RSB is a non-contact boxing program for individuals with PD. The 90-minute group classes focus on agility, balance, and speed training. There are 43,500 participants at 871 RSB sites.

A 20 minute, 61-question anonymous survey on SurveyMonkey®, which included the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire-39 (PDQ-39) and the Self Efficacy for Exercise (SEE) Scale, was completed by adults with PD who have heard of RSB. The survey was distributed via e-mail and social media by RSB Inc. and the Parkinson Foundation from 7/2018 to 2/2019. Difference in demographics and assessment outcomes between participants and non-participants were analyzed using chi-squared test or fisher’s exact test for categorical variables and Wilcoxon test for continuous variables.

Of 2,054 individuals enrolled in the survey, 1,709 were eligible for analysis. 1,333 were current participators, 166 previously participated, and 210 never participated in RSB. RSB participants were 64-74 years old, 59% male, and 96% Caucasian. Compared to non-participants, a higher percentage of participants were retired (76 vs 65%, p <0.01) and married/partnered (85 vs 80%, p=0.03). There was no difference in years since PD diagnosis or Movement Disorders specialist use (66 vs 62% respectively). The majority of participants reported improvement in: social life (70%), fatigue (62%), fear of falling (61%), depression (60%), and anxiety (58%). Compared to non-participants, current participants had better PDQ-39 scores (25 vs 32, p <0.01) and better SEE scores (54 vs 48, p <0.01), indicating better QoL and ESE. 99% of current and 94% of previous participants recommend RSB to others with PD.

This is the largest analysis of RSB use in PD, and demonstrates that RSB participants have improvement in non-motor symptoms of PD, and compared to non-participants have significantly better QoL and ESE.