Parkinson DiseaseNCT05994508
Feasibility and Effects of a Pickleball Program for People With Parkinson Disease
A study testing Pickleball program in people with Parkinson Disease, run by Midwestern University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
Pickleball is a fast-growing sport that has been shown to improve social integration, life satisfaction, function, and cognitive function in older adults. Parkinson disease is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by bradykinesia, rigidity, tremors, and postural instability. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and older
- Conditions the study is for
- Parkinson Disease
- What is being tested?
- Pickleball program
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 16 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 12 Jan 2024to 30 Jul 2024
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson disease
- Able to walk without an assistive device
- Able to tolerate 45 minutes of activity with occasional seated rest
Who cannot join
- Diagnosis of any other neurologic disorder
- Any current illness, injury, or cognitive function that would prevent ability to perform the study tasks
- Not regularly participating in pickleball (less than 3 times a month)
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: A Community Pickleball Program for People With Parkinson Disease: A Feasibility and Preliminary Results Study
Pickleball is a fast-growing sport that has been shown to improve social integration, life satisfaction, function, and cognitive function in older adults. Parkinson disease is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by bradykinesia, rigidity, tremors, and postural instability. Exercise has been shown to improve physical and cognitive function in people with Parkinson disease (PD). The purpose of this study is to assess if a community pickleball program can be a feasible and effective for people living with PD.The primary aim of this study is to assess the feasibility of a group pickleball program for people with PD. Secondary aims is to assess the effects of a 6-week pickleball exercise program on balance, gait, cognition, upper extremity function, pain, and quality of life in people with PD. This will be a pre-test, post-test single-group, prospective, mixed-methods study with 1- month follow-up. Sixteen participants will be enrolled in a 6-week pickleball program, at a frequency of twice a week for one hour each session. Feasibility will be assessed by retention rates, adherence rates, resources, and number of adverse events. Quantitative data to be collected will include the Mini-BESTest, gait and body posture variables, Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-8, the Shirt-Buttoning Task, 9 Hole Peg Test, grip strength, PD-Pain Classification System, and the National Institutes of Health Toolbox Cognition Battery. Additionally, participants will be scheduled for small semi-structured focus group interviews to gain qualitative data about their experiences of the program. It is hypothesized that a pickleball program for people living with PD will be a feasible activity and will result in improvements in balance, gait, cognition, upper extremity function, and quality of life. Additionally, it is hypothesized that participants will have a favorable opinion on the activity.
- Conditions
- Parkinson Disease
- Being tested
- Pickleball program
- Medical subject headings
- Parkinson Disease
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Pickleball programOther
The intervention will be a 6-week pickleball program, at a frequency of two times a week. Each session will be one hour which will consist of dynamic warm-up drills, pickleball-related skill practice and game play, and a cool-down period.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Participants | Experimental | A single group of participants with Parkinson disease will participate in a 6-week pickleball program with pre-test, post-test, and one month follow-up testing. Receives: Other: Pickleball program |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Mini-BEStest
Comprehensive balance assessment
Measured: Within 7 day before and after the intervention as well as one-month after intervention completion
10-Meter Walk Test
Measure of gait speed
Measured: Within 7 day before and after the intervention as well as one-month after intervention completion
Grip strength dynamometry
Assessment of grip strength
Measured: Within 7 day before and after the intervention as well as one-month after intervention completion
Secondary outcomes (4)
The shirt-buttoning task
An upper limb functional performance test
Measured: Within 7 day before and after the intervention as well as one-month after intervention completion
9-Hole Peg Test
Assessment of finger dexterity
Measured: Within 7 day before and after the intervention as well as one-month after intervention completion
Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-8
Measure of perceived quality of life. Scores range from 0% to 100% with higher scores representing greater impact of the disease.
Measured: Within 7 day before and after the intervention as well as one-month after intervention completion
Montreal Cognitive Assessment
Assessment of cognitive abilities scored on a scale from 0-30. Higher scores represent higher cognitive abilities.
