Objective: To test the feasibility and safety of a high-intensity exercise and fall prevention boot camp (HIBC) in people with Parkinson’s disease (PD).

Background: Most contemporary exercise programs for people with PD are low to moderate intensity. Recent evidence suggests that older adults can safely tolerate higher intensities and attain more meaningful improvements.

Methods: Participants were randomized into either a high intensity exercise and fall prevention boot camp or a usual care, low intensity usual care boot camp (Fitness Counts Exercise Program (FCEP)). These two boot camps were both for 8 weeks at a frequency of 3 times per week. For feasibility, participant intensity and attendance were collected as well as attainment of Centers for Disease Control (CDC) minimum weekly exercise standards (150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise and strength training the major muscle groups twice). For safety, adverse events, soreness, and falls were monitored. A post treatment questionnaire was also collected (Post-Intrinsic Motivation Inventory (PIMI)).

Results: There were 13 completed participants in the HIBC arm (mean age = 63.7±11.3; 9 males, 4 females) and 11 in the FCEP arm (mean age=64.9±6.2; 8 males, 3 female). There were no differences between the groups in age, gender, PD duration, PD medications, Hoehn and Yahr Stage, and fall history (ps>.164). Mean attendance days were close to the goal of 24 days over 8 weeks (HIBC = 22.9±3.6; FCEP = 20.5±8.8, p=.419). The HIBC was significantly higher for the number of weeks attaining 150 minutes (HIBC=5.0±2.7; FCEP=1.7±2.8, p=.013) and strength training (HIBC=2.1±1.5; FCEP=0.0±0.0, p<.001). The HIBC arm spent significantly more minutes in >70% of heart rate maximum per week (HIBC=99.3±44.4; FCEP=7.1±11.8, p<.001). There were no differences in adverse events at the gym (p=.188), soreness (ps>.102), or falls (p=.641) during the trial. PIMI results suggest that both groups liked the exercise equally.

Conclusions: HIBC is feasible and safe in PD with good compliance and attainment of high intensity exercise. Compared to the FCEP, there were no differences in the rate of injuries, falls, or exercise side effects for the high intensity exercise boot camp. These results warrant further investigation in a large scale comparative effectiveness trial.

« Back to 2016 International Congress

MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/a-phase-ii-pragmatic-randomized-clinical-trial-on-a-high-intensity-exercise-and-fall-prevention-boot-camp-for-parkinsons-disease-feasibility-and-safety/