A new study, conducted at Kyoto University, Japan, suggests that people with early-stage Parkinson’s disease who regularly get one to two hours of moderate exercise twice a week, such as walking, may have less trouble maintaining balance, walking and doing daily activities later, as published in the online edition of Neurology. The researchers found that those who exercised regularly for five years scored better on cognitive tests and had slower disease progression in several respects.

The study looked at 237 people with early-stage Parkinson’s. They had a mean age of 63 years and were followed by the researchers for up to six years. Participants’ exercise levels at the start of the study were determined using a questionnaire that measures time and intensity during the previous week of leisure activity, such as walking and cycling; domestic activity, such as gardening; and occupational activity, such as caring for others. Common cognitive tests were used to measure people’s verbal and memory skills and the time it took them to complete mental tasks.

They found that people’s level of physical activity at the start of the study was not associated with the progression of their Parkinson’s later on. Instead, they found that it was more important to maintain physical activity over time. However, they point out that the study does not prove that maintaining an exercise program will delay the effects of Parkinson’s, but rather shows an association.