Scientists have confirmed that exercise can improve movement-related symptoms and quality of life in Parkinson’s disease. Research published in the journal Cochrane Systematic Review Database.
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive nervous system disease that primarily affects people over the age of 60. Symptoms include stiffness, tremors, slowness of movement, and difficulty with coordination and balance. Patients may also experience mood disorders and sleep problems. There is no cure for Parkinson’s disease, but physical therapy, exercise, and medications can relieve symptoms.
In a new study, scientists evaluated the effectiveness of various physical exercises in Parkinson’s disease. They selected 156 high-quality studies that included 7939 people with mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease without significant cognitive impairment.
The median age of study participants ranged from 60 to 74, and most of the studies were done in the United States. Most types of exercise have proven to be effective for patients.
Dance, water and functional training and endurance exercise had approximately the same moderately positive effect on the severity of movement disorders. Water aerobics has also shown a huge positive impact on quality of life.
Stretching, yoga, and tai chi had little effect on the severity of symptoms. There is ambiguous evidence for the beneficial effects of weight training and Lee Silverman’s vocal exercises.
Scientists believe that most types of exercise can be recommended for patients with Parkinson’s disease.