Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy最新文献

{"title":"Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation for Spasticity in Primary Lateral Sclerosis: A Case Series.","authors":"Kayla Chomko, Lauren Tabor Gray, Alan V Boruch, Eduardo Locatelli","doi":"10.1097/NPT.0000000000000558","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/NPT.0000000000000558","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and purpose: </strong>Primary lateral sclerosis (PLS), a neurodegenerative disease characterized by lower extremity spasticity, significantly impacts mobility and quality of life. Treatment options predominantly involve pharmacological interventions offering limited relief. Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (tSCS) reduces spasticity in persons with spinal cord injury and multiple sclerosis but has yet to be investigated as a nonpharmacological intervention in persons with PLS. This study described postintervention changes in lower extremity spasticity and functional mobility in a small cohort of persons with PLS following a single tSCS session.</p><p><strong>Case description: </strong>Six participants with PLS received 30-minutes of tSCS with pre-post assessments and 24-hour postintervention follow-up. Spasticity outcomes included the Modified Ashworth Scale, deep tendon reflexes, and the Numerical Rating Scale. Functional mobility outcomes included the Tinetti Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment, 10-Meter Walk Test, and 6-Minute Walk Test.</p><p><strong>Intervention: </strong>Participants, positioned supine, received a 30-minute tSCS session. Electrodes were placed at T11-T12 and para-umbilically. tSCS was delivered at 50 Hz, 400 μs, and individualized amplitude.</p><p><strong>Outcomes: </strong>No adverse events occurred. Modified Ashworth Scale and Tinetti Performance Oriented Mobility Assessment scores improved in all participants; Numerical Rating Scale scores improved in 5 of 6 participants. Changes in deep tendon reflexes, 6-Minute Walk Test, and 10-Meter Walk Test were variable.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>A single 30-minute tSCS session was well tolerated in 6 participants with PLS. tSCS may be an effective intervention for spasticity reduction and functional mobility improvement in this population; however, larger controlled trials are needed to evaluate the effectiveness of tSCS and determine the clinical significance and generalizability of these findings.</p>","PeriodicalId":49030,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-05-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147822665","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clustering of Sedentary Behavior and Longitudinal Changes in Patients With Stroke Undergoing Rehabilitation.","authors":"Masashi Kanai, Yosuke Kimura, Toshiya Sakoda, Tomoya Ishigaki, Tatsuya Ogawa, Natsuki Shimizu, Hiroki Kubo, Sota Kobayashi, Mutsuo Takeuchi, Shu Tanaka, Keishi Yoshida, Seiya Yamamoto, Kohei Moronaga, Takumi Kai, Yoshiki Suzuki, Tomohiro Yoshimura, Tomohiro Ota","doi":"10.1097/NPT.0000000000000559","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/NPT.0000000000000559","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and purpose: </strong>Sedentary behavior (SB) is highly prevalent during stroke rehabilitation. Evaluating both the duration and pattern of SB may inform tailored interventions. This study aimed to classify patients with stroke undergoing inpatient rehabilitation into distinct subgroups based on multiple SB indicators at admission and examine their longitudinal changes in SB outcomes over a 1-month period.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This multicenter prospective longitudinal study was conducted across 14 rehabilitation hospitals in Japan. SB was objectively assessed using triaxial accelerometers at admission and at 1 month. K-means clustering was applied to the following 5 SB-related variables: short (<30 minutes), medium (30-59 minutes), and long (≥60 minutes) sedentary bout ratios; total SB time; and break frequency. Longitudinal changes were examined using generalized linear mixed models.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 420 participants (median age 71.0 years; 57.9% male) were enrolled. Clustering analysis identified 3 subgroups: low SB (n = 109), moderate SB (n = 196), and high SB (n = 115). Generalized linear mixed models showed significant main effects of time for most SB indicators, except the long SB bout ratio. Significant group × time interactions were observed for the short and medium SB bout ratios and break frequency in the low SB group and for the medium and long SB bout ratios in the high SB group (P < 0.05).</p><p><strong>Discussion and conclusions: </strong>Three distinct SB phenotypes were identified among patients with stroke during inpatient rehabilitation. Early behavioral profiling using SB indicators may support the development of individualized strategies to reduce sedentary time.