Mapping motor exercise interventions in Parkinson's disease: a scoping review of intervention types, outcomes, adherence, and dropout

Abstract

Objective This scoping review aimed to map the current evidence on exercise interventions for people with Parkinson's disease (PD), describing the most frequently investigated intervention types and synthesizing the evidence on motor and non-motor outcomes, as well as adherence and dropout patterns. Methods This scoping review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines and used an umbrella evidence-mapping approach. A systematic search of PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Scopus was performed for studies published between January 2010 and February 2026. Eligible sources included systematic reviews, meta-analyses, network meta-analyses, and a limited number of primary studies to complement areas where synthesized evidence was limited. Two independent reviewers screened the studies and extracted data on intervention character-istics, exercise dose (FITT parameters), motor and non-motor outcomes, adherence, and dropout. Results Twenty-six studies met the eligibility criteria. Considerable heterogeneity was observed across intervention characteristics, exercise dose, and outcome measures. Overall, different exercise modalities were associated with improvements in specific motor and non-motor outcomes, although the evidence varied among the included evidence syntheses. Adherence was generally higher in supervised and socially engaging interventions, whereas dropout was mainly associated with disease-related, logistical, technological, and psychosocial factors. Conclusions The available evidence suggests that different exercise modalities may provide complementary benefits on motor and non-motor outcomes, supporting individualized exercise prescription according to patients’ clinical characteristics, rehabilitation goals, disease stage, and feasibility. Future research should prioritize greater standardization of exercise protocols and more consistent reporting of exercise dose, adherence, and dropout to facilitate comparisons across studies and strengthen the evidence base.