Melanie Leguizamon; Paula Trujillo; Kilian Hett; Colin D. McKnight; Tristan Ponzo; Jason Elenberger; Alexander K. Song; Colleen Bridges; Bailu Yan; Hakmook Kang; Manus J. Donahue; Daniel O. Claassen; Ciaran M. Considine (2026).听.听Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 41(2), acaf097.听
This study examined whether a 12-week community exercise program based on non-contact boxing鈥攃alled聽Rock Steady Boxing (RSB)鈥攊s practical and beneficial for people with 笔补谤办颈苍蝉辞苍鈥檚 disease (PD), a condition that affects movement and sometimes thinking abilities. Twenty-six participants completed 24 classes over the study period, and researchers measured their motor (movement-related) and cognitive (thinking and memory) abilities before and after the program. A smaller group also wore聽actigraphy devices, which are wearable sensors that track activity levels and sleep patterns.
The results showed clear improvements in motor function, particularly in balance, as measured by a standard clinical test. This suggests that the boxing-based exercise helped participants move more effectively and maintain stability. While there were some signs of improvement in cognitive functions such as memory and attention, these changes were not statistically strong enough to be considered definitive. Additionally, the wearable device data did not show significant changes in daily activity or sleep patterns.
Overall, the study suggests that this type of exercise program is safe, feasible, and beneficial for improving movement in people with 笔补谤办颈苍蝉辞苍鈥檚 disease, regardless of age or disease severity. There are hints that it might also help cognitive function, but more research with larger groups is needed to confirm this.
Fig. 1
Attrition diagram for Parkinson disease cohort.