The effect of conduction exercise and self-acupressure in treatment of Parkinson's disease: Protocol for a pilot study

Chun Sum Yuen, Ka Kit Chua, Waihing Lau, Zhiyuen Zhuang, Ho Yan Chow, Min Li*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

Abstract

Objective: Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease in the world. In 2004, approximately 13,000 individuals in Hong Kong, China, had PD. PD greatly affects quality of life and conventional medication can produce severe side effects. The traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practices of conduction exercise (CE) and self-acupressure (SA) may relieve PD symptoms. This paper presents a protocol for a randomized controlled trial to determine the effectiveness of CE and SA in treating PD.

Methods: Patients with primary PD were recruited. Eligible patients were randomly assigned to either a treatment or control group. The assessor and data analysts were blind. The treatment phase duration was 8 weeks, with 8 weekly sessions of CE and SA practice. Baseline, midpoint, and final assessments were carried out during the treatment phase. The primary outcome is scores on the 39-item Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39), and the secondary outcome is scores on a custom-designed questionnaire based on TCM “Deficiency of Spleen Qi” scores and scores on a non-motor PD symptoms scale.

Discussion: This trial is the first rigorous study of the effectiveness of CE and SA in relieving PD symptoms. The aim is to examine the effectiveness of CE and SA in treating a disease that is difficult to treat conventionally. The data obtained will form the foundation for future related studies.

Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR-IPR-17011987, Date of registration: 14 July, 2017).

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)270-276
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of Traditional Chinese Medical Sciences
Volume6
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jul 2019

Scopus Subject Areas

  • Complementary and alternative medicine

User-Defined Keywords

  • Conduction exercise
  • Parkinson's disease
  • Randomized controlled trial
  • Self-acupressure
  • Traditional Chinese medicine

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