Effects of physical activity on walking in individuals with Parkinson's disease

Abstract

Considering our strongest involvement with walking behavior of people with Parkinson's disease (PD), this chapter develops the relationship between physical exercise and walking in this population. Among the cardinal and the secondary signs and symptoms of the disease, we find the gait impairments as one of the most disabling behaviors of people with PD. In this chapter, that issue is treated with respect to different intervention types and procedures and their effects on two walking conditions (over even and uneven surfaces), especially because only under challenging conditions this behavior is more impaired. Specifically, we are detailing many physical exercise interventions with respect to type, duration, and frequency and showing specific effects on gait parameters. According to the topics discussed in this chapter, we concluded that even though physical exercise is gaining evidence to improve gait impairments and other motor and non-motor signs and symptoms of the PD, there is no consensus with respect to the better intervention characteristics to promote effects on walking behavior of people with PD.