Study Finds that Ping-Pong May Benefit People with Parkinson Disease

A preliminary study showed a game of ping-pong may have potential as a form of physical therapy for Parkinson’s disease (PD). Individuals with PD who participated in a ping-pong exercise program once a week for 6 months showed improvement in symptoms.   
In the study, participants played ping-pong once a week for 6 months. During each weekly 5 hour session, they stretched for exercises followed by ping-pong exercises with an experienced ping-pong player. 

When the participants’ PD symptoms were evaluated at 3 months and at 6 months, the results showed significant improvements in speech, handwriting, getting dressed, getting out of bed, walking, facial expression, posture, rigidity, slowness of movement, and hand tremors. 

“Ping-pong, which is also called table tennis, is a form of aerobic exercise that has been shown in the general population to improve hand-eye coordination, sharpen reflexes, and stimulate the brain,” said Ken-ichi Inoue, MD, of Fukuoka University in Fukuoka, Japan. “We wanted to examine if people with PD would see similar benefits that may in turn reduce some of their symptoms. While this study is small, the results are encouraging because they show ping-pong, a relatively inexpensive form of therapy, may improve some symptoms of PD. A much larger study is now being planned to confirm these findings.” 

The study involved 12 individuals, average age of 73, with mild-to-moderate PD. The people had PD for an average of 7. They were tested at the start of the study to evaluate their symptoms. The study results will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology 72nd Annual Meeting in Toronto, Canada, April 25 - May 1, 2020.