---
title: Reduce falls by improving balance
nct_id: NCT06508801
phase: NA
status: RECRUITING
sponsor: The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
study_type: INTERVENTIONAL
canonical_url: "https://parkinsonspathways.com/trial/NCT06508801"
clinicaltrials_gov: "https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06508801"
last_fetched: "2026-05-10T14:04:58.917Z"
source: "Parkinson's Pathways (curated)"
---
# Reduce falls by improving balance

**Goal (in five words):** Reduce falls by improving balance

**Official Title:** Blood Flow Restriction for Optimizing Balance in Parkinson's Disease

**Trial ID:** [NCT06508801](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06508801)

## Key Facts

- **Phase:** NA
- **Status:** RECRUITING
- **Study Type:** INTERVENTIONAL
- **Sponsor:** The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
- **Target Enrollment:** 20 participants
- **Start Date:** 2025-01-07
- **Completion Date:** 2026-12
- **Conditions:** Parkinson's Disease and Parkinsonism
- **Interventions:** Blood flow restriction training, Instability Resistance Training
- **Intervention Types:** OTHER

## Summary For Families

The goal is to improve balance and lower fall risk in people with Parkinson's by strengthening the muscles and retraining balance reactions. The approach pairs blood flow restriction training, where a cuff around the upper leg partially limits blood flow during low-load exercises to boost metabolic stress and muscle gains without heavy weights, with instability resistance training that challenges balance on unstable surfaces to improve reactive control. This is an exercise technique to add to, not replace, your usual Parkinson's treatments. The trial is looking for adults 40 to 85 in Hoehn and Yahr stages 2 to 4 with a Mini‑Mental State Exam score of 23 or higher, who do not have serious heart or vascular problems, uncontrolled high blood pressure, recent lower-limb surgery, history of blood clots, very high BMI, or pregnancy.

## Eligibility

- **Minimum age:** 40 Years
- **Maximum age:** 85 Years
- **Sex:** ALL

### Full Criteria

```
Inclusion Criteria:

1. Males and females between the ages 40 - 85 with a diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson's Disease (PD) consistent with the United Kingdom PD society brain bank criteria,
2. in Hoehn and Yahr stage 2-4,
3. a score of ≥23 on the mini-Mental Scale Examination.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. History of cardiovascular disease, uncontrolled hypertension (blood pressure ≥140/90 mmHg), orthostatic hypotension, deep-vein thrombosis, varicose veins, or rhabdomyolysis;
2. Ankle branchial index ≤ 0.9 or \> 1.3.
3. History of other neurological disorders affecting the central nervous system such as stroke, multiple sclerosis, tumors, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or muscle disease such as muscular dystrophy, myopathy.
4. History of uncontrolled diabetes, severe osteoporosis, or cognitive impairment.
5. Body mass index above 40; such individuals are more likely to have poorer muscle function and more pain.
6. Absolute contraindications to exercise as per the American College of Sports Medicine (uncontrolled arrhythmias, third-degree heart block, recent electrocardiogram (EKG) changes, unstable angina, acute myocardial infarction, or acute congestive heart failure
7. Had surgery in the lower extremities within the past 6 months.
8. Pre-menopausal and not on birth control
9. Pregnant or planning to become pregnant within the course of the study
10. Plan to have major surgery within 2 months.
```

## Locations (1)

- University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States _(29.4241, -98.4936)_
  - Anjali Sivaramakrishnan, PhD, PT — (CONTACT)

## Central Contacts

- Anjali Sivaramakrishnan, PhD, PT — (CONTACT) — 210-567-8626 — sivaramakris@uthscsa.edu
- Alyssa Main — (CONTACT) — 210-567-8767 — baezaa1@uthscsa.edu

---

*Canonical: https://parkinsonspathways.com/trial/NCT06508801*  
*HTML version: https://parkinsonspathways.com/trial/NCT06508801*  
*Source data: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06508801*