Therapeutic Yoga to Improve Function in Parkinson's Disease

Clemson University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Parkinson's Disease

Treatments: Other: Therapeutic yoga for people with Parkinson's Disease

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02902510

Pro00041068

Details and patient eligibility

About

This is a single blind, randomized, wait-list controlled, phase II exploratory pilot study.

Full description

This is a single blind, randomized, wait-list controlled, phase II exploratory pilot study utilizing an after-trial embedded mixed methods approach that will examine the efficacy of therapeutic yoga as a rehabilitation strategy for individuals with PD to improve balance and reduce fear of falling (FoF). Potential participants will have a FoF in order to enter the study. An after-trial embedded mixed methods design will be employed in this study and will include the collection of qualitative data to assist in the overall interpretation of the more heavily weighted quantitative trial data. Adding qualitative methods will serve as a post-hoc analysis capturing participant perceptions of the relationships between the yoga intervention and various outcomes. More specifically, the qualitative data will aide in explaining the link between the various yoga techniques and mechanisms that participants attribute to improved balance, reduced FoF, and other bio-psychosocial outcomes and experiences. Qualitative data will be collected using focus group interviews with participants in the yoga group at the end of the class in week 8.

Enrollment: 30 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease with a rating of 1.5-4 on the Modified Hoehn and Yahr Scale of Parkinson's Disease Progression
• Endorsement of FoF,44 able to stand and walk 10 meters with or without an assistive device
• >18 years old; able to speak English
• Score >4 out of 6 on the short Mini Mental Status Exam
• Able and willing to attend twice weekly sessions for 8 weeks

Exclusion criteria

• People with self-reported life expectancy <12 months
• Inability to attend sessions due to transportation issues
• Current involvement with other physical activity (including yoga), rehabilitation, or other intervention studies
• Inability or refusal to provide informed consent

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

---

30 participants in 2 patient groups

Experimental

Experimental group

Description:

The experimental group is the group that received yoga. The individuals originally assigned to the WLC who completed the yoga intervention AFTER the 8 weeks WLC period also are considered part of the experimental group.

Treatment:

Other: Therapeutic yoga for people with Parkinson's Disease

Wait List Control

No Intervention group

Description:

There was no intervention during the WLC.