Effects of a one-week intensive psychomotor program in Parkinson’s disease across different severity levels

Aim. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a one-week individualized psychomotor rehabilitation program in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Methods. A retrospective observational study was conducted on 90 inpatients with PD, stratified into mild, moderate, and severe groups (n = 30 each) according to the UPDRS-II scores. The intervention combined psychological support, patient/caregiver education, cognitive stimulation, and 90 minutes of daily physical exercise (mobilization, stretching, strengthening, gait, and balance training). Motor performance was assessed before and after intervention using the Six-Minute Walk, Five Times Sit-to-Stand (single- and dual-task), 360° Turn, Three-Meter Backward Walk, Stand-Prone-Stand, and Four-Square Step tests. Between-group differences were analyzed using one-tailed Wilcoxon tests with Holm correction, and Wilcoxon effect sizes (r) were calculated. Results. All groups demonstrated significant improvements across all motor outcomes (p < 0.001), with large effect sizes. Patients with severe PD showed the greatest relative gains compared to those with mild or moderate disease. Conclusions. A short, intensive psychomotor program can promote motor improvements in patients with PD across severity levels, while supporting awareness of functional capacities and adaptive strategies for daily living. The greater benefits observed in severe PD may reflect both a larger margin for improvement over a short period and limited prior exposure to movement, which could lead to underestimation of their capabilities. Such programs hold potential to encourage sustained engagement in rehabilitation.