Crossover versus stabilometric platform for the treatment of balance dysfunction in Parkinson's disease: A randomized study

Balance dysfunctions are a major challenge in the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). Previous studies have shown that rehabilitation can play a role in their treatment. In this study, we have compared the efficacy of two different devices for balance training: stabilometric platform and crossover. We have enrolled 60 PD patients randomly assigned to two groups. The first one (stabilometric group) performed a 4-week cycle of balance training, using the stabilometric platform, whereas the second one (crossover group) performed a 4-week cycle of balance training, using the crossover. The outcome measures used were Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) part II, Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed Up and Go (TUG), and Six Minutes Walking Test (6MWT). Results showed that TUG, BBS, and UPDRS II improved in both groups. There was not difference in the efficacy of the two balance treatments. Patients in both groups improved also the meters walked in the 6MWT at the end of rehabilitation, but the improvement was better for patients performing crossover training. Our results show that the crossover and the stabilometric platform have the same effect on balance dysfunction of Parkinsonian patients, while crossover gets better results on the walking capacity.