Home Exercises Benefit Parkinson's

Regular home exercises like aerobic, strength, or balance routines can alleviate motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease patients, according to a meta-analysis. 

However, patients need to exercise for at least eight weeks, with a minimum of 30 sessions, to observe benefits.

These results give "clinicians and patients clear evidence-based guidance" on the advantages of home-based exercise, stated the researchers in their study, “The effect of home-based exercise on motor symptoms, quality of life and functional performance in Parkinson’s disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis,” published in BMC Geriatrics.

Parkinson’s disease is characterized by the degeneration of dopamine-producing neurons. Dopamine is essential for signaling other neurons that control movements.

This degeneration leads to hallmark motor symptoms like tremors, stiffness, and balance difficulties, increasing the risk of falls.

Exercise is a well-established, non-drug approach for managing Parkinson’s. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) encouraged people to stay active through home exercises, though the WHO didn’t specify the types or amounts of exercise needed.

Small but Significant Benefits Observed

To evaluate the impact of home-based exercises on motor symptoms and functional performance in Parkinson’s patients, researchers in China reviewed five databases for relevant studies.

They analyzed 20 clinical studies involving 1,885 Parkinson’s patients, with an average disease duration of 7.3 years.

The exercise programs included aerobic exercises, balance and gait training, and combinations of aerobic, strength, or balance exercises.

The number of sessions varied significantly, ranging from nine to 96 over three to 24 weeks. Most studies maintained a similar training frequency.

Researchers assessed the effects of exercise during both the "off" phase (when symptoms are not well-controlled by medication) and the "on" phase (when symptoms are managed by medication). One study looked at both phases.

The meta-analysis found that home-based exercise resulted in a small but significant reduction in motor symptoms, as well as improvements in quality of life, walking speed, and balance.

Patients also showed better finger dexterity and reduced fear of falling.

Moderate improvements in motor symptoms were noted when patients engaged in home-based exercise for eight to 16 weeks, exercising more than three times per week for at least two hours weekly.

No significant benefits were observed for exercise periods shorter than eight weeks or fewer than 30 sessions.

The researchers concluded that “home-based exercise appears to be effective in relieving motor symptoms and improving quality of life in [Parkinson’s disease] patients.” They recommend that patients exercise for at least eight weeks and complete a minimum of 30 sessions.

Source: parkinsonsnewstoday

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