Effects of ankle isokinetic training on muscle strength and balance amongst older women with mild Parkinson's disease: A randomised trial

BACKGROUND: Patients with Parkinson's disease frequently experience problems with balance and gait. OBJECTIVE: This study examined the influences of regular ankle isokinetic muscle strength training on muscle strength and balance ability amongst elderly women with mild Parkinson's disease. METHODS: A total of 55 elderly women with mild Parkinson's disease were randomly divided into the experimental group (n = 28) and the control group (n = 27) for 16 weeks. The experimental group was trained for 16 weeks by using isokinetic muscle strength training. RESULTS: After 16 weeks of training in the experimental group, the peak torque (PT) of ankle (average of the left and right sides) dorsiflexion, plantarflexion, eversion and inversion, and the standing balance index revealed that the left and right stability and overall stability indexes significantly increased by 25.9%, 43.5%, 62.7%, 82.8%, 37.1% and 32.2%, respectively (p < 0.05). The experimental group exhibited significantly increased PT of ankle dorsiflexion, plantarflexion, eversion and inversion. Moreover, the left and right stability and overall stability indexes were significantly improved compared with those of the control group (p < 0.05). This study found a linear regression relationship between the PT of ankle inversion and overall stability index. CONCLUSION: This study determined that ankle isokinetic muscle strength training improved ankle dorsiflexion, plantarflexion, eversion and inversion muscle strength, and balance ability amongst elderly women with mild Parkinson's disease. However, it did not improve stability in the anterior and posterior directions. Ankle inversion muscle strength is more likely to affect overall balance.