Effectiveness of a Program With Aquatic Therapy in Patients With Parkinson's Disease Clinical Trial
Parkinson Disease, Physical Disability
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for Parkinson Disease
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
- individuals diagnosed with PD in stages 1 to 3 (Hoehn and Yahr Scale), older than 40 years, in the off phase (not medicated) and with a score greater or equal to 24 on the Mini-Mental State Examination Scale, without any medical contraindications and who accepted the study norms (regular assistance and active participation).
Exclusion Criteria:
- individuals who did not comply with the above mentioned criteria, and the presence of articular and/or muscular lesions in the lower limbs affecting independent gait.
Sites / Locations
- University of Almería
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Experimental
Placebo Comparator
variable aquatic Ai Chi
variable dry land
The 15 patients assigned to the aquatic therapy group (experimental group) received 20 twice-weekly sessions in total, during the same period of time as the control group. These 20 sessions consisted of group sessions lasting 45-minutes. The sessions were designed with a gradual increase in difficulty. Initially, a recreational warm-up activity was performed, followed by 30 minutes dedicated to practicing the Ai Chi Program. At the end of the session there was a calming down activity. The exercises were performed in a specific order, until completion of the 19 possible movements.
These sessions consisted of group sessions of supervised training lasting 45 minutes each. These comprised a 10-minute warm-up that included exercises for gait, trunk mobility and exercises involving the upper and lower limbs. The central part of the sessions consisted of 30-40 minutes of strength training and aerobic exercises, both individual and in groups. Each session was performed with a specific intensity goal, in order to end with a cooling down period, comprising 20 minutes of functional exercises based on activities of daily living, balance exercises, facial muscle exercises, proprioceptive exercises, muscle relaxation and stretching.