Eli's Rehab Report

Exercise intervention will get intense scrutiny.

Therapists working with patients who have Parkinson's and other neurological diseases associated with aging will soon have a better grasp on the impact of exercise intervention on mobility.

The Foundation for Physical Therapy has awarded a $300,000 research grant to fund, "Effectiveness of Physical Therapy in Chronic Neurologic Disease; The Role of Co- Morbidities and Delivery of Physical Therapy Services." The project will investigate the most beneficial method of using exercise to enhance mobility in patients with neurological disorders.

Researcher Laurie King, PT, of Oregon Health Sciences University will compare individual therapy in a clinical setting, a home exercise program, and a group class. For each group, King will observe and characterize the impact of neurological disorders and diseases on the success of the intervention.

"Although there is a move to provide community, group and home exercise programs for elderly people with mobility disability, it is very important to determine when and if a group setting versus individual therapy is appropriate, given the complex nature and chronic disease," King explained in an October release.

Bottom line: Though the study focuses on patients with one chronic condition, the results can "apply to more general clinical settings" and will keep mobility an achievable goal for many older patients, King said.