Move to Improve: Telehealth Exercise to Music for HD

The purpose of this study is to determine if a movement to music exercise program delivered via telehealth is feasible and safe for individuals with neurodegenerative disease and their caregivers (Aim 1). A secondary aim will be to determine if a movement to music exercise program delivered via telehealth improves balance, cognition, mobility, and quality of life (Aim 2).

The purpose of this study is to determine if a movement to music exercise program created for our clinic patients, called "Move to Improve," delivered via telehealth is possible and safe for individuals with neurodegenerative disease. Investigators also hope to determine if this telehealth movement to music exercise program improves balance, cognition, mobility, and quality of life. Participants will be asked to participate in a movement to music exercise program that will be accessible by video twice a week for 12 weeks and complete assessments before starting and after completing the program. Participants will be recruited from the OSU Neurology Clinic which serves a large regional area, including rural Appalachian counties. Participants will be ages 21 or older with a confirmed diagnosis of a degenerative neurologic disorder such as Huntington's disease who can access a computer, tablet, or smartphone, can complete the exercises, and have a care partner. Participants will be educated on how to access prerecorded Move to Improve classes conducted by a professional dance instructor which are accessible by computer or tablet 24/7 via a hyperlink. This link will be accessible to the community. Here is a link to an example of the class lead by the instructor for this study: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdoPi9YXoWg. Classes last 45 minutes, and participants will be instructed to participate in the activity at least twice weekly, for 12 weeks. Each class uses movement to music combinations across different dance genres that build in intensity and sequence complexity, accompanied by music with faster beats, to encourage participants to achieve a moderate-vigorous level of physical and cognitive activity. Care givers will be also participate in the exercise class and will be present to ensure safety. The care giver and participant will be instructed to stand at a counter or behind a chair for safety during exercise. Participants within driving distance will come to the MEND lab for in-person outcome measures at baseline and after the 12 week intervention. Assessments will also be administered to all participants via telehealth. For those individuals who are not able to come to the lab for assessment due to distance or other reasons, tests will only be administered via telehealth. These individuals will be consented via phone. Telehealth exercise classes will be conducted using a virtual meeting platform such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or FaceTime. Caregivers will be present during all assessments to ensure safety.