Exercise Guidance for Parkinson's Disease

Recruiting at 2 trial locations

Overseen By Michelle Walaszek, PT, DPT, MS

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Travel: May Be Covered

Time Reimbursement: Varies

Trial Phase: Academic

Waitlist Available

Sponsor: Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

No Placebo Group

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn about exercise and physical activity people with Parkinson's Disease. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1) learn about the physical activity and exercise behaviors of people with Parkinson's Disease over the course of a year and 2) compare 3 exercise guidance strategies aimed to impact exercise behavior: standard care, written exercise guidance from neurologist and/or physical therapy. During the course of the study: 1. Participants will use activity trackers and a mobile phone application to monitor their exercise participation. 2. At the same time, the research team will be working with the participant's medical teams at Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital and University of Chicago Medical Center to improve the way that they deliver exercise guidance using verbal instructions and encouragement, written exercise guidance, and/or physical therapy.

Research Team

Miriam Rafferty, PT, DPT, PhD

Principal Investigator

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for people aged 18-89 with Parkinson's Disease at stages 1-3 who can walk and understand basic English. They must have a smartphone, agree to use an activity tracker app every few days, and accept the app's terms. Those with dementia or mobility issues requiring a rollator are excluded.

Inclusion Criteria

My Parkinson's disease is in the early to mid-stage.

I am between 18 and 89 years old.

Have a smart phone

Exclusion Criteria

You have been diagnosed with memory or thinking problems in your medical records.

You have other health issues that make it hard for you to exercise for more than 12 weeks.

I use a rollator or rolling walker to move around.

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Physical therapy (Behavioural Intervention)
• Written exercise guidance by neurologist (Behavioural Intervention)

Trial Overview The study compares three ways of encouraging exercise in Parkinson's patients: usual care, written instructions from their neurologist, and physical therapy sessions. Participants will track their activity using wearables and an app over one year.

Participant Groups

Group I: Physical therapy Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

A consultative model of physical therapy will be implemented at each site for patient's with Parkinson's Disease.

Group II: Written exercise guidance by neurologist Active Control 1 Intervention

Neurologists will provide written exercise education and guidance to their patients with Parkinson's Disease.

Group III: Standard Care Active Control 1 Intervention

Standard care patient's with Parkinson's Disease are receiving at each site.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

Lead Sponsor

Trials

212

Recruited

17,900+

University of Chicago

Collaborator

Trials

1,086

Recruited

844,000+

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

Collaborator

Trials

2,103

Recruited

2,760,000+

Northwestern Lake Forest Hospital

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

290+