Background. Highly challenging exercises have been suggested to induce neuroplasticity in individuals with Parkinson’s disease (PD); however, its effect on clinical outcomes remains largely unknown. Objective. To evaluate the short-term effects of the HiBalance program, a highly challenging balance-training regimen that incorporates both dual-tasking and PD-specific balance components, compared with usual care in elderly with mild to moderate PD. Methods. Participants with PD (n = 100) were randomized, either to the 10-week HiBalance program (n = 51) or to the control group (n = 49). Participants were evaluated before and after the intervention. The main outcomes were balance performance (Mini-BESTest), gait velocity (during normal and dual-task gait), and concerns about falling (Falls Efficacy Scale–International). Performance of a cognitive task while walking, physical activity level (average steps per day), and activities of daily living were secondary outcomes. Results. A total of 91 participants completed the study. After the intervention, the between group comparison showed significantly improved balance and gait performance in the training group. Moreover, although no significant between group difference was observed regarding gait performance during dual-tasking; the participants in the training group improved their performance of the cognitive task while walking, as compared with the control group. Regarding physical activity levels and activities of daily living, in comparison to the control group, favorable results were found for the training group. No group differences were found for concerns about falling. Conclusions. The HiBalance program significantly benefited balance and gait abilities when compared with usual care and showed promising transfer effects to everyday living. Long-term follow-up assessments will further explore these effects.

Background Little is known about the long-term course of disability in relation with disease severity in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). Objective To explore changes in a broad spectrum of disability over 10 years in relation with disease severity in PwMS. Methods We conducted a longitudinal study of 155 PwMS who attended the MS Centre at Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm. Disease severity was determined by the use of the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and classified as mild MS (EDSS score 0–3.5) or moderate/severe MS (EDSS score 4–9.5). Ten-year changes in perceived physical and psychological impacts of MS, walking, cognition, manual dexterity, participation in social/lifestyle activities, and signs of depression were compared between PwMS with mild and moderate/severe MS at baseline. Results Although walking, manual dexterity, and cognition declined in both groups, only the moderate/severe group demonstrated that long-term increased physical impact of MS, increased wheel-chair dependency, and reduced participation in social/lifestyle activities. Perceived psychological impact of MS declined in both groups, while signs of depression were experienced by fewer in the mild group and remained unaltered in the moderate/severe group. Conclusion We found a more pronounced increase in disability across 10 years in individuals with moderate/severe MS compared to mild MS. These findings accentuate the importance of developing a variety of interventions that can be applied across the spectrum of disease severity.

The Mini-BESTest is a clinical balance test that has shown a high sensitivity in detecting balance impairments in elderly with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, its reproducibility between different raters and between test occasions has yet to be investigated in a clinical context. Moreover, no one has investigated the reproducibility of the Mini-BESTest's subcomponents (i.e. anticipatory postural adjustments; postural responses; sensory orientation and dynamic gait). We aimed to investigate the inter-rater and test-retest reproducibility (reliability as well as agreement) of the Mini-BESTest, as well as its subcomponents, in elderly with mild to moderate PD, performed under conditions assimilating clinical practice. This was an observational measurement study with a test-retest design. Twenty-seven individuals with idiopathic PD (66 - 80 years, mean age: 73; Hoehn & Yahr: 2-3; 1-15 years since diagnosis) were included. Two test administrators, having different experiences with the Mini-BESTest, administered the test individually, in separate rooms in a hospital setting. For the test-retest assessment, all participants returned 7 days after the first test session to perform the Mini-BESTest under similar conditions. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC2.1), standard error of measurement (SEMagreement), and smallest real difference (SRD) were analyzed. The Mini-BESTest showed good reliability for both inter-rater and test-retest reproducibility (ICC = 0.72 and 0.80). Regarding agreement, the measurement error (SRD) was found to be 4.1 points (accounting for 15% of the maximal total score) for inter-rater reproducibility and 3.4 points (12% of the maximal total score) for test-retest reproducibility. The investigation of the Mini-BESTest's subcomponents showed a similar pattern for both inter-rater and test-retest reproducibility, where postural responses had the largest proportional measurement error, and sensory orientation showed the highest agreement. Our findings indicate that the Mini-BESTest is able to distinguish between individuals with mild to moderate PD; however, when used in clinical balance assessments, the large measurement error needs to be accounted for.

