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

NCT ID: NCT05994508

Last Updated: 2025-06-26

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 16 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2024-01-12
• Study Completion Date: 2024-07-30

Brief Summary

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.

Conditions

Parkinson Disease

Study Design

• Allocation Method: NA
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

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.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Pickleball program

Intervention Type: OTHER

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.

Interventions

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.

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson disease
• Able to walk without an assistive device
• 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
• Not regularly participating in pickleball (less than 3 times a month)

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Creighton University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Midwestern University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Suzanne O'Neal, DPT, DHSc

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Midwestern University

Locations

Creighton University

Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Countries

United States

Other Identifiers

IRBAZ/5214

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id