WALK for Parkinson's (NCT06707402)
Increase walking speed and endurance
- Trial ID
- NCT06707402
- Official Title
- The Effects of 24 Weeks Community-based Brisk Walking on Physical Function, Comorbidities, Cognition, Disease Severity, and Health-related Quality of Life in People With Parkinson's Disease.
- Goal
- Increase walking speed and endurance
- Phase
- NA
- Status
- RECRUITING
- Sponsor
- University of Aarhus
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Enrollment
- 129 participants
- Conditions
- Parkinson Disease
- Interventions
- WALK, ACTIVE, CON
Summary For Families
The goal is to find out whether a 24-week, community-based brisk walking program can improve walking ability, other health conditions, thinking, overall Parkinson's severity, and quality of life for people with Parkinson's. The approach uses regular brisk walking to raise heart rate, boost cardiovascular fitness, strengthen the muscles and neural circuits used for gait, and increase brain blood flow and growth factors that support cognition and motor control; it is meant to complement, not replace, medications like levodopa. The trial is looking for adults aged 40 and up with mild to moderate Parkinson's (Hoehn and Yahr stage 1,3) who report walking difficulties and can attend most sessions; people with dementia, major medical problems that prevent intense exercise, depression, pregnancy, alcohol abuse, or who already do frequent high-intensity brisk walking or use an activity tracker during exercise are excluded. The program runs for 24 weeks and aims to test real-world, group-based walking you can do in the community.
Locations
- Aarhus University, Department of Public Health, Sport Science, Aarhus C, Denmark
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is this trial testing?
- This trial is studying WALK. The goal is to find out whether a 24-week, community-based brisk walking program can improve walking ability, other health conditions, thinking, overall Parkinson's severity, and quality of life for people with Parkinson's. The approach uses regular brisk walking to raise heart rate, boost cardiovascular fitness, strengthen the muscles and neural circuits used for gait, and increase brain blood flow and growth factors that support cognition and motor control; it is meant to complement, not replace, medications like levodopa. The trial is looking for adults aged 40 and up with mild to moderate Parkinson's (Hoehn and Yahr stage 1,3) who report walking difficulties and can attend most sessions; people with dementia, major medical problems that prevent intense exercise, depression, pregnancy, alcohol abuse, or who already do frequent high-intensity brisk walking or use an activity tracker during exercise are excluded. The program runs for 24 weeks and aims to test real-world, group-based walking you can do in the community.
- Who can participate?
- Participants must be at least 40 Years.
- Where is this trial located?
- This trial is recruiting at 1 location.
- Does it cost anything to join?
- You are never charged a fee to join a legitimate clinical trial, and the study treatment and study-specific tests are provided by the trial sponsor at no charge. In the US, routine care you would receive anyway can still be billed to you or your insurance; coverage rules differ by country, and trials in the UK and Canada usually run through public health systems. Travel, parking, and time are real costs, and some trials reimburse them while others do not. Before enrolling, ask the study coordinator to explain in writing what is and is not covered.
- How long does the trial last?
- This trial is estimated to last approximately 2 years and 5 months.
- Can I leave the trial if I change my mind?
- Yes. You can withdraw from any clinical trial at any time, for any reason, without affecting your standard medical care. Trials are voluntary by law. The team may ask if you are willing to do a brief exit visit so they can collect safety information, but you are not obligated.
- Can my spouse or care partner come with me to visits?
- In most cases yes, and it is often encouraged. Care partners can help with notes, questions, and getting home safely after a long visit. Some study assessments do need to happen one on one, but care partners are usually welcome for the rest of the appointment.
- Will I get a placebo in this trial?
- This trial has 3 groups, and 1 is a sham (a pretend version of the procedure) group. Because assignment is random, you have about a 1 in 3 chance (roughly 33%) of being in the sham group, assuming the groups are filled equally. Ask the coordinator to confirm the exact assignment ratio.
- How many visits does this trial involve?
- There are three test visits: at baseline (0 weeks), after the 24-week intervention, and after a 48-week follow-up.
- What procedures are involved in this trial?
- Based on the protocol, this trial involves: Wearable / at-home monitoring (non-invasive). Confirm the full schedule with the study coordinator.