NCT06508801

Blood Flow Restriction for Optimizing Balance in Parkinson's Disease

• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 20 (estimated)
• Sponsor: The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 40 Years – 85 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

This study is being done to understand how reducing blood flow (BRT) during balance-challenging strengthening exercises (instability resistance training, or IRT) can help improve symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

Detailed description

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a disease of the nervous system that attacks the nerve cells in the brain responsible for controlling movement in the arms, legs and face. It is a progressive condition that gets worse with time. The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of blood flow restriction (BFR) in combination with strengthening exercises that challenge balance (instability resistance training (IRT)) to improve the symptoms of the participant's condition. This research is being done to understand the effects of BFR with IRT on symptoms of PD such as balance, mobility, walking and endurance. There will be two groups 1 and 2; group 1 will perform IRT with BFR and group 2 will perform IRT only. Each session with either intervention will last approximately 45 minutes. Researchers will test the effects of the intervention on the participant's walking ability, balance function and endurance. The researchers hope to learn whether low resistance exercises using these tight cuffs around the thighs are well tolerated by individuals with PD and determine whether there is an improvement in muscle strength, balance, and physical function. In addition, researchers will also use peripheral nerve stimulation techniques which are non-invasive (does not go inside the body). These techniques will be used to measure spinal excitability (i.e., nerve stimulator for testing strength of the pathway between spinal cord and muscles) in individuals with PD.

Conditions

• Parkinson's Disease and Parkinsonism

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Blood flow restriction training	The BFR Intervention will consist of 75 repetitions; reps (set 1: 30 reps, sets 2 - 4: 15 reps with 30 s of rest between sets and 1 minute between exercises) at 20-30% of 10 repetition maximum (RM). BFR training will be performed during toe raises, lunges and single leg stance exercises on unstable surfaces (i.e., foam, Dyna disc, balance disc, and BOSU-ball®) as tolerated by the participant.
OTHER	Instability Resistance Training	The following devices will be used for instability training: foam, dyna disc, balance disc and BOSU-ball®. Unstable devices will be changed during the six-week period from the least to the most unstable devices. Once a participant reduces the body sway on a device, the device will be progressed. Participants will perform IRT with or without blood flow restriction.

Timeline

• Start date: 2025-01-07
• Primary completion: 2026-12-01
• Completion: 2026-12-01
• First posted: 2024-07-18
• Last updated: 2026-03-31

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States