NCT05919771

Effects of Rock Climbing on Parkinson's Disease

• Status: Completed
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 32 (actual)
• Sponsor: Marymount University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This research study is being conducted to understand the outcomes of participation in the Up ENDing Parkinson's rock climbing program (24 sessions, or twice per week for about 12 weeks) on walking \& mobility, hand strength \& dexterity, and psychological well-being in individuals with Parkinson's Disease (PD). The rock climbing sessions are administered and supervised by Up ENDing Parkinson's, and are tailored to the skill level of the participant. Participants will answer questionnaires and complete physical performance tests twice, first prior to beginning the sessions and then again after the 24 sessions have been completed.

Detailed description

Parkinson's disease (PD) compromises multiple systems (neurological, musculoskeletal, cardiopulmonary, cognitive) over time, leading to functional decline. Additionally, individuals with PD may experience stressors commonly associated with chronic illness that can negatively impact psychological well-being. Exercise is commonly prescribed for individuals with PD and recently, interventions that are vigorous in nature and community- and performance-based are gaining traction (e.g., dancing, boxing, rock climbing). Despite increasing popularity, the evidence-base for these programs is still developing and far from conclusive. Recommendations are strong for: Community-based exercise, intensive aerobic and resistance training, and external cueing (Osborne et al., 2022). Rock climbing (RC) contains each of these elements and could potentially be a therapeutic intervention for people with PD. Yet little is known about the outcomes of this particular form of organized physical activity programs for this health condition. One such program is the rock climbing experiences offered by the UpENDing Parkinson's Rock Climbing (UEPRC). The specific aims of this study are to characterize the effects of UEPRC on: 1) mobility and walking; 2) upper extremity (UE) functioning and 3) psychological and social well-being. Participants will complete 24 rock climbing sessions tailored to their skill levels supervised by UEPRC over approximately 12 weeks.

Conditions

• Parkinson Disease

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	rock climbing	Vertical ascent of a surface specifically designed to elicit the skills that might be required to scale a naturally occurring rock formation

Timeline

• Start date: 2023-07-12
• Primary completion: 2024-08-12
• Completion: 2024-08-12
• First posted: 2023-06-26
• Last updated: 2024-08-22

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States