Parkinson disease (PD) is a progressive, neurodegenerative movement disorder with symptoms reflecting various impairments and functional limitations, such as postural instability, gait disturbance, immobility and falls. In addition to pharmacological and surgical management of PD, exercise and physical therapy interventions are also being actively researched. This Review provides an overview of the effects of PD on physical activity - including muscle weakness, reduced aerobic capacity, gait impairment, balance disorders and falls. Previously published reviews have discussed only the short-term benefits of exercises and physical therapy for people with PD. However, owing to the progressive nature of PD, the present Review focuses on the long-term effects of such interventions. We also discuss exercise-induced neuroplasticity, present data on the possible risks and adverse effects of exercise training, make recommendations for clinical practice, and describe new treatment approaches. Evidence suggests that a minimum of 4 weeks of gait training or 8 weeks of balance training can have positive effects that persist for 3-12 months after treatment completion. Sustained strength training, aerobic training, tai chi or dance therapy lasting at least 12 weeks can produce long-term beneficial effects. Further studies are needed to verify disease-modifying effects of these interventions.

Objectives: To systematically review the evidence investigating the effectiveness of resistance training on strength and physical function in people with Parkinson's disease. Data sources: Seven electronic databases (COCHRANE, CINAHL, Medline ISI, Psycinfo, Scopus, Web of Science ISI and Embase) were systematically searched for full-text articles published in English between 1946 and November 2014 using relevant search terms. Review methods: Only randomized controlled trials investigating the effects of resistance training on muscle strength and physical function in people with Parkinson's disease were considered. The PEDro scale was used to assess study quality. Studies with similar outcomes were pooled by calculating standardized mean differences (SMD) using fixed or random effects model, depending on study heterogeneity. Results: Seven studies, comprising of 401 participants with early to advanced disease (Hoehn & Yahr stage 1 to 4), were included. The median quality score was 6/10. The meta-analyses demonstrated significant SMD in favour of resistance training compared to non-resistance training or no intervention controls for muscle strength (0.61; 95% CI, 0.35 to 0.87; P <0.001), balance (0.36; 95% CI, 0.08 to 0.64; P = 0.01) and parkinsonian motor symptoms (0.48; 95% CI, 0.21 to 0.75; P < 0.001) but not for gait, balance confidence and quality of life. Conclusion: This review demonstrates that moderate intensity progressive resistance training, 2-3 times per week over 8-10 weeks can result in significant strength, balance and motor symptoms gains in people with early to moderate Parkinson's disease.

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Objective: To determine whether priming with 1 or 25Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) will enhance the benefits from treadmill training up to 3 months postintervention in people with Parkinson disease (PD), and to evaluate the underlying changes in cortical excitability. Methods: This randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted between October 2016 and December 2018. Fifty-one participants with PD were randomized to receive 12 sessions of rTMS (25Hz, 1Hz, or sham) followed by treadmill training. All participants were assessed at baseline and 1 day, 1 month, and 3 months postintervention. Primary outcome was fastest walking speed, and secondary outcomes were timed up-and-go test (TUG), dual-task TUG (DT-TUG), motor section of the Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS-III), and electrophysiological evaluation of cortical excitability by TMS. Results: The 1 and 25Hz rTMS groups produced a greater improvement in fastest walking speed at 1 day and 3 months postintervention than the sham group. Only the 1 and 25Hz rTMS groups sustained the improvements in TUG, and had a significant improvement in DT-TUG and MDS-UPDRS-III for up to 3 months. Behavioral improvements correlated with increased cortical silent period and short-interval intracortical inhibition in both groups receiving real rTMS. Interpretation: Priming with 1 and 25Hz rTMS can augment the benefits of treadmill training and lead to long-term motor improvement up to 3 months postintervention. The motor improvement at follow-up was associated with a normalization of cortical excitability, which in turn suggests an alteration of the homeostatic plasticity range. Rebalancing cortical excitability by rTMS appears critical for plasticity induction.

BackgroundDeviation in gait performance from normative data of healthy cohorts is used to quantify gait ability. However, normative data is influenced by anthropometry and such differences among subjects impede accurate assessment. De-correlation of anthropometry from gait parameters and mobility measures is therefore desirable.Methods87 (42 male) healthy subjects varying form 21 to 84 years of age were assessed on gait parameters (cadence, ankle velocity, stride time, stride length) and mobility measures (the 3-meter/7-meter Timed Up-and-Go, 10-meter Walk Test). Multiple linear regression models were derived for each gait parameter and mobility measure, with anthropometric measurements (age, height, body mass, gender) and self-selected walking speed as independent variables. The resulting models were used to normalize the gait parameters and mobility measures. The normalization’s capability in de-correlating data and reducing data dispersion were evaluated.ResultsGait parameters were predominantly influenced by height and walking speed, while mobility measures were affected by age and walking speed. Normalization de-correlated data from anthropometric measurements from |rs| < 0.74 to |rs| < 0.23, and reduced data dispersion by up to 69%.ConclusionNormalization of gait parameters and mobility measures through linear regression models augment the capability to compare subjects with varying anthropometric measurements.