Golf, Physical Rehabilitation, and Movement Disorders

The importance of physical activity for individuals with movement disorders, including Parkinson disease and Essential tremor, has been established. Barriers including patient engagement continue to limit effectiveness. Golf requires skills found challenging to individuals with movement disorders. This study seeks to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of an outpatient-based rehabilitation program incorporating golf skills and activities on functional measures and quality of life.

Inclusion Criteria:Diagnosis of either PD, Parkinsonism, or ET. Subjects must also demonstrate functional deficits in at least one of the three categories (gait, transfers, balance) to be further assessed by the evaluating PTExclusion Criteria:Subjects will be excluded if they are unable to maintain standing balance with an assistive device, if they are non-ambulatory even with a device, if pain does not allow for subject participation, and if they are unable to follow instructions due to an underlying attentional or cognitive deficit.