Measured: Within 7 day before and after the intervention as well as one-month after intervention completion
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted16 Aug 2023
- Study start12 Jan 2024
- Primary completion30 May 2024
- Study completion30 Jul 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Parkinson DiseaseStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 16 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Midwestern University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Creighton University
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Suzanne O'Neal, DPT, DHSc, Principal investigator, Midwestern University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05994508
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- IRBAZ/5214
- Status last verified
- Aug 2023
- First submitted
- 8 Aug 2023
- Last updated
- 26 Jun 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 26 Jun 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Community Pickleball Program for People With Parkinson Disease: A Feasibility and Preliminary Results Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05994508
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- IRBAZ/5214
- Conditions
- Parkinson Disease
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 16 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Midwestern UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Creighton University
- Study start
- 12 Jan 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 May 2024 (actual)
- Study completion
- 30 Jul 2024 (actual)
- First posted
- 16 Aug 2023 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Pickleball is a fast-growing sport that has been shown to improve social integration, life satisfaction, function, and cognitive function in older adults. Parkinson disease is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by bradykinesia, rigidity, tremors, and postural instability. Exercise has been shown to improve physical and cognitive function in people with Parkinson disease (PD). The purpose of this study is to assess if a community pickleball program can be a feasible and effective for people living with PD.The primary aim of this study is to assess the feasibility of a group pickleball program for people with PD. Secondary aims is to assess the effects of a 6-week pickleball exercise program on balance, gait, cognition, upper extremity function, pain, and quality of life in people with PD. This will be a pre-test, post-test single-group, prospective, mixed-methods study with 1- month follow-up. Sixteen participants will be enrolled in a 6-week pickleball program, at a frequency of twice a week for one hour each session. Feasibility will be assessed by retention rates, adherence rates, resources, and number of adverse events. Quantitative data to be collected will include the Mini-BESTest, gait and body posture variables, Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-8, the Shirt-Buttoning Task, 9 Hole Peg Test, grip strength, PD-Pain Classification System, and the National Institutes of Health Toolbox Cognition Battery. Additionally, participants will be scheduled for small semi-structured focus group interviews to gain qualitative data about their experiences of the program. It is hypothesized that a pickleball program for people living with PD will be a feasible activity and will result in improvements in balance, gait, cognition, upper extremity function, and quality of life. Additionally, it is hypothesized that participants will have a favorable opinion on the activity.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Participants | Experimental | Other: Pickleball programA single group of participants with Parkinson disease will participate in a 6-week pickleball program with pre-test, post-test, and one month follow-up testing. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson disease
- Able to walk without an assistive device
- Able to tolerate 45 minutes of activity with occasional seated rest
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Diagnosis of any other neurologic disorder
- Any current illness, injury, or cognitive function that would prevent ability to perform the study tasks
- Not regularly participating in pickleball (less than 3 times a month)
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Pickleball programThe intervention will be a 6-week pickleball program, at a frequency of two times a week. Each session will be one hour which will consist of dynamic warm-up drills, pickleball-related skill practice and game play, and a cool-down period. | Other | Participants |
Primary outcome
Mini-BEStest
Time frame: Within 7 day before and after the intervention as well as one-month after intervention completion
Comprehensive balance assessment
10-Meter Walk Test
Time frame: Within 7 day before and after the intervention as well as one-month after intervention completion
Measure of gait speed
Grip strength dynamometry
Time frame: Within 7 day before and after the intervention as well as one-month after intervention completion
Assessment of grip strength
4 secondary outcomes
The shirt-buttoning task
Time frame: Within 7 day before and after the intervention as well as one-month after intervention completion
9-Hole Peg Test
Time frame: Within 7 day before and after the intervention as well as one-month after intervention completion
Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-8
Time frame: Within 7 day before and after the intervention as well as one-month after intervention completion
Montreal Cognitive Assessment
Time frame: Within 7 day before and after the intervention as well as one-month after intervention completion
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 26 Jun 2025.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Suzanne O'Neal, DPT, DHSc principal investigator
Midwestern University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Pickleball program in people with Parkinson Disease, run by Midwestern University at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 3 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 26 Jun 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Mini-BEStest (time frame: Within 7 day before and after the intervention as well as one-month after intervention completion). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 26 Jun 2025.