Effects of Nordic Walking in Parkinson Disease Patients (Walking)

Effects of Nordic Walking Training on Functional, Clinical and Biomechanics Parameters in Parkinson's Disease: a Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the effects of a Nordic and free walking training program on clinical, functional and biomechanical parameters of gait, in people with PD.

Outcomes: Motor symptoms: Staging and severity of PD, balance, walking functional mobility, self-selected walking velocity, and rehabilitation index. Non-Motor symptoms: Cognitive function, depressive symptoms, and quality of life (QL). Outcomes Biomechanics: Kinematic parameters (spatiotemporal and dynamic stability of walking) and neuromuscular parameters (amplitude of the electromyography signal, initial and final activation threshold, activation time and co-contraction index, of the following muscles: Vastus Lateralis (VL), Biceps Femoris (BF), Tibialis Anterior (TA), Gastrocnemius Medialis (GM).

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Parkinson Disease; Parkinson Disease 10
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Nordic Walking; Other: Free Walking

Detailed Description

Introduction: Changes in clinical, functional and biomechanical parameters of gait are remarkable features in Parkinson's disease (PD). Such changes are disabling for the performance of daily living activities (DLAs) as they represent a high risk of falls and impair quality of life (QL) in this population. Although exercise is recommended as an effective model of therapeutic intervention, to minimize the symptoms of this disease, little is known about the effects of Nordic walking on motor and non-motor symptoms in patients with PD. Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the effects of a Nordic and free walking training program on clinical, functional and biomechanical parameters of gait, in people with PD. Experimental Design: Randomized controlled clinical trial (RCT). Study Site: Physical Education School of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul and the Clinical Hospital of Porto Alegre, in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Methods: The sample comprised 33 participants, aged above 50 years, of both sexes, with a clinical diagnosis of idiopathic PD, with the staging of 1-4 in the Hoehn and Yahr scale (H&Y). The participants received two types of intervention: Nordic walking training program (NW, n = 16) and free walking training program (FW, n = 17), during six weeks. Aiming to evaluate the effects of the training program, the participants underwent the tests in the following period: pre-training + pre-familiarization (T1); post-familiarization + pre-training (T2); post-training (T3).

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 33
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Brazil
  • Rio Grande Do Sul
    • Porto Alegre, Rio Grande Do Sul, Brazil, 90690-200
      • Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 50 years to 80 years (ADULT, OLDER_ADULT)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria: volunteers aged over 50 years, of both sexes, with a clinical diagnosis of idiopathic PD and staging between 1 and 4 in Hoehn and Yahr Scale (H&Y).

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Exclusion Criteria:

• Show chronic pain or presence of a migraine or nausea in daily life;
• History of labyrinthitis;
• Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS);
• The frequency of training below of 75%.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: TREATMENT
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Interventional Model: PARALLEL
• Masking: DOUBLE

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
EXPERIMENTAL: Nordic walking Experimental; Experimental: Nordic walking Training The total period of training was composed by 9-week of walking with poles, two sessions per week. The cycles were divided into four microcycles composed of three training sessions. Each training session took 60 min. Nordic walking aerobics training was used during the training period. These exercises were performed alternating volume and intensity. The training session was divided into three stages: (a) stretching, joint mobility, and heating; (b) main part (NW); (c) return to the calm and ultimate stretching.	Other: Nordic Walking; Nordic walking Training the total period of training was composed by 9-week of walking with poles, two sessions per week. The cycles were divided into four microcycles composed of three training sessions. Each training session took 60 min. Free walking aerobics training was used during the training period. These exercises were performed alternating volume and intensity. The training session was divided into three stages: (a) stretching, joint mobility, and heating; (b) main part (FW); (c) return to the calm and ultimate stretching.; Other: Free Walking; Free walking Training The total period of training was composed by 9-week of walking without poles, two sessions per week. The cycles were divided into four microcycles composed of three training sessions. Each training session took 60 min. Free walking aerobics training was used during the training period. These exercises were performed alternating volume and intensity. The training session was divided into three stages: (a) stretching, joint mobility, and heating; (b) main part (FW); (c) return to the calm and ultimate stretching.
ACTIVE_COMPARATOR: Free walking; Free walking Training The total period of training was composed by 9-week of walking without poles, two sessions per week. The cycles were divided into four microcycles composed of three training sessions. Each training session took 60 min. Free walking aerobics training was used during the training period. These exercises were performed alternating volume and intensity. The training session was divided into three stages: (a) stretching, joint mobility, and heating; (b) main part (FW); (c) return to the calm and ultimate stretching.	Other: Nordic Walking; Nordic walking Training the total period of training was composed by 9-week of walking with poles, two sessions per week. The cycles were divided into four microcycles composed of three training sessions. Each training session took 60 min. Free walking aerobics training was used during the training period. These exercises were performed alternating volume and intensity. The training session was divided into three stages: (a) stretching, joint mobility, and heating; (b) main part (FW); (c) return to the calm and ultimate stretching.; Other: Free Walking; Free walking Training The total period of training was composed by 9-week of walking without poles, two sessions per week. The cycles were divided into four microcycles composed of three training sessions. Each training session took 60 min. Free walking aerobics training was used during the training period. These exercises were performed alternating volume and intensity. The training session was divided into three stages: (a) stretching, joint mobility, and heating; (b) main part (FW); (c) return to the calm and ultimate stretching.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Test Timed Up and Go	This teste evaluate the mobility functional in three meters of self-selected speed (TUGSS) or at forced speed (TUGFS)	Change from baseline at 9 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Locomotor Rehabilitation Index	The Locomotor Rehabilitation Index is a method of determining how close is the SSW compared to the Optimum Speed (Vopt).	Change from baseline at 9 weeks
Self-selected walking speed - SSWS	This outcome will be measure in test of walking treadmill	Change from baseline at 9 weeks
Optimal Walking Speed (OPT)	This outcome will be measure through of the registered image movement analysis using the three-dimensional motion analysis system (VICON) of the walking test on treadmill.	Change from baseline at 9 weeks
Quality of life (QoL)	The quality of life will be estimated using the World Health Organization Quality of Life. (WHOQOL-short domains: physical, psychological, social relationships, environment, and general quality of life) and (WHOQOL-Long domains: sensory abilities, autonomy, Past. Present and Future Activities, social participation, death and dying, intimacy, and general quality of life).	Change from baseline at 9 weeks
Cognitive function	This outcome will be measure for Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA).	Change from baseline at 9 weeks
Depressive symptoms	This outcome will be measure for the Geriatric Depression Scale - 15 item. The scale consists of 15 dichotomous questions in which participants are asked to answer yes or no in reference to how they felt over the past week (for instance, "Do you feel that your life is empty?," Do you feel that your situation is hopeless?). Scores range from 0 to 15 with higher scores indicating more depressive symptoms.	Change from baseline at 9 weeks

