Falls and injuries during a behavioural change program to increase physical activity in sedentary patients with Parkinson’s disease: A randomized controlled trial.

Abstract

Abstract Background: Almost 70% of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) fall at least once a year, most falls are related to physical activity. Recently, a specific behavioural change program was developed, the ParkFit program. Unpublished data showed that patients changed their sedentary lifestyle and increased their levels of physical activity. However, it was not clear whether this program influences the number of falls and injuries. This study aims to investigate whether participating in the ParkFit program is associated with an increased number of fall incidents and injuries in patients with PD. Methods: This randomized controlled trial included sedentary patients with PD and compared two arms; the ParkFit group and the control group. The number of falls was monthly measured by ‘The Falls Telephone’. Injuries were investigated and classified according to the ‘Injury Severity Scale’. Linear mixed models were used to compare both groups. Results: In total, 586 patients were randomized to the ParkFit group (N=299) and the control group (N=287). The total number of falls did not differ between the groups (-2%, p= 0.89) with 95%-CI of -28% to +34%. There were no differences in the number of injuries between the groups. Conclusion: The ParkFit program does not ensure more fall incidents or more suffering from injuries.