Step Up to PD: A Community-based Walking Program for People With Parkinson's Disease

NCT06859528 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: 34235
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 40
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study will investigate the feasibility of a 6-month community walking program for people with Parkinson's disease (PD) and their care partners in greater Saint Louis, Missouri region. The walking program will consist of weekly, organized walking groups at the Missouri Botanical Gardens. Participants in the program will use Nordic walking poles during the walks. The walking group(s) will meet once per week and will be supervised by walking group leaders from Saint Louis University. Participants will be given a smart watch to wear that will help step counts will be tracked in real-time. The program is designed to get people with Parkinson's disease out of their homes, cultivate a culture of connection with others with Parkinson's disease, and to be collectively accountable for a common goal toward increasing their physical and social engagement in their communities.

Conditions

Parkinson Disease; Parkinson Disease, Idiopathic

Keywords

Walking; Physical Activity; Social Connectedness; Loneliness

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

• Safety/Rate of Falls - Feasibility

  The rate falls related to walking program participation.

  From enrollment to both the 6 and 12 month endpoints

• Enrollment - Feasibility

  The percentage of eligible participants that enroll in the study.

  Through enrollment of all the study participants

• Attendance - Feasibility

  The percentage of attended walking program session across all enrolled participants.

  Enrollment through the 6- and 12-month endpoints

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Steps per Day

  From baseline assessment through the the end of the fall reporting period at 18 months

• Balance Discordance

  From baseline assessment through the 6- and 12-month endpoints

• Loneliness

  From baseline assessment through the 6- and 12-month endpoints

• Social Connection

  From baseline assessment through the 6- and 12-month endpoints

Study Arms (1)

Attend group community walking program for 60 minutes each week

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will participate in one, 60-minute group walk using Nordic poles at the Missouri Botanical Gardens for at least 6 months, with an optional continuation upto 12 months. Participants will be assessed before the program begins, after 6-months, and after 12 months. Falls will be prospectively collected for 6 months following completion of the program.

Behavioral: Community Walking Program

Interventions

Community Walking Program BEHAVIORAL

This is a group, community walking program at local parks using Nordic walking poles. Participants will be encouraged to walk briskly but safely for 60 minutes one time per week with the ultimate goal of using this community walking program to drive behavioral change (increased physical and social engagement in their communities) throughout the week.

Attend group community walking program for 60 minutes each week

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 30 Years - 85 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• years old
• Neurologist-diagnosed Parkinson's disease
• Able to walk independently with or without a walking aid (e.g., cane, walker)
• Willing to participate in study for at least 6 months

You may not qualify if:

• Health diagnosis that would limit exercise participation (e.g., heart problems, uncontrolled blood pressure, exercise-induced asthma).
• Additional neurologic disease or injury beyond Parkinson's disease.
• Evidence of significant cognitive impairment. This will be determined by completing the Montreal Cognitive Assessment
• Participants with poor walking ability (determined using the Timed Up and Go Test during initial testing).

Sponsors & Collaborators

• St. Louis University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Integrated Health and Movement Science Laboratory, Saint Louis University

St Louis, Missouri, 63104, United States

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Parkinson Disease; Motor Activity

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Parkinsonian Disorders; Basal Ganglia Diseases; Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Movement Disorders; Synucleinopathies; Neurodegenerative Diseases; Behavior

Central Study Contacts

Jason K Longhurst, DPT, PHD

CONTACT

314-977-8533; jason.longhurst@health.slu.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 27, 2025
• First Posted: March 5, 2025
• Study Start: April 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): March 31, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): September 30, 2027
• Last Updated: May 14, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-05

Locations

US (1)