There is increasing scientific knowledge about the interaction between physiological (musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cognitive and sensory) systems and their influence on balance and walking impairments in Parkinson’s disease. We have developed a new conceptual framework for balance training, emphasising specific components of balance control related to Parkinson’s disease symptoms by using highly challenging, progressive and varying training conditions. The primary aim of this proposed randomised controlled trial will be to investigate the short-term and long-term effects of a 10-week balance training regime in elderly with Parkinson’s disease.

Background : Telerehabilitation, i.e. rehabilitation at a distance using Information and Communication Technology (ICT), is a promising avenue for improving health among people with neurological diseases or older adults who often experience limited access to services. Still, little is known about physiotherapists’ use, perceptions and needs with regards to telerehabilitation services. Aims: To describe physiotherapists use and perceptions of, as well as needs for, telerehabilitation services for the rehabilitation of people with neurological diseases or older adults in Sweden. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, an author-created survey was sent out to members of the Swedish Association of Physiotherapists including questions about the use and perceptions of existing telerehabilitation services (e.g. telephone, internet-based applications and mobile applications) as well as needs of future telerehabilitation services. The results were presented descriptively as numbers and percentages. Results: Three hundred seven physiotherapists were included in this study with 139 (45%) treating people with neurological diseases and 168 (55%) treating older adults. Most respondents did not provide telerehabilitation before (74%) or during (51%) the COVID-19 pandemic. Telephone, which was predominantly used for administrative tasks, was the most frequent utilised ICT used by 68% of the physiotherapist using ICTs several days/week. Few respondents used internet-based applications (12%), mobile applications (3%) or SMS services (8%) and videoconferencing (3%). A majority of the respondents were interested in ICT (78%), felt comfortable using ICT (57%) and were interested in learning how ICT can be used in rehabilitation (92%). Still, few respondents perceived that people with neurological diseases or older adults can use existing ICTs for rehabilitation purposes (18%) and that existing reimbursement system within health care facilitates remote rehabilitation (16%). Important functionality of future ICT perceived by physiotherapists covered patient communication (e.g. chat, SMS and video), assessments (e.g. digital surveys and assessment of physical activity) and treatment (e.g. exercise prescription). Conclusion: While physiotherapists had an overall positive perception to use and willingness to learn about telerehabilitation, few used telerehabilitation services before nor during the COVID-19 pandemic and they also perceived multilevel barriers for implementation, ranging from patients ability to use ICT to existing reimbursement systems within health care. Our findings emphasize the need to strengthen the expertise regarding remote services among physiotherapists.

To determine long-term effects of a highly challenging training program in people with Parkinson’s disease, as well as describe how initially observed improvements of the program deteriorated over time. Long-term follow-up of previously reported outcomes at 10 weeks of a randomized controlled trial. University hospital setting. One-hundred elderly with mild-to-moderate (Hoehn and Yahr 2–3) Parkinson’s disease. Participants in the training group (n = 51) received 10 weeks (three times/week) of balance and gait exercises, incorporating dual-tasks, while the control group (n = 49) received care as usual. Balance control (Mini-Balance Evaluation System Test (Mini-BESTest)) and gait velocity. Mixed-design analyses of variance were used to determine potential training effects at 6- and 12-month follow-up, and piecewise regression models predicted the rate of deterioration. Seventy-six participants were included at final follow-up. No significant (P > .05) between-group differences remained at either 6 or 12 months following the intervention. The mean Mini-BESTest scores of the training and control group were 19.9 (SD 4.4) and 18.6 (SD 4.3), respectively, at the 12-month follow-up. Gait speed was 1.2 (SD 0.2) m/s in both groups at 12 months. The training group showed a larger deterioration rate per month in balance performance (0.21 point) and gait velocity (0.65 cm/s) than controls (P < .05). These results suggest that training effects diminish within 6 months after balance training, implying that the program may need to be repeated regularly.