT, 6-minute-walking-test; U/A, unapplicable; N/A, no answer.