Affiliations: Learning and Human Movement Control Group, INEF Galicia, University of A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain | Physical Therapy Department, Faculty of Physical Therapy, University of A Coruña, A Coruña, Spain
Note: [] Correspondence to: Miguel Angel Fernández del Olmo, Departamento de Educación Física e Deportiva, Facultade de Ciencias do Deporte e a Educación Física, Universidade da Coruña, Faculty of Sports Science and Physical Education, University of A Coruña, Av. Ernesto Che Guevara 121, Pazos-Liáns, 15179 Oleiros, A Coruña, Spain. Tel.: +34 981167000, Fax: +34 981167048; E-mail: mafo@udc.es
Abstract: Despite the increasing number of studies that have examined the therapeutic effect of treadmill training programs in Parkinson's disease (PD), there has been little research to evaluate the modifications of gait induced by treadmill walking. We investigated spatiotemporal differences between treadmill and overground walking in patients with PD. PD patients significantly increased their step length and step height; and reduced their cadence, step width and step width variability on the treadmill in comparison with walking overground. PD patients are able to attenuate their short shuffling steps when walking on a treadmill.
