Step Up to PD: A Community-based Walking Program for People With Parkinson's Disease

Saint Louis University (SLU)

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Parkinson Disease; Parkinson Disease, Idiopathic

Treatments: Behavioral: Community Walking Program

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06859528

34235

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study will investigate the feasibility of a 6-month community walking program for people with Parkinson's disease (PD) and their care partners in greater Saint Louis, Missouri region. The walking program will consist of weekly, organized walking groups at the Missouri Botanical Gardens. Participants in the program will use Nordic walking poles during the walks. The walking group(s) will meet once per week and will be supervised by walking group leaders from Saint Louis University. Participants will be given a smart watch to wear that will help step counts will be tracked in real-time. The program is designed to get people with Parkinson's disease out of their homes, cultivate a culture of connection with others with Parkinson's disease, and to be collectively accountable for a common goal toward increasing their physical and social engagement in their communities.

Enrollment: 40 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 30 to 85 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• 30-85 years old
• Neurologist-diagnosed Parkinson's disease
• Able to walk independently with or without a walking aid (e.g., cane, walker)
• Willing to participate in study for at least 6 months

Exclusion criteria

• Health diagnosis that would limit exercise participation (e.g., heart problems, uncontrolled blood pressure, exercise-induced asthma).
• Additional neurologic disease or injury beyond Parkinson's disease.
• Evidence of significant cognitive impairment. This will be determined by completing the Montreal Cognitive Assessment
• Participants with poor walking ability (determined using the Timed Up and Go Test during initial testing).

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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40 participants in 1 patient group

Attend group community walking program for 60 minutes each week

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will participate in one, 60-minute group walk using Nordic poles at the Missouri Botanical Gardens for at least 6 months, with an optional continuation upto 12 months. Participants will be assessed before the program begins, after 6-months, and after 12 months. Falls will be prospectively collected for 6 months following completion of the program.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Community Walking Program