Effects of supervised slackline training on postural instability, freezing of gait, and falls efficacy in people with Parkinson's disease.

The aim of this study was to assess whether supervised slackline training reduces the risk of falls in people with Parkinson's disease (PD).Twenty-two patients with idiopathic PD were randomized into experimental (EG, N = 11) and control (CG, N = 11) groups. Center of Pressure (CoP), Freezing of Gait (FOG), and Falls Efficacy Scale (FES) were assessed at pre-test, post-test and re-test. Rate perceived exertion (RPE, Borg's 6-20 scale) and local muscle perceived exertion (LRPE) were also assessed at the end of the training sessions.The EG group showed significant improvements in FOG and FES scores from pre-test to post-test. Both decreased at re-test, though they did not return to pre-test l…