Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a chronic, progressive neurodegenerative disorder with motor and cognitive impairments that significantly impact quality of life. Despite many advances in PD management, there is currently no disease-modifying or curative therapy available. Exercise-based rehabilitation promotes neuroplasticity and functional recovery through synaptogenesis, angiogenesis, and the release of neurotrophic factors. Exercise is increasingly utilised as a complementary strategy to pharmacological management in PD patients. This review investigates the therapeutic potential of table tennis as a physical exercise intervention for patients with PD. The motor, cognitive, and psychosocial effects are analysed from current literature. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across multiple electronic databases: Google Scholar, iDiscover, PubMed, and Cochrane Library up to October 2025. Studies that were included investigated table tennis or a similar skill-based exercise therapy used in individuals with PD. The current evidence demonstrates improved motor performance, balance, coordination, and activities of daily living with table tennis therapy. Additionally, cognitive improvements were observed, including enhanced attention, visuospatial processing, and executive function. Psychosocial benefits, such as motivation, social engagement, and emotional well-being, were reported. Compared with conventional exercise therapy, table tennis utilised a unique combination of cognitive challenge, physical precision, and social interaction. This combination may enhance adherence and engagement to therapy. Most studies were limited by small sample sizes, short intervention duration, and non-standardised protocols. This restricted generalisability to the broader population. A multicentre randomised controlled trial with a long-term longitudinal study and objective outcome measure is required. To conclude, table tennis is a feasible, enjoyable, and multidimensional option for rehabilitation in PD. It can potentially complement existing rehabilitation for PD.