Volume 30, Issue 174, August 2026

Role of Exercise in Parkinson’s Disease - A Review of the Literature

Jędrzej Mogilany^1♦, Karolina Górowska¹, Patrycja Anita Kobrzyńska², Aleksandra Korżel¹, Julia Niedźwiecka¹, Gabriela Ragan¹, Ewelina Wojna¹, Kamil Źródłowski¹, Zuzanna Mogilany³

¹Medical University of Lodz, Al. Tadeusza Kościuszki 4, 90-419 Łódź, Poland
²University Clinical Hospital No. 2 of the Medical University of Lodz: Łódź, ul. Stefana Żeromskiego 113, 90-549 Łódź, Poland
³Hospital of the Ministry of Interior and Administration in Lodz, Północna 42, 91–425 Łódź: Lodz, Poland

^♦Corresponding author
Jędrzej Mogilany, Medical University of Lodz, Al. Tadeusza Kościuszki 4, 90-419 Łódź, Poland

ABSTRACT

Parkinson’s disease (PD) progressively affects movement, with gait disturbance and impaired balance often becoming major reasons for loss of independence. Dopaminergic therapy can improve tremor, rigidity and bradykinesia, but it has a more limited effect on axial symptoms and long-term mobility decline. This makes structured exercise relevant in PD care, particularly when the aim is to preserve walking ability, postural control and everyday function. This review evaluates evidence on aerobic, resistance, balance, mind-body, combined and technologysupported exercise interventions in PD, with attention to motor outcomes and possible neuroplastic, anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective mechanisms. The PubMed search included English-language full texts, mainly randomised controlled trials, systematic reviews and meta-analyses reporting motor outcomes. Tai Chi results were strongest for balance and mobility tests, mainly BBS and TUG, with weaker evidence for improvement across the full motor spectrum. Biomarker findings were more variable. Higher BDNF or lower inflammatory markers appeared in some longer programmes, but these results mainly help frame possible mechanisms. In freezing of gait, VR and cueing studies are still hard to compare because most were small, brief and methodologically different. In practice, 150-180 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous, multicomponent exercise appears reasonable. The main unresolved issues are optimal dose, durability of benefit, patient selection and the practical role of telerehabilitation in advanced disease.

Keywords: Parkinson’s disease, motor symptoms, physical activity, rehabilitation, virtual reality

Medical Science, 2026, 30, e157ms3813

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Published: 23 August 2026