Affiliations: [a] Chi-Shan Hospital, Department of Health, Executive Yuan, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan | [b] School of Nursing, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
Correspondence:
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Address for correspondence: I. Ju Chen, Professor, School of Nursing, National Yang-Ming University, No. 155, Li-Nong St. Sec 2, Peitou, Taipei 112, Taiwan. Tel.: +886 2 28267920; Fax: +886 2 28202487; E-mail: ijchen@ym.edu.tw
Abstract: Background:Introducing evidence-based exercise guidelines of Parkinson's disease (PD) into clinical practice and community settings has been highlighted. Aim:This study tested the feasibility and compared the weekly effects of a 12-week walking training program on PD patients and community-dwelling seniors. Design:A prospective quasi-experimental design was used. PD patients in Hoehn and Yahr Stage I through III (PG) and community-dwelling adults older than 65 were recruited (CG). Methods:In the outpatient department of a hospital, the information of personal data, coordination test, and walking ability of participants were collected first. They then participated in a 36-session, 12-week treadmill walking training program. Results:Weekly data of step length and velocity in PG and CG were collected. The walking training program achieved significant velocity (χ2 = 126.38, p < 0.001) and step length (χ2 = 27.27, p = 0.001) improvements in PG. Differences in improvement between PG and CG in terms of velocity (χ2 = 7.089, df = 1, p = 0.008) and step length (χ2 = 7.718, df = 1, p = 0.005) were also identified. Conclusion:The applicability of this 12-week walking program both for PD patients and community-dwelling older adults was identified. Conducting the economic evaluation and neurology studies of the 12-week walking program and test the effects of five-week walking program are suggested.
