A six-week Pilates-based exercise program helped reduce bradykinesia in the upper extremities in a small number of Parkinson’s patients, a Brazilian study reported.
the study, “Short-term effects of Pilates-based exercise on upper limb muscle strength and function in patients with Parkinson’s disease” was published. Journal of Bodywork and Exercise Therapy.
Bradykinesia refers to abnormally slow movement and is one of the four core motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. It can affect the arms and hands, making it difficult to perform everyday tasks that require coordination and dexterity, such as handling coins or opening bottles.
In addition to medications and various treatments, regular physical exercise can help reduce motor symptoms in people with Parkinson’s disease. Here, Brazilian researchers tested whether engaging in Pilates could reduce movement disorders affecting the upper limbs.
What is Pilates?
Pilates consists of exercises that use controlled movement and breathing to strengthen muscles, increase flexibility, and correct posture when sitting or standing. It can be done using special equipment or on a mat.
“Since most Pilates exercises consist of bidirectional coordination tasks, using handgrips to control equipment, we hypothesized that: [they] “It may improve bradykinesia and dexterity as well as upper limb strength,” the researchers said in the study, which involved 15 people (11 men and 4 women) with mild to moderate Parkinson’s disease. He wrote that he completed 18 Pilates sessions using four different types of specialized machines. The median age of participants was 66 years, and the median time since diagnosis was 4 years. Seven (47%) were overweight.
The program lasted six weeks, with three sessions per week. Each 30-minute session consists of a warm-up to stretch your shoulder muscles, a series of exercises to test your strength and coordination, and a cool-down to stretch. The difficulty gradually increased throughout the program.
Compliance with the program was excellent at 100%, with the only reported side effect being mild muscle pain. After 6 weeks, no changes were reported in upper extremity strength, dexterity, or ability to perform daily tasks. Patients had a one-point decrease in global locomotor activity, a measure of bradykinesia on the MDS Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale, with higher scores reflecting worse symptoms.
“Changes in upper extremity bradykinesia encourage randomized clinical trials,” the researchers wrote, noting that while a Pilates-based exercise program appears to be feasible and safe, “the observed results It should be considered preliminary.”
