Feasibility and Effects of a Pickleball Program for People With Parkinson Disease

A Community Pickleball Program for People With Parkinson Disease: A Feasibility and Preliminary Results Study

Pickleball is a fast-growing sport that has been shown to improve social integration, life satisfaction, function, and cognitive function in older adults. Parkinson disease is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by bradykinesia, rigidity, tremors, and postural instability. Exercise has been shown to improve physical and cognitive function in people with Parkinson disease (PD). The purpose of this study is to assess if a community pickleball program can be a feasible and effective for people living with PD.The primary aim of this study is to assess the feasibility of a group pickleball program for people with PD. Secondary aims is to assess the effects of a 6-week pickleball exercise program on balance, gait, cognition, upper extremity function, pain, and quality of life in people with PD. This will be a pre-test, post-test single-group, prospective, mixed-methods study with 1- month follow-up. Sixteen participants will be enrolled in a 6-week pickleball program, at a frequency of twice a week for one hour each session. Feasibility will be assessed by retention rates, adherence rates, resources, and number of adverse events. Quantitative data to be collected will include the Mini-BESTest, gait and body posture variables, Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-8, the Shirt-Buttoning Task, 9 Hole Peg Test, grip strength, PD-Pain Classification System, and the National Institutes of Health Toolbox Cognition Battery. Additionally, participants will be scheduled for small semi-structured focus group interviews to gain qualitative data about their experiences of the program. It is hypothesized that a pickleball program for people living with PD will be a feasible activity and will result in improvements in balance, gait, cognition, upper extremity function, and quality of life. Additionally, it is hypothesized that participants will have a favorable opinion on the activity.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Parkinson Disease
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Pickleball program

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 16
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Suzanne O'Neal, DPT, DHSc; Phone Number: 6235723938; Email: soneal@midwestern.edu
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Tara McIsaac, PhD; Phone Number: 6028124582; Email: taramcisaac@creighton.edu

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

Diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson disease, able to walk without an assistive device, and able to tolerate 45 minutes of activity with occasional seated rest.

Exclusion Criteria:

Diagnosis of any other neurologic disorder, any current illness, injury, or cognitive function that would prevent ability to perform the study tasks, and not regularly participating in pickleball (less than 3 times a month).

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: N/A
• Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

1

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Participants; A single group of participants with Parkinson disease will participate in a 6-week pickleball program with pre-test, post-test, and one month follow-up testing.	Other: Pickleball program; The intervention will be a 6-week pickleball program, at a frequency of two times a week. Each session will be one hour which will consist of dynamic warm-up drills, pickleball-related skill practice and game play, and a cool-down period.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Mini-BEStest	Comprehensive balance assessment	Within 7 day before and after the intervention as well as one-month after intervention completion
10-Meter Walk Test	Measure of gait speed	Within 7 day before and after the intervention as well as one-month after intervention completion
Grip strength dynamometry	Assessment of grip strength	Within 7 day before and after the intervention as well as one-month after intervention completion

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
The shirt-buttoning task	An upper limb functional performance test	Within 7 day before and after the intervention as well as one-month after intervention completion
9-Hole Peg Test	Assessment of finger dexterity	Within 7 day before and after the intervention as well as one-month after intervention completion
Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-8	Measure of perceived quality of life	Within 7 day before and after the intervention as well as one-month after intervention completion
PD-Pain Classification System	Tool for differentiating PD-pain from PD-unrelated pain	Within 7 day before and after the intervention as well as one-month after intervention completion
Montreal Cognitive Assessment	Assessment of cognitive abilities	Within 7 day before and after the intervention as well as one-month after intervention completion

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Midwestern University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Suzanne O'Neal, DPT, DHSc, Midwestern University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): August 1, 2023
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2023
• Study Completion (Estimated): May 1, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 8, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 8, 2023
• First Posted (Actual): August 16, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): August 16, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 8, 2023
• Last Verified: August 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Parkinsonian Disorders; Basal Ganglia Diseases; Movement Disorders; Synucleinopathies; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Parkinson Disease
• Other Study ID Numbers: IRBAZ/5214

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No