ACUTE EFFECT OF MUSCULAR RESISTANCE EXERCISE ON POSTURAL ASYMMETRY IN INDIVIDUALS WITH PARKINSON'S DISEASE

• Grant number: 24/22591-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: May 01, 2025
• End date: October 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Physical Education
• Principal Investigator: Fabio Augusto Barbieri
• Grantee: Matheus Braga Monge Corrêa
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências (FC). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Bauru. Bauru , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 22/02971-2 - Unrevealing the gait asymmetry in patients with Parkinson’s Disease: from the neural and motor mechanisms to rehabilitation: AsymmGait-Parkinson study, AP.PNGP.PI

Abstract

Postural instability is one of the most disabling symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). One factor contributing to this instability is the more pronounced asymmetry in postural control observed in people with PD compared to healthy older adults, particularly in more challenging postural tasks. Reducing postural control asymmetry in people with PD could be a potential pathway to improving postural stability. Physical exercise, particularly resistance training, has proven to be an effective tool in reducing motor symptoms and improving postural control in individuals with PD. However, there is a gap in the literature regarding its acute effects on postural asymmetry in people with PD. Thus, the objective of this study is to investigate the acute effect of resistance training on postural control asymmetry in people with PD, comparing the effects of unilateral training on the more affected side, the less affected side, and bilateral training. A clinical trial with 16 individuals with PD will be conducted. The Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part III, postural sway, and muscle activity during a semi-tandem stance task will be assessed before, immediately after, and 24 hours after each resistance training protocol. The motor intervention protocol will follow a crossover design, performed similarly across the three protocols, differing only in the target of the intervention: (a) only the more affected lower limb, (b) only the less affected lower limb, and (c) both lower limbs. The results will contribute to more effective rehabilitation strategies, focusing on reducing postural asymmetry and improving stability, with potential for future longitudinal studies.