New research suggests regular brisk walking could help improve the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
The findings suggest patients suffering from mild to moderate Parkinson's who regularly walked for exercise could improve their "motor function, mood, tiredness, fitness and some aspects of thinking abilities," the American Academy of Neurology reported.
The study was published in the July 2, 2014, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
"The results of our study suggest that walking may provide a safe and easily accessible way of improving the symptoms of Parkinson's disease and improve quality of life," said study author Ergun Y. Uc, MD, with the University of Iowa in Iowa City and the Veterans Affairs Medical Center of Iowa City. Uc , who is also a member of the American Academy of Neurology.
To make their findings the researchers looked at 60 people who all took part in sessions of walking at moderate intensity while wearing heart rate monitors. The participants participated in these sessions three times a week for 45 minutes per session over a period of six months. The subjects were also tested on their "motor function, aerobic fitness, mood, tiredness, and memory and thinking abilities," the Academy reported.
The team found brisk walking improved motor function and mood by 15 percent, attention and response by 14 percent, aerobic fitness by seven percent, and reduced tiredness by 11 percent. Patients improved on a motor function test by 2.8 points, which is considered a significant change.
"People with mild-moderate Parkinson's who do not have dementia and are able to walk independently without a cane or walker can safely follow the recommended exercise guidelines for healthy adults, which includes 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity aerobic activity, and experience benefits," said Uc. He added that these results need to be confirmed in a randomized study with a control group.
