The role of treadmill training for people with Parkinson's disease in improving gait parameters is unclear. Gait hypokinesia is typically one of the primary movement disorders associated with Parkinson's disease. It is an important determinant of disability and quality of life for people with mild to moderate Parkinson?s disease. Treadmill training uses specialised machines to facilitate gait rehabilitation. This review identified eight trials including 203 participants which evaluated this type of therapy. Treadmill training did improve gait speed, stride length and walking distance; cadence did not improve. Acceptability of treadmill training for study participants was good and adverse events were rare.
It is not, however, clear if such devices should be applied in routine rehabilitation or when and how often they should be used.