Kick Out Parkinson's Disease

For 10 weeks, eligible subjects will engage in twice-weekly karate classes, specifically
designed for individuals with early to middle stage PD, focused on incorporating upper and
lower limb movements in multiple directions, increasing awareness throughout the body,
shifting body weight and rotation, relaxation of the muscles, improving reaction time, using
complex repetitive actions to improve coordination, footwork training and centered weight
shifts to help with fall prevention, and striking shields for self-defense and stress relief.

Before beginning the karate classes, each subject will attend a pre-intervention focus group
during which subjects will complete an assessment focused on overall mobility, gait, balance,
mood, and quality of life. Subjects will be prompted to share their thoughts on exercise,
balance, and mindfulness practices in general and in PD specifically.

Following the 10 weeks of twice-weekly karate classes, subjects will attend a
post-intervention assessment and focus group during which the pre-intervention assessments
will be repeated and the subject's impressions about the karate classes and their
effectiveness will be measured.

Finally, the study team will contact subjects 6 months post-intervention to assess continued
engagement in karate or related activities and again, the subject's quality of life and
global impression of change.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Subjects will be those diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease by a treating neurologist;
if the subject is seen at Rush University Medical Center, this will be verified via
chart review. If the subject is seen elsewhere, he or she will be asked to have their
neurologist sign a form confirming the diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease and indicating
the subject's HY stage (with definitions of each stage provided on the form for
providers who may not be familiar with HY staging) at the most recent visit, to be
sent back to the study coordinator for eligibility verification.

- English speaking

- Living within the Chicago area

- Subjects may be untreated for Parkinson's Disease, or may be taking any individual PD
medication or combination thereof. Subjects may or may not have had Deep Brain
Stimulation. Subjects may or may not be receiving physical or occupational therapy.
Subjects will be encouraged to maintain their same medication regimen throughout the
duration of the 10-week study, however if emergent issues arise requiring medication
changes, the subject will not be disqualified.

Exclusion Criteria:

- Subjects requiring an assistive device (cane, walker, wheelchair) or the assistance of
another person in order to ambulate.

- Subjects with active psychosis or exhibiting symptoms of a severe psychiatric
disorder.

- Subjects unable to commit to attending, or to travel to, two classes weekly for 10
weeks.

- Subjects previously participating in a karate or other martial arts program, including
boxing programs for PD, in the past 30 days.

- Subjects with atypical parkinsonism, including Progressive Supranuclear Palsy,
Multiple System Atrophy, Dementia with Lewy Bodies, Corticobasal Syndrome,
drug-induced parkinsonism, vascular parkinsonism, or atypical parkinsonism not
otherwise specified, according to the referring neurologist.