Effects of speed-based interventions aimed at improving bradykinesia in individuals with Parkinson's disease: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND

Exercises that promote faster movement execution may help improve bradykinesia in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD).

OBJECTIVES

To describe speed-based interventions employed to improve bradykinesia in individuals with PD, evaluate their effects, and identify gaps in the literature.

METHODS

The review followed PRISMA guidelines. Searches were conducted in EMBASE, MEDLINE, Scielo, Lilacs, PEDro, and gray literature sources up to December 2025. The Revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2) and Risk Of Bias In Non-randomized Studies-of Interventions (ROBINS-I) tools were used to assess risk of bias.

RESULTS

Eight studies involving 149 participants with PD were included: six randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and two non-randomized studies. Interventions included high-cadence cycling, aerobic interval training, power training, and high-speed power yoga. All studies were rated as having high risk of bias. The findings suggest that speed-based interventions may improve upper- and lower-limb bradykinesia in individuals with PD.

CONCLUSION

This systematic review showed that speed-based interventions are effective in improving bradykinesia in both upper and lower limbs. However, these results should be interpreted with caution due to the high risk of bias presented in all included studies. Gaps were identified regarding the assessment of bradykinesia and the types of interventions applied. Further high-quality RCTs are necessary to draw definitive conclusions.