Session Information
Date: Monday, June 5, 2017
Session Title: Quality Of Life/Caregiver Burden in Movement Disorders
Session Time: 1:45pm-3:15pm
Location: Exhibit Hall C
Objective:
To determine whether the combination of high intensity aerobic followed by function-based exercise, delivered in a group setting, improved quality of life and functional mobility measures in persons with Parkinson disease (PD).
Background: Exercise is becoming recognized as an important component of PD therapy. However, the approach to exercise that will best deliver “PD-optimized” therapy remains poorly understood, and studied. We have developed a unique, community based, PD-focused exercise program that utilizes brief episodes of high intensity aerobic work followed by task-specific training in a group format. Our practitioners have recognized that this approach delivers remarkable functional improvements in many individuals with PD. The aim of this study, therefore, was to more rigorously analyze the capacity of our 12-week group exercise program to produce statistically significant, functionally relevant improvements in multiple clinical outcomes in persons with PD.
Methods: A group of 44 persons with PD were assessed before and after a 12-week period of structured exercise sessions using a retrospective, pre-post intervention single subject design. Each 60 minute session included the following: warm-up, balance training, interval aerobic exercise (targeting heart rate elevation and a Rate of Perceived Exertion of 13-14 on the Borg scale), task-specific exercise, fine motor drills, strength training, and cool down.
Results:
We determined that our exercise strategy significantly improved quality of life scores (as measured by the Modified PD Quality of Life Scale) and functional mobility scores (as measured by Five Times Sit to Stand, Timed Up and Go, and 10 Meter Walk) in our sample group.
Conclusions:
Our program provides persons with PD a unique opportunity to address functional deficits using high intensity aerobic combined with function-based exercise. We believe that this approach may be more robust than isolated aerobic or function-based exercise programs.
To cite this abstract in AMA style:
J. Russell, L. Wolf, T. McMath, L. Shaffer, C. Collins, A. Mansur, D. Zid, D. Hinkle. Combined aerobic and function-based exercise in a group setting improves quality of life and functional mobility in persons with Parkinson disease [abstract]. Mov Disord. 2017; 32 (suppl 2). https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/combined-aerobic-and-function-based-exercise-in-a-group-setting-improves-quality-of-life-and-functional-mobility-in-persons-with-parkinson-disease/. Accessed June 15, 2025.« Back to 2017 International Congress
MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/combined-aerobic-and-function-based-exercise-in-a-group-setting-improves-quality-of-life-and-functional-mobility-in-persons-with-parkinson-disease/