Objective: To investigate the relationship between individual factors and regular exercise behaviour in people with Parkinson’s disease (PwPD) in Australia.

Background: Positive effects supporting exercise interventions for PwPD include: improvements in neuroplasticity, muscle strength, gait and balance, quality of life and reduction in falls. However, few interventions have been shown to improve exercise behaviour. It is vital to investigate key factors that may facilitate or impede health promoting exercise behaviour in PwPD. While research conducted in the USA (164 participants) found that higher self-efficacy, education levels and older age facilitated regular exercise in PwPD (Ellis et al., 2011), no such study has been conducted in Australia.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included PwPD without dementia, aged ≥50 years and living in Australia. Participants completed an online or paper-based survey. They were classified as “exercisers” (≥3 sessions of ≥20 minutes per week) or “non-exercisers” based on their self-reported weekly exercise. Relationships between key factors and exercise behaviour were analysed using univariate logistic regression with a significance level of p< 0.05.

Results: 549 PwPD participated (mean age 69 years, SD 8.8; 357 (60%) males; mean 6.7 years post diagnosis, SD 5.7). 418 participants (76%) were classified as exercisers. The likelihood of being a regular exerciser increased significantly with reduced impairments in walking and balance; less freezing of gait, lower disability (MDS-UPDRS Part II) and disease severity; and completion of tertiary education (Table 1). Exercise behaviour was not associated with age, time since diagnosis or income.

Conclusions: Higher education levels, better walking and balance ability, less freezing of gait, less disability and lower disease severity were most strongly related to regular exercise in Australian PwPD. This is consistent with Ellis et al., 2011 but extends to show that self-reported walking and balance, and freezing of gait measures, can predict exercise behaviour in PwPD. These findings highlight the importance of targeting gait, balance and freezing in rehabilitation; and ensuring that exercise messages are tailored to be accessible across education levels of PwPD.

References: Ellis, T., Cavanaugh, J. T., Earhart, G. M., Ford, M. P., Foreman, K. B., Fredman, L., . . . Dibble, L. E. (2011). Factors associated with exercise behavior in people with Parkinson disease. Physical Therapy, 91(12), 1838-1848. doi:10.2522/ptj.20100390.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/factors-associated-with-exercise-behaviour-in-australians-with-parkinsons-disease/