Effects of Tai Chi Therapy Versus Qi-Gong in Stage-I Parkinson's Patients.

Lahore University of Biological and Applied Sciences50 enrolled

Overview

This study has important clinical, academic, and practical relevance in neuromuscular rehabilitation. Clinically, it aims to identify effective and tolerable rehabilitation strategies for individuals with Parkinson's disease by comparing Tai Chi Therapy with Qi-Gong there by supporting evidence-based physiotherapy practice and improving patient adherence. Academically, it contributes to the limited literature on comparative effectiveness of these interventions and incorporates patient-centered outcomes such as exercise perception, which are often underreported. From a practical and societal perspective, identifying a more acceptable and effective approach may enhance long-term participation in rehabilitation, potentially slow disease progression, and reduce the overall healthcare burden associated with Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, leading to motor symptoms such as tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, and postural instability. The title of the present study focuses on evaluating the effectiveness of Tai Chi Therapy versus Qi-Gong on Postural Control, Functional Balance and Motor Function in individuals with Stage-I with Parkinson's disease. The study design is a randomized controlled trial with participants allocated into two groups. The study duration is expected to span 8 to 12 weeks, allowing sufficient time for neuromuscular adaptations and observable functional improvements while maintaining feasibility and participant compliance. Outcome measures include standardized and validated tools such as the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale for assessing disease severity, the Berge Balance Scale is use for the functional balance and postural control these measures are recorded at baseline and post-intervention to determine the effectiveness of the rehabilitation protocol, providing comprehensive insight into motor Motor Control, Functional Balance and Motor Function in individuals with Stage I Parkinson's disease.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

Interventions

Tai ChiOTHER

Group A will receive 8 weeks of standard conventional physical therapy plus Tai Chi (40 min of Tai Chi and 20 min of conventional physical therapy) total duration of session will be 60 minutes. The most commonly applied Tai Chi style will be Yang style.

Qi GongOTHER

Group B will receive 8 weeks of standard conventional physical therapy (20 minutes) plus Health Qigong Baduanjin and wuqinxi ( 40 minutes) with total duration of 60 minutes, 2 times a week each pattern for 8 weeks.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 50 YearsMax age: 65 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of PD based on the Hoehn \& Yahr staging system (Stages I). * Male or female patients aged between 50-65 years. * Currently receiving stable anti-Parkinsonian medication, with no changes in the treatment regimen for at least 3 months. * Basic self-care ability with no severe cognitive impairment (Mini-Mental State Examination \[MMSE\] score ≥24). Exclusion Criteria: * Depression, as assessed based on a score of \>16 for the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). * Recent deep brain stimulation (DBS) treatment. * Use of medication that interferes with cognition, alertness, or attention. * Current participation in an exercise training program.

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale

It will be used for motor function. UPDRS shows high ICCs like 0.90 for Motor, 0.85 for ADL).A higher score indicates greater motor impairment and disease severity. Total score is 108 across 27 items. It will be used at pre and post intervention.

Time frame: 8-12 weeks

Berg Balance Scale (BBS)

The Berg Balance Scale (BBS) is a widely used clinical test with 14 functional tasks (like sitting, standing, reaching, turning) to measure static and dynamic postural control and functional balance, primarily to assess fall risk in older adults and neurological patients (stroke, Parkinson's). It scores tasks from 0 (unable) to 4 (independent) for a total of 56, with lower scores indicating higher fall risk, helping therapists plan interventions. It Shows very high intra-rater (same tester) and inter-rater (different testers) reliability, with Intraclass Correlation Coefficients (ICC) often around 0.97-0.99. The Berg Balance Scale have 14-item. Each item is scored on a 0-4 scale, with a total score of 56 points indicating no balance deficit and lower scores correlating with higher fall risk. The patients with the scores between 0-20 have High fall risk (may need wheelchair), 21-40: Medium fall risk (may need cane/walker) and 41-56: Low fall risk (independent mobility).