Treadmill training beneficial for Parkinson's patients

Treadmill training has been identified as an effective treatment to help improve walking movements in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Cochrane Researchers in the US found that incorporating the treadmill exercises into Parkinson's sufferers' treatment regimes could be used as a complementary therapy to traditional medication.

Slowness of movement is one of the most common symptoms of patients with the condition and can have a significant impact on quality of life.

Commenting on the findings, lead author of the study Jan Merhholz said: "There is still a need for larger trials to establish if treadmill training can be safely used as a routine therapy for Parkinson's patients.

"We also need to answer basic questions about how long the benefits last and what a good training programme should consist of."

According to the Parkinson's Disease Society, around 10,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with the condition each year. Symptoms such as hand tremors, impaired balance and posture tend to first appear, on average, when a patient is over the age of 50.

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