Remote exercise classes are associated with better quality of life in people with Parkinson’s during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Abstract

Background The classical hallmarks of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) include motor and non-motor symptoms. People with Parkinson’s (PwP) report that the non-motor symptoms, such as memory problems, anxiety, depression and sleep disturbances, have a greater impact on their overall quality of life (QOL). Factors that improve wellbeing for PwP may also lead to improved QOL for their carers. The benefits of exercise in slowing disease decline and improving overall QOL in PwP have been well documented, but online exercise methods have not been extensively studied. Methods Our observational cross-sectional study recruited n=91 PwP and n=23 individuals acting as caregivers, during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used online surveys with validated clinical questionnaires, including the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), to assess the impact of different remote online exercise classes on PD symptoms. We also assessed the wellbeing of the PwP’s caregivers using the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire - Carer (PDQ-C) at the same time. Results PwP who exercised daily had better QOL scores (45.67 ± 4.34) compared to PwP who exercised once a week or less (123.50 ± 14.56; p<0.001). Those who undertook daily exercise also had lower depression scores (9.37 ± 1.68) than those who exercised less frequently (23.50 ± 3.65; p=0.002). We also found that people who maintained their exercise regimes during the restrictive lockdown period had better QOL scores, ie. lower PDQ-39 scores, (44.64 ± 5.57) compared to those who decreased their frequency of exercise (76.81 ± 7.75; p=0.001). When we assessed caregivers at this timepoint, we found that these individuals had QOL scores within the normal range. Conclusion Remote exercise classes were associated with lower depression scores and better QOL in PwP. PwP who partook in remote classes during lockdowns maintained physical activity and this had positive impacts on their wellbeing.