Background: People with Parkinson's disease (PD) benefit from boxing exercise. Adding kicking variations to the boxing may provide additional benefit to improve balance. However, the benefits and adherence to such trainings is unknown.
Objective: To explore the feasibility, safety, and benefits on balance of boxing training combined with kicking techniques in comparison to boxing without kicking in PD.
Methods: Participants were randomized to group-based boxing training with kicking techniques (BK) or to group-based boxing alone training (BO). Both groups trained for one hour, once a week, for a period of 10 weeks. Participants were assessed at baseline and ten weeks post-intervention for difference in balance, fear of falling, balance confidence, walking ability, and quality of life.
Results: Twenty-nine people with PD (median age 64 years; median disease duration 5 years) participated. Both interventions were feasible and acceptable for all participants. No adverse events occurred. Most participants (BK 80%; BO 75%) were satisfied with the training. We found no significant between group difference on either the primary (Mini-BEST) or secondary outcomes. The within group comparison showed that balance improved in both groups after the intervention (BK 22.60 (2.7) to 25.33 (2.64) p = 0.02; BO 23.09 (3.44) to 25.80 (2.39); p = 0.01 on the Mini BEST test).
Conclusion: Both types of boxing seem to be feasible and safe. Adding kicking techniques to boxing does not improve balance significantly more than boxing alone. Incorporation of kicking may be a valuable addition to the exercise therapy repertoire.
Keywords: Parkinson’s disease; balance; boxing; exercise; kicking; physiotherapy.
Boxing appears to be an effective treatment for persons with Parkinson’s disease. Thus far, studies mostly looked at punching movements of the arms, but this new research examined whether adding additional kicking movements with the legs would add further benefits. The researchers were also interested whether the addition of kicking movements would make the exercise program more palatable for the participants, leading to a better compliance. Twentynine persons with Parkinson’s disease participated in boxing classes for a total duration of 10 weeks, and they were divided into two groups: punching with the arms only; or punching combined with kicking of the legs. Both types of boxing were feasible and acceptable for all participants. No adverse events occurred. Balance improved in both groups after the boxing classes, but the benefits were equal for both types of boxing. It is therefore not necessary to include kicking movements to gain greater clinical benefits from boxing, but incorporating such kicking movements remains potentially valuable as a way to make the exercise repertoire more versatile for participants.