The investigators will explore the impact of hand cycling, on hand function in people with Parkinson's Disease (PD). The study will compare the effects of two different hand cycling approaches-steady-state and interval efforts-on improving hand dexterity in people with PD. Conducted as a clinical trial, it aims to understand if a single session of hand cycling can temporarily enhance hand function and if the nature of the exercise influences the benefit.
The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of hand cycling, an upper limb aerobic exercise, on hand function in individuals with Parkinson's Disease (PD). Parkinson's Disease affects motor skills, including hand dexterity, which can impede daily activities. While aerobic exercise is known to have benefits for people with PD, the specific impact of upper limb exercises like hand cycling on hand function is less studied. Previous research suggests aerobic exercises can improve symptoms and motor function in PD. This study aims to fill the gap in understanding how hand cycling affects hand dexterity in PD. There is no placebo involved in this study as it compares two active intervention types: steady-state and high-intensity interval hand cycling. This is a block randomized parallel group clinical trial involving a single session of exercise intervention. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: steady-state or high-intensity interval hand cycling. The study includes baseline assessments, the exercise intervention, and post-intervention assessments to evaluate changes in hand function. The primary endpoint is the time to complete the 9-hole pegboard test with the clinically more affected hand. Secondary endpoints include changes in motor examination scores, finger tapping speed, and subjective measures of exercise perception. Analysis of covariance will be used to compare the primary outcome between groups, accounting for baseline performance and clinical characteristics. The planned sample size is 20 people with PD, aiming to capture varied clinical expressions of the disease.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
20
The exercise session is a fitness test using a hand bike, and you will be randomly assigned to one of two exercise sessions. The fitness test and exercise sessions are short (less than 10 minutes).
9-hole pegboard test
Time to complete the 9-hole pegboard test with the clinically more affected hand.
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 9 months
Movement Disorder Society Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS III) score
Motor subscale of the movement disorders society revised unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 9 months
Finger tapping speed
Number of alternate finger taps completed in a 30 second period in each hand
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 9 months
Perceived exertion
Borg Category Ratio (CR)10 rating of perceived exertion (RPE) scale
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 9 months
Positive Affect
Self-reported positive-activated affect (PAA) two-dimensional likert scale
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 9 months
Enjoyment
Exercise Enjoyment (Likert scale)
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 9 months
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.