Open AccessAquatic Physical Therapy in the balance and gait of people with Parkinson’s Disease: a pilot study
Author(s) -
Taina Christinelli,
Gabriella Rossetti Ferreira,
Dielise Debona Iucksch,
Juliana Siega,
Adriano Zanardi da Silva,
Bruna Yamaguchi,
Vera Lúcia Israel
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
revista neurociências
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1984-4905
pISSN - 0104-3579
DOI - 10.34024/rnc.2021.v29.11904
Subject(s) - balance (ability) , gait , parkinson's disease , physical medicine and rehabilitation , dynamic balance , rehabilitation , physical therapy , medicine , gait disturbance , berg balance scale , psychology , disease , physics , quantum mechanics
Background. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative, chronic, progressive disease, resulting mainly from the depletion of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. It is characterized by four cardinal signs, namely: bradykinesia, stiffness, tremor, and postural instability, which contribute to body balance and gait functional deficits. Among the possibilities of intervention, the Aquatic Physical Therapy (APT) stands out in the prevention and rehabilitation of motor and functional alterations, using water physical and thermal properties. Objective. To verify the effects of APT on body balance and gait. Method. This pilot study is part of quasi-experimental research involving a group with a clinical diagnosis of PD. They participated in an APT program for 12 weeks, twice a week. They were assessed with the Mini-BESTest for body balance and the Dynamic Gait Index (DGI) for gait balance. The statistical analysis was made in the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). Results. A total of 11 people – mean age of 70.73±3.2 years – participated in the study. After the APT program, no difference was verified in the Mini-BESTest (p=0.41) or the DGI (p=0.105). Conclusions. The APT program proposed was unable to present significant improvement regarding the balance and gait in the group of people with PD in question.