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Motor symptoms	This outcome will be evaluated using Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale. This Scale the clinician-scored monitored motor evaluation. Will be to considered 30% improvement in the Part III score hasbeen applied to define "responders. The score in each item ranges from 0 to 4, and the indicates greater impairment by the disease and the minimum, normality. The 14 items in the motor vehicle (the numbering of which goes from 18 to 31).	Change from baseline at 9 weeks
Balance Dynamics	This outcome will be evaluated using Berg Balance Scale (BBS). This scale assessment of the individual's balance in 14 situations, representative of activities of the day to day, such as: stand up, get up, walk, to lean forward, to move, to turn, among others. The maximum score of a being reached of 56 points and each item has an ordinal scale of five alternatives ranging from 0 to 4 points, according to the degree of difficulty.	Change from baseline at 9 weeks
Balance Static	This outcome will be evaluated using area of center of pressure (cm), with average velocity (IN cm/s) and root mean square (RMS). Assessments using unique measurements with force plat.	Change from baseline at 9 weeks
Spatial Temporal Parameters	This outcome is measure a composite for: stride frequency (in Hetz), stride length (in meters), swing time (in second) and contact time (in second). This outcome will be measure through of the registered image movement analysis using the three-dimensional motion analysis system (VICON) of the walking test on treadmill at different speed of walking (SSWS, below and above of the SSWS), 3 minutes at each speed (in kilometros/hours).	Change from baseline at 9 weeks
Dynamics Stability	This outcome will be evaluated using the coefficient of variation (CoV) of the Spatial Temporal Parameters: stride frequency (In Hertz), stride length (in meters), swing time (in seconds) and contact time(in seconds) in of the walking test on treadmill at different speed of walking (SSWS, below and above of the SSWS), 3 minutes at each speed.	Change from baseline at 9 weeks
Anthropometric data	This outcome is a composite for: circumferences (in cm), height (in meters), body massa (in kilograms) and body mass index - BMI (weight and height will be combined to report BMI in kg/m^2. This outcome will be measure with balance, stadiometer and anthropometric tape.	Change from baseline at 9 weeks
Electromyographic Parameters	This outcome is measure is a composite for: mean amplitude (in milivolts), onset (in seconds), offset (in seconds) and time of the signal and co-contraction (in seconds) of the muscles: vastus lateralis (VL), biceps femoris (BF), anterior tibial (AT) and medial gastrocnemius (MG) This outcome will be measured through Measuring the electromyographic activation during treadmill walking tests using an electromyograph. In of the walking test on treadmill at different speed of walking (SSWS, below and above of the SSWS), 3 minutes at each speed.	Change from baseline at 9 weeks
Parameters of Pendular Mechanism	This outcome is measure a composite for:(external, internal and total mechanical work, Wext,Wint and Wtot, respectively, Recovery. This outcome will be measure through of the registered image movement analysis using the three-dimensional motion analysis system (VICON) of the walking test on treadmill at different speed of walking (SSWS, below and above of the SSWS), 3 minutes at each speed.	Change from baseline at 9 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul
• Collaborators: Hospital de Clinicas de Porto Alegre; Federal University of Health Science of Porto Alegre
• Investigators: Study Director: Leonardo A Peyré-Tartaruga, PhD, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Monteiro EP, Franzoni LT, Cubillos DM, de Oliveira Fagundes A, Carvalho AR, Oliveira HB, Pantoja PD, Schuch FB, Rieder CR, Martinez FG, Peyre-Tartaruga LA. Effects of Nordic walking training on functional parameters in Parkinson's disease: a randomized controlled clinical trial. Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2017 Mar;27(3):351-358. doi: 10.1111/sms.12652. Epub 2016 Feb 2.

Helpful Links

• Effects of Nordic walking training on functional parameters in Parkinson's disease: a randomized controlled clinical trial

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (ACTUAL): March 20, 2013
• Primary Completion (ACTUAL): June 30, 2013
• Study Completion (ACTUAL): July 30, 2014

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 10, 2017
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 21, 2017
• First Posted (ACTUAL): November 28, 2017

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (ACTUAL): November 28, 2017
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 21, 2017
• Last Verified: November 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: gait; quality of life; functionality; depressive symptoms; kinematics; electromyographic activity
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Parkinsonian Disorders; Basal Ganglia Diseases; Movement Disorders; Synucleinopathies; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Parkinson Disease
• Other Study ID Numbers: emonteiro

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No