Effect of Sit-to-Stand Training with Leg Lead on Balance and Gait in Parkinson’s Disease Patients

Purpose: This study examined the effects of sit-to-stand (STS) training with ankle weights corresponding to 5% of body weight on the balance and gait abilities of patients with Parkinson's disease.Methods: Fourteen patients diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, aged between 60 and 80 years, were assigned randomly to an experimental group (STS training with ankle weights) or a control group (STS training without ankle weights), with seven participants in each group.The intervention was conducted over four weeks.The outcome measures included STS time, Stand-to-Sit time, stride length, 10Meter Walk Test (10MWT), Timed Up and Go Test (TUG), and Berg Balance Scale (BBS).The data were analyzed using non-parametric statistical methods with a significance level of = 0.05. Results:The experimental group showed significant improvements in the STS and Stand-to-Sit times, as well as the BBS scores, compared to the control group.Both groups exhibited significant improvements in stride length after the intervention, but no significant differences were observed between the two groups.In the TUG and 10MWT, the experimental group showed significant improvements within the group after training, but there were no significant differences between the two groups.Conclusion: Sit-to-stand training with additional ankle weights was effective in enhancing balance and some aspects of gait performance in patients with Parkinson's disease.These results suggest that applying external loads to the lower extremities may improve proprioceptive feedback and postural stability.Future studies with larger sample sizes, as well as longer intervention periods and follow-up assessments, are recommended to validate these findings.