Abstract
BackgroundMany patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) lead a sedentary lifestyle. Promotion of physical activities may beneficially affect the clinical presentation of PD, and perhaps even modify the course of PD. However, because of physical and cognitive impairments, patients with PD require specific support to increase their level of physical activity.MethodsWe developed the ParkFit Program: a PD-specific and multifaceted behavioral program to promote physical activity. The emphasis is on creating a behavioral change, using a combination of accepted behavioral motivation techniques. In addition, we designed a multicentre randomized clinical trial to investigate whether this ParkFit Program increases physical activity levels over two years in sedentary PD patients. We intended to include 700 sedentary patients. Primary endpoint is the time spent on physical activities per week, which will be measured every six months using an interview-based 7-day recall.ResultsIn total 3453 PD patients were invited to participate. Ultimately, 586 patients - with a mean (SD) age of 64.1 (7.6) years and disease duration of 5.3 (4.5) years - entered the study. Study participants were younger, had a shorter disease duration and were less sedentary compared with eligible PD patients not willing to participate.DiscussionThe ParkFit trial is expected to yield important new evidence about behavioral interventions to promote physical activity in sedentary patients with PD. The results of the trial are expected in 2012.Trial registrationhttp://clinicaltrials.gov (nr NCT00748488).
Highlights
Many patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) lead a sedentary lifestyle
Several lines of evidence suggest that regular participation in physical activity could be important for patients with PD[47]
The ParkFit trial was designed to evaluate a multifaceted program to achieve an enduring increase in physical activity in PD patients
Summary
Many patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) lead a sedentary lifestyle. Promotion of physical activities may beneficially affect the clinical presentation of PD, and perhaps even modify the course of PD. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurological disorder characterized by both motor symptoms (such as bradykinesia and postural instability) and non-motor symptoms (such as depression and cognitive impairment)[1]. Both motor and non-motor symptoms can result in reduced physical activity[2,3]. A critical question remains how PD patients can be stimulated best to achieve an enduring increase in their physical activities in daily life, in order to prevent comorbid complications and to improve symptoms Preclinical evidence in animals with experimental parkinsonism raised the possibility that physical activity may directly alter the neurodegenerative process[12,13].
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
