Does the Type of Online Group-based Exercise Influence the Feasibility of Telerehabilitation in People with Parkinson's Disease? A Randomized Controlled Trial

Authors

  • Francisca Pereira Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre
  • Camila Pinto Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0675-0147
  • Rafaela Simon Myra Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA) https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6643-2784
  • Thainara Cruz da Rosa https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8727-7904
  • Ana Paula da Silva Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA)
  • Bruna Medeiros Calegare Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA)
  • Bruno Rodrigues da Silva Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA)
  • Lívia Estivalet Vieira Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA)
  • Aline Souza Pagnussat Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63144/ijt.2026.6748

Keywords:

Dance therapy, Exercise therapy, Feasibility studies, Parkinson's disease, Telerehabilitation

Abstract

Background: Ensuring equitable access to effective interventions for people with Parkinson’s disease (PD) remains a global challenge. Although dance and multimodal exercise improve motor and non-motor symptoms, no randomized controlled trial has compared their feasibility, safety, and participants’ perceptions when delivered online in a group-based format.             Methods: This randomized controlled feasibility trial allocated participants to a dance or multimodal exercise group incorporating music. Interventions were delivered via videoconference twice weekly for 12 weeks. Feasibility and safety were assessed through adherence, attendance, technological barriers, and adverse events. Participant perceptions were evaluated post-intervention using study-specific structured interviews. Results: Seventy-five participants were enrolled (dance: n = 40; multimodal exercise: n = 35), predominantly women, with mild-to-moderate PD (Hoehn & Yahr Scale 1.0–3.0). Both interventions were feasible and safe, with high adherence (82.5–85.7%), moderate attendance, and no adverse events with similar participants’ perceptions across the groups. Conclusions: Group-based online dance and multimodal exercise are feasible, safe, and well accepted for people with mild-to-moderate PD, supporting their use as telerehabilitation options in clinical practice.

  

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Published

2026-06-24

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Pereira, F., Pinto, C., Simon Myra, R., Cruz da Rosa, T., da Silva, A. P., Medeiros Calegare, B., … Souza Pagnussat, A. (2026). Does the Type of Online Group-based Exercise Influence the Feasibility of Telerehabilitation in People with Parkinson’s Disease? A Randomized Controlled Trial. International Journal of Telerehabilitation, 18(1). https://doi.org/10.63144/ijt.2026.6748

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Vol. 18 No. 1 (2026)

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Clinical Research

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Copyright (c) 2026 Francisca Pereira, Camila Pinto, Rafaela Simon Myra, Thainara Cruz da Rosa, Ana Paula da Silva, Bruna Medeiros Calegare, Bruno Rodrigues da Silva, Lívia Estivalet Vieira, Aline Souza Pagnussat

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