Congratulations to Dr. Michael Okun on the publication of “Current practices of burst vs. spaced physical therapy applied to Parkinson’s disease,” which appears in the February issue of Parkinsonism and Related Disorders.
Parkinson’s disease (PD) results in progressive worsening of mobility deficits which may profoundly impact quality of life, caregiver burden, and healthcare utilization [1], [2]]. To mitigate PD symptoms, physical therapy (PT) is commonly prescribed in conjunction with pharmacotherapy [1]]. PT for neurological disorders is most commonly prescribed as a ‘burst’ of short-term, closely spaced visits over 6–12 weeks [[3]]. A recent pilot randomized clinical trial suggests patients with PD may be more likely to maintain mobility when receiving ‘spaced’ PT sessions over 6 months or longer when compared to the same number of visits delivered in the traditional ‘burst’ schedule [[4]]. A spaced regimen may also present a less burdensome approach for patients and caregivers; however, current practices for the timing of PT PD remain unknown. Therefore, we sought to describe current practices for the timing of PT in PD and to assess attitudes toward the use of burst and spaced regimens.