The central goal of the proposed study is to generate essential pilot data necessary to support an established line of research leading to future extramural grant submissions. The aims of the current study are two-fold: 1) to compare cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) and gait endurance across three groups of people: (1) individuals with Parkinson Disease (PD) who participate in boxing on a regular basis, (2) individuals with PD who participate in exercise other than boxing on a regular basis and (3) healthy controls of the same age who exercise on a regular basis and 2) to examine the relationship between CRF and motor symptoms of PD (bradykinesia, tremor and postural instability). Forty-five participants (15 for each group) who participate in exercise on a regular basis (at least 120 minutes of exercise per week for the past 3 months) will be recruited for this cross-sectional study. In a single testing session, participants will perform the following tests: (1) clinical performance measures and (2) a CRF assessment. A one-way ANOVA with appropriate post hoc tests will be used to examine differences in dependent variables across the three exercise groups. Relationships between CRF and clinical performance measures will be evaluated with Pearson's correlation coefficients.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
40
University of Indianapolis
Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
Cardiorespiratory Fitness
Aerobic capacity determined via VO2max protocol
Time frame: 1 day
Six Minute Walk Test
Gait endurance will be determined by having participants walk as far as they can on a pre-determined, fixed distance course of 30 meters one way, in six minutes, resting if needed.
Time frame: 1 day
Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale
The MDS-UPDRS is a revision of the original UPDRS, and is a used to assess impairments related to PD. The inventory consists of multiple questions self-assessing an individual's activities of daily living (ADLs), as well as, an assessed examination of the motor symptoms associated with PD.
Time frame: 1 day
StepWatch Activity Monitor
Home and community stepping activity will be assessed using a StepWatch Activity Monitor (SAM) worn by the patient.
Time frame: 7 days
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