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The Effect of Balance-focused Exercise Programme in Enhancing the Solus-muscle Activation During Gait Initiation for People With Parkinson Disease

The Effect of Balance-focused Exercise Programme in Enhancing the Solus-muscle Activation During Gait Initiation for People With Parkinson Disease

Status
Not yet recruiting
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07263646
Enrollment
80
Registered
2025-12-04
Start date
2026-01-22
Completion date
2028-12-22
Last updated
2025-12-10

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Gait Balance, Gait Disorders, Parkinson Disease

Keywords

gait initiation, Parkinson disease, rehabilitation, balance-focus exercise

Brief summary

Gait initiation (GI) is a crucial component of walking that requires a balanced muscle activity and postural stability. GI could be challenging for people with neurological condition such as people with Parkinson (PWP), where GI is usually impaired. The purpose of this study is determining effectiveness of comprehensive, balanced-focused exercise programme in controlling the activation of Solus-muscle in people with Parkinson disease. We hypothesise that balance-focus exercise programe could improve Solus-muscle activation during GI. study type: this is a parallel group prospective (10 weeks) randomised single-blinded controlled trial conduct in Kuwait. Participant: People with Parkinson, who met the inclusion criteria.

Detailed description

Parkinson's Disease (PD), a neurodegenerative disorder characterised by motor dysfunction . The basal ganglia play a significant role in regulating muscle excitation, and its dysfunction in PD leads to abnormal activation patterns in muscles such as the soleus, crucial for walking. This contributes to symptoms like bradykinesia, resulting in slower movement, shuffling gait, and difficulty initiating walking. Prolonged activation of the plantar flexor muscles, especially the soleus, disrupts the forward momentum needed for normal walking. Gait initiation (GI) is a crucial component of walking that requires a balanced muscle activity and postural stability. The GI process requires a propulsive force to move the body across a distance (from a bipedal stance to repeating gait cycles) while maintaining postural stability. Thus, GI could be challenging for people with neurological condition such as people with Parkinson (PWP), where GI is usually impaired. Any modification to the GI program could affect postural stability and the velocity of the movement and any impairment in muscle activation of the lower limb will interfere with the GI process, . This underscores the significance of the altered muscle excitation pattern observed in PWP and its potential impact on motor control. This imbalance can contribute to the prolonged muscle activation times and differential speed changes observed in muscle activation patterns. Bradykinesia is a slow movement during the execution of common physical activities, such as the activities of daily living (ADL). That could be because PWP tend to keep the plantar flexor muscles mainly (solus) contracted for longer time. This prolonged muscle activity interferes with the gravity-assisted forward rotation of the body resulting adverse affects on the timing of subsequent events during gait initiation. Therefore, therapies aimed at restoring the balance during GI may help improve motor control and balance in individuals, thus improve GI speed with Parkinson's disease. Balance-focused rehabilitation strategies, including interactive exercises, are promising in addressing delays in GI. Several previous studies explored the effect of balance exercise of the GI in patients with Parkinson. For example, in a systematic exploration of cueing therapy's impact on gait and balance in individuals with Parkinson's disease, revealed its efficacy. This approach, the cueing therapy was highlighted as a promising intervention for addressing gait and balance challenges in Parkinson's disease. Another significant approach for functional rehabilitation is the utilization of balance boards, as underscored by. Investigating the effectiveness of a Wii Fit™-based balance board exercise program in the elderly population. Consequently, Mhatre et al. concluded that the Wii Fit™ balance board exercise program represents a valuable tool for augmenting balance and mitigating fall risk among older adults. In the context of functional rehabilitation, these interventions, particularly cueing therapy and balance board exercises, signify promising avenues for improving motor function and addressing challenges associated with gait and balance. Consideration of these therapeutic approaches is crucial for devising comprehensive and effective rehabilitation strategies tailored to the unique needs of individuals undergoing functional rehabilitation. However, there is a need for further research to explore effective rehabilitation strategies tailored to different disease severity levels. To improve the maintenance and rehabilitation of community walking ability in PWP, there is a need to understand the details of the kinematics, as well as the muscle activation characteristics during while GI.

Interventions

OTHERbalance-focus exercise programe

participants in the experimental group will receive balance-focused exercise programe integrated into conventional physiotherapy programe provided to people with parkinson.

Sponsors

Ministry of Health, Kuwait
Lead SponsorOTHER_GOV

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)

Masking description

the outcomes assessor will not be aware of the group allocation

Intervention model description

parallel group prospective (10 weeks) randomised single-blinded controlled trial

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* participants diagnosed by their neurologist with Parkinson's disease (moderate to severe stage) * stable on anti-Parkinson's drugs * able to walk independently without a frame or walking stick. * Able to walk for more than 10 mins unaided * without cognitive disability (Able to follow simple instructions and communicate, orally), * have good vision (with or without corrective aids)

Exclusion criteria

* are pregnant * cardiac problems exacerbated by exercise * currently complaining of joint or muscle problems that affect walking ability * known to have neurological conditions (other than Parkinson) that affect walking ability * uncorrected hearing or vision problems * history of severe motion sickness * history of vestibular or balance problems * an active skin condition that could be irritated by contact with sticky tape.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
weightbaselineweight of the person in KG
heightbaselinethe height of the person in CM
gait analysisbaseline• Three-dimensional motion analysis:Motion capture units will track the movement of reflective markers placed on the skin/clothing of participants.
Gait Analysis6 weeksThree-dimensional motion analysis: Motion capture units will track the movement of reflective markers placed on the skin/clothing of participants.
• electromyography (EMG)baselineElectric activity of the muscles using the wireless EMG measurement system. The system will track the activity of solus muscle (left and right).
electromyography EMG6 weeksElectric activity of the muscles using the wireless EMG measurement system. The system will track the activity of solus muscle (left and right).

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Parkinson severity scale (PDQ-39)baselineTo evaluate the impact of Parkinson's disease on different dimensions of a patient's life and monitor changes over time.
patient satisfaction6 weeksin response to the question how satisfied are you with the results of physiotherapy treatment? Patient will be asked tp grade their level of satisfaction on 5 points liked scale (1. Not at all satisfied, 2. Dissatisfied, 3. Natural, 4. Satisfied, 5. Very satisfied)
Parkinson severity scale PDQ-396 weeksTo evaluate the impact of Parkinson's disease on different dimensions of a patient's life and monitor changes over time.
Timed Up and Go test (TUG)baselinewidely used clinical test to assess a person's mobility, balance, walking ability, and fall risk. It is especially useful in older adults and individuals with neurological or musculoskeletal impairment
Timed Up and Go test TUG6 weekswidely used clinical test to assess a person's mobility, balance, walking ability, and fall risk. It is especially useful in older adults and individuals with neurological or musculoskeletal impairment
time up and go TUG10 weekswidely used clinical test to assess a person's mobility, balance, walking ability, and fall risk. It is especially useful in older adults and individuals with neurological or musculoskeletal impairment
PITTSBURGH rehabilitation participation scale6 weeksa clinician-rated tool used to measure a patient's level of participation in inpatient rehabilitation therapy sessions. It focuses on observed engagement, effort, and motivation.

Countries

Kuwait

Contacts

Primary ContactEsraa T Aldayil, PhD
dresraa.aldayil@outlook.com00965 99980166
Backup ContactHadeel H Alsaleh, PhD
golden_land85@hotmail.com0096565064141

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026