Physical Activity Changes in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease during the COVID-19 Lockdown: The Future of Exercise?

Exercise is increasingly recognized as an important element in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disrupted the everyday life of Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients. Patients lost their normal routine and their regular physical activity – either as physiotherapy or sport – was interrupted, with inevitable consequences to their daily-life and wellbeing. Nevertheless, patients adapted their habits to continue practicing physical activity, which resulted as a main determinant of their wellbeing; in addition, they successfully approached technology-based assistance.

In this lecture, I evaluate the changes in physical activity due to the COVID-19 emergency, including self-management strategies or technology-assisted activities, and the subsequent clinical implications in PD patients. I investigate the question of what is home-based and remotely supervised exercise targeting? What accounts for the benefits observed in Parkinson’s disease workouts? Is a home-based and remotely supervised exercise program disease-modifying? Several modes of exercise programs have been studied in various doses across a heterogeneous Parkinson’s population. Key areas relate to: (1) the physiological benefits of exercise with respect to disease modification; (2) the best type of exercise; (3) the optimal intensity of exercise; and (4) the implementation of strategies to increase exercise uptake.

A better understanding of these concepts would allow for a more effective, home-based personalized approach, rather than the current “one size fits all” method, and could most likely confer greater benefits. Education, communication, and networking emerge as critical for a constructive reaction to the emergency’s challenges.