</p>","PeriodicalId":49030,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147786750","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Identifying Predictors of Discordance Between Balance Perception and Ability in Parkinson Disease.","authors":"Sarah J Conklin, Franziska Albrecht, Andrew Hooyman, Daniel Peterson, Erika Franzén, Jason K Longhurst","doi":"10.1097/NPT.0000000000000556","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/NPT.0000000000000556","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and purpose: </strong>Balance discordance, or malalignment between balance ability and confidence, has been linked to retrospective falls in Parkinson disease. This study aimed to identify modifiable factors related to balance discordance to determine potential targets for fall prevention interventions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This cross-sectional secondary analysis included 188 individuals with Parkinson disease. Balance discordance was derived from balance ability (Timed Up and Go) and balance confidence (Activities Balance Confidence Scale). Demographic factors (age, sex), disease severity (disease duration, Hoehn and Yahr Scale), balance ability (Mini-BESTest), daily physical activity via actigraphy, perceived health (EuroQol-5D Visual Analog Scale [EQ5D-VAS]), cognitive ability (Trail Making Test B, Montreal Cognitive Assessment), anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) were examined in relation to balance discordance. Pearson correlations explored bivariate relationships, and ridge regression with cross-validation identified unique contributors.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Discordance was significantly related to EQ5D-VAS (r = 0.46), depression (r = -0.47), and anxiety (r = -0.37). The final model (EQ5D-VAS, sex, disease duration) accounted for 29.08% of variance, with EQ5D-VAS (β = 0.513, P < 0.001) as a significant predictor.</p><p><strong>Discussion and conclusions: </strong>Perceived health was strongly related to discordance, suggesting shared perceptual factors may drive discordance and fall risk. Anxiety and depression were also related to discordance. Addressing these factors may facilitate improved alignment between balance ability and confidence, reduce fall risk, and improve physical engagement and quality of life.</p>","PeriodicalId":49030,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147700556","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Minimal Detectable Change for Balance and Balance Confidence After Chronic Spinal Cord Injury.","authors":"Lindsay Heffron Griffin, Abbey Plawecki, Jennifer Lotter, Lindsay Shoger, Christina Voigtmann, T George Hornby, Christopher Henderson","doi":"10.1097/NPT.0000000000000555","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/NPT.0000000000000555","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and purpose: </strong>Balance and balance confidence are often impaired in ambulatory individuals with incomplete spinal cord injury (iSCI) and can increase the risk for falls. The Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and the Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) Scale assess balance and balance confidence, respectively, although clinically significant changes in these outcomes are uncertain. Accordingly, the goal of this study was to determine the minimal detectable change (MDC) for the BBS and ABC Scale in individuals after iSCI.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Individuals >6 months after C1-T10 iSCI with walking speeds <1.0 m/s were recruited and self-identified as community ambulators or community wheelchair users. Using a population-specific standardization protocol, the BBS and ABC Scale were administered twice by varied assessors. Test-retest reliability was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient with absolute agreement. The MDC was calculated with 95% confidence and stratified by the primary means of community mobility.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of the 50 individuals included, 52% identified as community ambulators. Both the BBS and ABC Scale demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability. Overall, the MDC95 for the BBS was 8.0 points and lower for self-identified community ambulators (5.4 points) than for community wheelchair users (10.3 points). Observed MDC95 for the ABC Scale was 16.6% and was similar for community ambulators (15.6%) and community wheelchair users (17.5%).</p><p><strong>Discussion and conclusions: </strong>Using a population-specific standardization protocol, the BBS and ABC Scale demonstrated excellent test-retest reliability in iSCI. The obtained MDC for the BBS is slightly higher than those reported in other neurologic populations, although the MDC for the ABC Scale is similar.</p>","PeriodicalId":49030,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147700494","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Understanding the Relationship Between Cutaneous Sensation, Balance, and Falls in People With Multiple Sclerosis.","authors":"Daniel S Peterson, Soubhagya Nayak, Hyunglae Lee, Jessie Huisinga, Andrew Hooyman","doi":"10.1097/NPT.0000000000000554","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/NPT.0000000000000554","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and purpose: </strong>Falls remain an important and undertreated outcome in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS). Understanding the paths through which neurophysiological changes contribute to altered balance and falls can improve our understanding of and ability to treat falls in this group. The purpose of this analysis was to assess the relationship between specific aspects of balance (reactive balance and sway) in PwMS and to assess whether balance deficits mediate relationships between neurophysiological changes (cutaneous sensation at the foot) and falls.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this observational, cross-sectional study, cutaneous sensation, reactive balance, and standing sway data were collected in 121 PwMS and 48 controls. Correlation analyses assessed relationships between reactive and standing balance. Single and multiple mediator models determined the individual and joint mediating effect of sway and reactive stepping on the cutaneous sensation-falls relationship.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Significant correlations were observed between reactive step latency (but not length) and multiple standing sway outcomes in PwMS. Statistically significant relationships were not observed in controls. Mediation models showed a significant mediating effect of reactive step latency and sway on the cutaneous sensation-falls relationship in PwMS.