Mobile Health Technology to Promote Physical Activity in Persons With Parkinson Disease

Persons with Parkinson Disease (PD) face significant declines in function resulting in
greater disability. Function can improve through participation in exercise, yet many people
with PD are physically inactive. Given that people with PD live long lifespans following
diagnosis; it is essential to include routine exercise into their lives over the long-term.
Physical therapy is effective in improving function in persons with PD. However,
participation in on-going physical therapy indefinitely is not a realistic option due to
limited healthcare resources. Interventions using mobile health technologies allow physical
therapists to stay connected to patients over time potentially improving their ability to
meet the changing needs of patients with PD. Innovative approaches using mobile health
technology may improve outcome; however, the effectiveness of different approaches to improve
function and reduce disability in PD is unknown.

The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of two interventions to improve
function and health-related quality of life in 65 people with PD. In one study group,
participants receive a home exercise program, in written format, to continue on an
independent basis. In the other study group, participants are instructed to continue with an
exercise program, in their home, delivered using videos of the exercises on a computer tablet
device. This use of mobile-Health technology allows the physical therapist to remotely
monitor participants' progress and modify the exercise program to meet the changing needs of
each patient. The long-term objective of this research is to determine the most efficient and
effective way to improve function that can be widely disseminated to persons with PD.