The study, “Exercise training in Parkinson’s disease: Neural and functional benefits”, in partnership with Arizona State University is funded by the National Institutes of health and begins as Ali, who has suffered from Parkinson’s disease for more than 20 years, helped unveil the new Parkinson’s center at the Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix. The 10,000 square-foot center is the most comprehensive of its kind in the nation and double the size of the original center that first opened in 1997.

From its beginning, Ali and his wife, Lonnie, have wanted the focus of the center to be helping Parkinson’s patients stay active and involved. This research study underscores that focus and passion. In conjunction with Arizona State University, researchers will test the participants who are aged 50-70. During the trial participants will follow a structured exercise program called “pole-striding”, which is walking with ski-like poles.

“Until now we have had only anecdotal evidence that regular physical activity is disease modifying,” says Darolyn O’Donnell, who will help lead the study at the center. O’Donnell explained that participants will undergo 12-weeks of pole-striding for three days a week as they walk for about 45 minutes during each training session. “One of the key elements of this study is that we are using a simple exercise that can be duplicated by anyone.”  Read more…

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