Immediate effects of adding mental practice to physical practice on the gait of individuals with Parkinson's disease: Randomized clinical trial

BACKGROUND: Mental practice has shown benefits in the rehabilitation of neurological patients, however, there is no evidence of immediate effects on gait of individuals with Parkinson's disease. OBJECTIVE: Determine the effects of mental practice activity added to physical practice on the gait of individuals with Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease (IPD). METHODS: 20 patients classified with stage 2 and 3, according to the Hoehn and Yahr scale were randomized into 2 groups. The experimental group (N = 10) was submitted to a single session of mental practice and physical practice gait protocol and the control group (N = 10) only to physical practice. The primary outcomes were stride length and total stance and swing time. Secondary outcomes were hip range of motion, velocity and mobility. Subjects were reassessed 10 minutes, 1 day and 7 days after the end of the session. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between the groups. An intragroup difference was observed in velocity, stride length, hip range of motion, and mobility, as well as total stance and swing time. These results were also observed on follow-ups. CONCLUSIONS: Mental practice did not have a greater effect on the gait of individuals with IPD than physical practice, after a single session.