Any structured exercise improves quality of life in Parkinson’s Disease patients

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A new Cochrane review has found that any type of structured exercise can improve movement-related symptoms and quality of life in people with Parkinson’s Disease. The review analyzed 156 randomized controlled trials with a total of 7,939 participants from around the world, making it the largest and most comprehensive systematic review to study the effects of physical exercise in people with Parkinson’s Disease.

The review found that various types of exercise, such as dance, water-based exercise, strength and resistance exercise, endurance exercise, tai chi, yoga, and physiotherapy, made mild to large improvements to the severity of movement-related symptoms and quality of life.

The average age of participants in the studies included in the review was between 60 and 74 years. Most had mild to moderate disease and no major impairment of their thinking processes.

The authors concluded that while the exact exercise type may be secondary, personal preferences of people with Parkinson’s Disease should be given special consideration to help motivate them to adhere to an exercise program.

The review also highlights the importance of physical exercise in general, but specific programs such as physiotherapy may be necessary for treating certain motor symptoms.

While the results are promising, the authors encourage researchers to conduct larger studies with clearly defined samples to draw conclusions with more confidence and to focus on people with more advanced disease and thinking impairment.

Key Takeaways in a Nutshell – Health Newstrack

1. Any type of structured exercise can improve movement-related symptoms and quality of life in people with Parkinson’s Disease.

2. The authors concluded that personal preferences of people with Parkinson’s Disease should be given special consideration to help motivate them to adhere to an exercise program.

3. The review highlights the importance of physical exercise in general, but specific programs such as physiotherapy may be necessary for treating certain motor symptoms.


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