Researchers at Edith Cowan University have identified a promising approach for improving the daily lives of people living with Parkinson’s disease (PD): engaging in structured boxing training. The study, reported in PM&R, suggests that a carefully designed boxing program can yield meaningful benefits for individuals in the early stages of PD by combining physical activity with cognitive and social engagement.
The trial enrolled ten participants diagnosed with early PD who followed a boxed exercise protocol three times per week for a total of 15 weeks. Each session featured boxing drills performed on a purpose-built dummy with soft targets to minimize injury while enabling realistic movement patterns. Participants rotated through different targets, ensuring varied motor tasks and keeping the sessions engaging, with rest periods limited to two minutes or less to maintain cardiovascular effort and consistency across the group.
Across the cohort, nine of the ten participants demonstrated improved scores on the Uniform Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale, a well-established measure used to assess the progression and severity of PD. In addition to motor improvements, many participants reported better sleep quality and an overall enhancement in perceived quality of life, suggesting broader well-being benefits beyond motor control alone. These outcomes align with growing interest in exercise-based interventions as complementary strategies in PD management.
Authors of the study highlighted that the strength of the boxing program lies in its multi-faceted nature. The routine integrates aerobic conditioning, sensory-motor coordination, and cognitive stimulation through goal-directed practice, all while providing social interaction within a group setting. This combination appears to offer a more holistic therapeutic effect than exercise alone. While the current research focused on PD, there is interest in exploring whether similar boxing-based approaches could benefit other neurological conditions, including Huntington’s disease and multiple sclerosis, where motor control and cognitive function can be affected. The implications for health systems in Canada and the United States point to potential scalable, community-based programs that support independence and daily functioning for people living with neurodegenerative disorders, alongside standard medical treatments. These findings contribute to a broader conversation about how targeted physical activities can complement pharmacological and surgical therapies, potentially reducing symptom burden and improving day-to-day living when personalized and supervised appropriately. (Edith Cowan University study, PM&R)