</p><p><strong>Discussion and conclusions: </strong>Results indicate that the latency (but not length) of reactive stepping is related to standing sway, cutaneous sensation, and (via previous analyses) falls. Further, mediation analyses suggest that poor sensation leads to greater sway and slower reactive steps, which lead to greater fall risk. Together, these results inform links between balance outcomes and quantitatively confirm previous hypotheses regarding possible pathways through which sensory deficits contribute to falls.</p>","PeriodicalId":49030,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147700537","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Self-Controlled Feedback on Motor Learning and Neuroplastic Changes in People With Parkinson Disease.","authors":"De-Jun Lim, Chun-Hwei Tai, Shu-Ya Chen, Cheng-Ya Huang, Ya-Yun Lee","doi":"10.1097/NPT.0000000000000553","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1097/NPT.0000000000000553","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and purpose: </strong>People with Parkinson disease (PD) experience impaired motor learning. Although numerous studies have shown that self-controlled feedback can facilitate motor learning in healthy young adults, whether similar benefits can be observed in people with PD has been less investigated. This study thus aimed to examine whether self-controlled feedback could benefit motor learning for individuals with PD, and to determine the associated behavioral and neurophysiological mechanisms.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Thirty-two participants with PD, matched in pairs, were recruited into a self-control group (SELF) and a yoked group (YOKE) to practice a finger-pressing trajectory-matching task. All participants visited the laboratory on day 1 (D1) and day 2 (D2) to practice the trajectory-matching task. The SELF group could decide when to receive feedback, whereas the YOKE group received feedback based on their counterparts' choices. Retention tests were performed on D2 after practice and on day 7 (D7). Additionally, motivation questionnaires, error estimation ability, and corticomotor excitability were examined.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Both groups showed improvements in the trajectory-matching task throughout practice. On D7, the SELF group retained its trajectory-matching task performance and showed an increase in corticomotor excitability, whereas these changes were not observed in the YOKE group. There were no significant group differences in the motivation questionnaire or error estimation results.</p><p><strong>Discussion and conclusions: </strong>Self-controlled feedback facilitated motor learning accompanied by increased corticomotor excitability in people with PD. Clinicians may consider incorporating self-control practices into the PD rehabilitation regimen to enhance training benefits.</p><p><strong>Clinicaltrialgov id: </strong>NCT05960331.</p>","PeriodicalId":49030,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147700561","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ongoing Revision of Balance Dysfunction Diagnoses: Pilot Survey of Clinical Physical Therapists.","authors":"Lois D Hedman, Kathleen M Gill-Body, Laura Plummer, Leslie Wolf, Laura Doyle, Lina Kleinschmidt","doi":"10.1097/NPT.0000000000000540","DOIUrl":"10.1097/NPT.0000000000000540","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and purpose: </strong>The American Physical Therapy Association's (APTA) vision of transforming society by optimizing movement to improve the human experience must include a reduction in the unwarranted variation in physical therapist practice. The APTA proposed that the profession adopt the movement system as a basis for developing diagnoses to classify movement dysfunction so that treatment is more consistent and specific. In 2021, the Academy of Neurologic Physical Therapy Movement System Diagnosis Task Force developed 10 movement system diagnoses for balance dysfunction, a diagnostic process, and recommended intervention strategies. The purpose of this special interest paper is to report on the ongoing refinement of the balance diagnoses and the diagnostic process based on a pilot survey of practicing clinicians and colleagues' informal feedback.</p><p><strong>Summary of key points: </strong>Pilot survey participants largely agreed on the clarity of the definitions, the accuracy of the key movement observations, and appropriateness of the key findings from tests and measures, but not the mutual exclusivity of the balance diagnoses. Using an iterative process, the authors considered the feedback to arrive at a consensus to address these concerns. The result is an updated set of 12 balance diagnoses, revision of some key definitions, a refined diagnostic process, and an updated summary of the evidence for task-specific balance-related interventions. These updated diagnoses and diagnostic processes must be examined for mutual exclusivity, validity, and reliability prior to clinical adoption.</p><p><strong>Recommendations for clinical practice: </strong>Until the balance diagnoses are shown to be mutually exclusive, valid, and reliable, we recommend that clinicians conceptualize balance control dysfunction using the well-established postural control strategies and apply well-supported principles of task-specific interventions when managing individuals with balance dysfunction.