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Intensive Running Exercise Improves Parkinson's Motor and Non-motor Symptoms

The Chinese University of Hong Kong logo

The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Status

Unknown

Conditions

Parkinson Disease

Treatments

Behavioral: Physiotherapy
Behavioral: Intensive running

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT03974529
NTEC-2018-0330 (Registry Identifier)
Run for PD -v1

Details and patient eligibility

About

High quality clinical trial and meta-analysis have demonstrated short term, and to a lesser extent, long term benefits in various outcome measures. To achieve positive effects, supervised progressive strength and aerobic endurance training program of 12 weeks was required. Extended progressive strength training improved muscle strength for up to 24 months. While aerobic endurance training would increase walking capacity up to 16 months. 1 There are data suggesting a threshold of intensity of exercise to be reached for the positive effect. This overall body of evidence suggests that regular vigorous exercise should be accorded a central place in the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

However, there was no evidence about regular intensive exercise of running in Parkinson's disease. And most of the studies were not randomized with a control group.

In this study, the investigators are to investigate the effect of regular vigorous aerobic exercise training of running on motor and non-motor symptoms, and quality-of-life of people with Parkinson's disease.

Full description

There is growing volume of evidences support the positive effect of exercise and physical therapy to Parkinson's disease. Various exercise types have shown different positive effects. Gait training for 4 weeks showed a moderate improvement in balancing while balance training of 8 to 26 weeks decreased fall rate. Cued exercise would mildly increase the speed of the gait. Complementary exercises, such as Tai Chi and dancing, have shown improvement in balancing of the patients.

One of the main complaints of Parkinson's disease is rigidity. It is because of the musculoskeletal impairments which compromise the flexibility and stability of both axial structure (spine) and the extremities. Truncal stiffness and rigidity results in a stooped posture, which further undermines one's balance and agility. Flexibility training (stretching) is shown to be beneficial to all stages of patients with Parkinson's disease, in terms of improved both range of movement in joints and spinal stability. It is recommended that regular stretching should be the first step in one's exercise program to combat the muscle rigidity. High quality clinical trial and meta-analysis have demonstrated short term, and to a lesser extent, long term benefits in various outcome measures. To achieve positive effects, supervised progressive strength and aerobic endurance training program of 12 weeks was required. Extended progressive strength training improved muscle strength for up to 24 months. While aerobic endurance training would increase walking capacity up to 16 months.

There are data suggested a threshold of intensity of exercise to be reached for the positive effect. This overall body of evidence suggests that regular vigorous exercise should be accorded a central place in the treatment of Parkinson's disease.

In this study, the investigators are to investigate the effect of regular vigorous aerobic exercise training of running on motor and non-motor symptoms, and quality-of-life of people with Parkinson's disease.

Enrollment

30 estimated patients

Sex

All

Ages

40 to 60 years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

  1. Patient with idiopathic Parkinson's disease, aging from 40 years to 60 years old.
  2. Patient who are able to walk independently without walking aids for a distance of 30 meters.

Exclusion criteria

  1. Previous history of other neuro-degenerative diseases
  2. Presence of ischemic heart disease or musculoskeletal and cardiopulmonary diseases
  3. Presence of physical disability
  4. History of regular running practice in the past 6 months.

Trial design

Primary purpose

Treatment

Allocation

Randomized

Interventional model

Parallel Assignment

Masking

Single Blind

30 participants in 2 patient groups

Intensive running arm
Experimental group
Description:
20 patients will be assigned randomly to intensive running arm (intervention arm). They will be required to complete a designed training protocol.
Treatment:
Behavioral: Intensive running
Physiotherapy arm
Active Comparator group
Description:
10 patients will be assigned randomly to physiotherapy arm. They will be required to complete a designed training protocol.
Treatment:
Behavioral: Physiotherapy

Trial documents
2

Trial contacts and locations

1

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Central trial contact

Danny TM Chan, Dr.; Margret Mak, PhD

Data sourced from clinicaltrials.gov

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