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Blood Flow Restriction Aerobic Exercise for Balance and Anxiety in Parkinson's Disease
Sponsor: National Cheng-Kung University Hospital
Summary
Reducing balance problems and anxiety severity are the top two research uncertainties for people with Parkinson's disease (PD). Besides having a mutually aggravating relationship between postural impairment and anxiety severity, dual tasking is a critical condition that would increase postural instability and anxiety level concurrently. High-intensity aerobic exercise could improve balance and reduce anxiety. However, the training benefits from high-intensity aerobic exercise are limited in people with PD due to disease-related symptoms. Blood flow restriction (BFR) has been applied to low-intensity exercise. By creating localized hypoxia and increasing metabolic stress, BFR could facilitate aerobic system and neural adaptations. However, for the PD population, only one study applied BFR to aerobic exercise with the research design of a single-case report, let alone investigating the effects of BFR aerobic exercise on postural control and anxiety level under a dual-task condition. With the measurements of behavioral performance, subjective anxiety questionnaire, skin conductance response, and electroencephalogram (EEG), the purpose of the 3-year research project is to investigate the effects of BFR aerobic exercise on dual-task postural performance, anxiety, and related brain activities in people with PD. In the first year, the investigators will investigate the immediate effect of one bout of BFR aerobic exercise on dual-task postural control and anxiety level. In the second and third years, the investigators will investigate the long-term training effects of BFR aerobic exercise on dual-task postural control, anxiety modulation, brain plasticity, and patient satisfaction. The present project is expected to have significant contributions to gaining a better insight into the neural correlates of balance and anxiety with BFR aerobic exercise, particularly under dual-task conditions, and provide an optimized rehabilitation strategy for people with PD in clinical practice.
Official title: Investigating the Effects of Aerobic Exercise With Blood Flow Restriction on Dual-task Postural Control and Anxiety Modulation in Patients With Parkinson's Disease
Key Details
Gender
All
Age Range
Any - Any
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
54
Start Date
2026-09-28
Completion Date
2029-07-31
Last Updated
2026-09-21
Healthy Volunteers
No
Interventions
Aerobic Exercise with Blood Flow Restriction
The exercise protocol includes: * A 5-minute warm-up walking period with speed gradually increased based on individual capability. * Three 10-minute bouts of treadmill walking at a moderate intensity of 45% to 50% heart rate reserve (HRR), with a 1-minute rest interval between bouts. HRmax is estimated as 207 - (0.7 × age), and target HR is calculated as (HRmax - HRresting) × (45% to 50%) + HRresting. * A 5-minute cool-down walking period at the end. For the BFR intervention: * Inflatable cuffs are secured bilaterally around the proximal thighs. * Individual arterial occlusion pressure (AOP) for both lower extremities is determined while the participant stands on a stable surface. * An individualized pressure of 60% AOP is applied during the treadmill exercise bouts and deflated during the 1-minute rest intervals between bouts.
Aerobic Exercise without Blood Flow Restriction
Participants will perform the identical supervised aerobic treadmill exercise protocol as the BFR session, but without blood flow restriction: * A 5-minute warm-up walking period. * Three 10-minute bouts of treadmill walking at 45% to 50% heart rate reserve (HRR), with a 1-minute rest interval between bouts (HRmax = 207 - 0.7 × age; target HR = \[HRmax - HRresting\] × \[45% to 50%\] + HRresting). * A 5-minute cool-down walking period. No cuff pressure will be applied during this session.