</p>","PeriodicalId":49030,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy","volume":" ","pages":"108-118"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145349509","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of Trans-spinal Direct Current Stimulation on Gait Function in People With Multiple Sclerosis.","authors":"Gülser Cinbaz, Zübeyir Sarı, Semra Oğuz, Lütfü Hanoğlu, Juan Jose Fernández-Pérez, Julio Gómez-Soriano","doi":"10.1097/NPT.0000000000000534","DOIUrl":"10.1097/NPT.0000000000000534","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and purpose: </strong>Multiple sclerosis (MS) presents significant challenges due to its inflammatory and degenerative nature, often manifesting in debilitating symptoms such as gait disturbances. Non-invasive stimulation techniques, such as trans-spinal direct current stimulation (tsDCS), offer promising avenues for enhancing functional recovery, but evidence on tsDCS effectiveness in neurological disorders remains sparse. This study aimed to investigate the effects of cathodal tsDCS on gait function and fatigue in people with MS (pwMS) compared to sham tsDCS.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Twenty-two pwMS received 6 sessions of 20-minute cathodal tsDCS (n = 11) or sham tsDCS (n = 11) in addition to a physiotherapy program. The primary outcomes were the Timed 25-Foot Walk (T25-FW), Timed Up and Go test (TUG), gait speed, and the Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale-12 (MSWS-12) evaluated before and after treatment. The secondary outcome was fatigue, measured with the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) and Fatigue Impact Scale (FIS).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Intergroup comparisons showed a significant improvement in the cathodal tsDCS group compared to the sham tsDCS group. Specifically, there was a greater reduction in pre-post values for T25-FW (Median: -4.43; Range: -12.1 to -1.0), MSWS-12 (-16.70; -31.7 to -5.0), TUG (-6.03; -20.8 to -0.7), FSS (-0.30; -2.2 to 0.1), and FIS-Physical (-4.00; -13.0 to 0.0). Additionally, walking speed increased significantly (0.15; 0.02 to 0.24) in the cathodal tsDCS group. Moreover, all gait-related outcomes and FSS showed large effect sizes ( r > 0.5), indicating a strong intervention effect.</p><p><strong>Discussion and conclusions: </strong>Incorporating cathodal tsDCS into a physiotherapy program improved walking function and fatigue in pwMS. Although replication is warranted, these results hold promise for clinical applications, highlighting tsDCS as a potential tool for enhancing motor function and reducing fatigue in pwMS.</p><p><strong>Video abstract available: </strong>for more insights from the authors (see Supplemental Digital Content available at http://links.lww.com/JNPT/A542 ).</p>","PeriodicalId":49030,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy","volume":" ","pages":"70-78"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144800714","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"International Neurological Physiotherapy Association, World Physiotherapy Congress Top Abstracts 2025.","authors":"","doi":"10.1097/NPT.0000000000000552","DOIUrl":"10.1097/NPT.0000000000000552","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":49030,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy","volume":" ","pages":"119-120"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146183287","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Examining Loneliness in People With Parkinson Disease Participating in Community-based Exercise.","authors":"L A Swink, D Diprinzio, J Brown, D Novak, C L Christiansen, M M Mañago","doi":"10.1097/NPT.0000000000000532","DOIUrl":"10.1097/NPT.0000000000000532","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and purpose: </strong>This study determined the prevalence of loneliness in a regional community-based exercise class program for people with Parkinson disease (PwPD) and examined relationships with demographic characteristics, functional independence, functional mobility, and quality of life (QOL).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study was a cross-sectional analysis of 231 PwPD, all of whom were participating in community-based exercise class programs. Participants completed questionnaires on loneliness (UCLA 3-Item Loneliness Scale [UTILS]), functional independence (Schwab & England Scale), performance-based measures of functional mobility (Timed Up & Go, 10 Meter Walk Test, 30 Second Sit-to-Stand), and QOL (Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire-8). UTILS scores of ≤ 4 were classified as \"non-lonely,\" and scores > 4 were classified as \"lonely.\"</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Participants were, on average, 71.9 (±7.5) years old, 5.4 (±5.4) years since their Parkinson disease diagnosis, had been participating in group exercise classes for 2.3 (±2.4) years, and almost one-third of participants ( n = 76/231, 32.9%) scored in the \"lonely\" range on the UTILS. There were significant differences between the lonely and non-lonely groups in sex distribution, functional independence, Timed Up & Go, and QOL. Age, functional independence, and loneliness scores accounted for 55.8% of the variance in QOL scores.</p><p><strong>Discussion and conclusion: </strong>In this study, loneliness was present even in PwPD actively engaged with an exercise community. Loneliness among PwPD was also related to functional independence, functional mobility, and QOL. While further study is needed, having rehabilitation clinicians and exercise class instructors screen for loneliness in PwPD may help inform plans of care and recommendations to address loneliness.</p>","PeriodicalId":49030,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Neurologic Physical Therapy","volume":" ","pages":"88-95"},"PeriodicalIF":4.2,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144692109","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}