Wuqinxi Exercise Improves Hand Dexterity in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease

Objective. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of Wuqinxi after one session and 12-week intervention on hand dexterity in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Methods. Forty-six elderly participants with mild-to-moderate PD were randomly assigned to the groups trained with Wuqinxi (n = 23) or stretching (n = 23). All participants practiced 60 min session of either of these exercises, 2 sessions a week for 12 weeks in standing position. The score of Purdue Pegboard Test (PPT) and time for Soda Pop Test (SPT) were performed to assess hand dexterity and motor function along assessing the 39 items of Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire before and after 12-week interventions. In addition, the PPT scores were compared before vs. after one session of either of these two exercise modes. Results. Single session with either Wuqinxi or stretching exercise tended to improve PPT scores in PD patients. Furthermore, the improved SPT time was significant (P