Nordic walking and sprinting enhance lower limb vertical power in Parkinson’s: an exploratory study
Vinicius Baia da Silva, Hugo Enrico Souza Machado, ANDRÉ FELIPE PANTOJA DO NASCIMENTO, Edigar Menezes Ferreira, Thayara Maize da Silva Tabayara, Leandro Tolfo Franzoni et al. · Sport Sciences for Health · 2026
Abstract
Purpose: Parkinson’s disease impairs motor function. However, locomotor training strategies may promote positive biomechanical adaptations. The present exploratory study examined the effects of Nordic walking and sprinting on jump height and peak lower limb power in People with Parkinson’s disease (PwPD).
Methods: This is a single group pre- to post-training
Design: . Participants underwent an 8-week progressive locomotor training, with two training sessions per week, always under the “on” phase of the medication. Neuromuscular tests were assessed using countermovement jump (CMJ) height and peak power (PP) relative to body mass, measured pre- and post-intervention using a contact mat. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to assess differences between time points, and effect sizes (r) were classified as small ( 0.5). Median values and interquartile ranges were reported, with statistical
Significance: set at p < 0.05.
Results: In total, 12 participants completed the study (age: 66.4 ± 9.8 years; Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale III: 27.1 ± 8.83; Hoehn & Yahr stage: 2.5 ± 0.4). The main
results showed a significant increase in CMJ (pre = 6.6 cm; post = 11.1 cm, p = 0.009, r = 0.82) and PP (pre = 21.8 W/kg; post = 25.7 W/kg, p = 0.02, r = 0.7), with large effect sizes.
Conclusion: The
Findings: suggest that an 8-week program of Nordic walking and sprinting may be associated with improvements in lower limb power in PwPD, despite the progressive nature of the disease. Also, these
results provide preliminary evidence supporting the use of locomotor interventions in rehabilitation programs for this population.