Physiotherapy For Functional Mobility In Parkinson’s Disease: Recent Outlook

Abstract

Parkinson’s disease is a common neurodegenerative disorder for which only symptomatic treatments are available. One of the most prominent challenges in Parkinson's disease is gait and balance disturbances, which significantly contribute to increased disability and a reduced health-related quality of life. Unfortunately, balance and gait deficits in Parkinson’s disease are notoriously difficult to treat and are not substantially improved by pharmacological or surgical treatments. However, recent advances in research have highlighted the potential for neurochemical and neuroplastic changes following exercise, which offers hope for improving motor and nonmotor symptoms.An increasing body of high-quality studies has documented improvements in various aspects of mobility, such as gait, balance, and strength, following exercise interventions. Additionally, exercise has been shown to positively impact nonmotor symptoms, including depression, anxietyand fatigue, further improving overall well-being in Parkinson’s disease patients. This review article focuses on the latest advancements in enhancing functional mobility, while underscoring the importance of targeted exercise interventions.  Interventions like musically queued gait training, Pilates, Dual task group training, rhythmic auditory stimulation etc can help maximize benefits, ultimately leading to improved quality of life for individuals with Parkinson’s disease.