ClinicalTrials.gg
Active, not recruitingNCT07821151Updated Sep 15, 2026

The Effect of Beechband on Parkinson's Symptoms

An interventional study of Beechband in Parkinson Disease (PD), sponsored by University of Exeter. Active, not recruiting at 1 site in United Kingdom. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-09-15.

Sponsored by University of Exeter · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

From the registry’s dates

  • Registered 4 months after the study started (first participant enrolled Apr 2026, registered Sep 2026).
Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
60
Allocation
Randomized
Sex
All
01

Where this study stands

Counted across the records on this site · 2026-11-12

Among 246 studies in Parkinson Disease with a site in United Kingdom — 55 open to participants now, 66 under way, 5 of them phase 3. Parkinson Disease · United Kingdom.

Planned enrollment
105th of 183
60 · median 80
Started
2026
with 10 others
No phase
58 of 246
16 open now
Primary completion
2026-11
later than 29 of 65 live
Registered
244th of 246
by date
Lead sponsor
8 of 246
University of Exeter

Among the 246 studies in Parkinson Disease with a site in United Kingdom, this one is the 105th largest by planned enrollment of the 183 interventional ones, is one of 11 that started in 2026, is one of 58 with no phase, reaches primary completion later than 29 of the 65 other live ones, and was the 244th registered.

By phase

246 studies; the count open now beside each. This study's row is marked.

Observational62 · 29 open
No phasethis study58 · 16 open
Phase 345 · 3 open
Phase 241 · 5 open
Phase 126 · 2 open
Phase 1/26 · 0 open
Phase 46 · 0 open
Other kind1 · 0 open
Phase 2/31 · 0 open

By the year they started

First in 1999; this study’s year is marked. 11 started in 2026.

Size and results

Median enrollment 80 across the 183 interventional studies, 100 across the 62 observational. Of the 152 that completed or were terminated, 45 (30%) have results posted.

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Watch this landscapeDownload CSVWith an account: a weekly mail of what changed among 246 studies in Parkinson Disease with a site in United Kingdom, or all of them as a file.
02

Study summary

Parkinson's disease can affect movement, balance, and everyday activities. The Beechband is a wrist-worn device that provides intermittent vibrations. Some people have reported improvements in symptoms while wearing the device, but there is currently little scientific evidence to support these reports.

This pilot study will explore whether movement symptoms and participants' perceptions of their symptoms change after wearing the Beechband for 6 or 12 weeks. Approximately 60 people with Parkinson's disease will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group will wear the Beechband for 12 weeks. The other group will continue their usual activities without the Beechband for the first 6 weeks and will then wear it for the following 6 weeks. Participants will be asked to wear the device for approximately 6 hours each day during their assigned wearing period.

Assessments will be conducted remotely by video call at the beginning of the study and after 6 and 12 weeks. They will include measures of movement and balance, a timed walking task, and questionnaires about symptoms and everyday experiences. Device use and any unwanted or unexpected effects will also be recorded.

The study is intended to estimate the size of any possible changes and assess the feasibility of a future larger clinical trial. It is not designed to provide definitive evidence that the Beechband is effective.

03

Conditions studied

  • Parkinson Disease (PD)

Browse trials for

Keywords

  • Parkinson's Disease
  • Vibrotactile stimulation
  • Wearable device
04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
Child (0–17), Adult (18–64), Older adult (65+)
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.

Inclusion criteria

  • Diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson's disease according to UK Parkinson's Disease Society Brain Bank criteria
  • Able to participate in online video calls

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • (MOCA) score below 16
  • Previous use of a Beechband, or another vibrating wrist-worn device, for managing symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease
  • Any neurological diagnosis other than Parkinson's disease that affects cognition or memory, pain, or movement
  • Pregnant
  • Significant memory problems that could interfere with the ability to provide
  • Unable to stand or walk without assistance for at least 1 minute
  • Any electronic implant, including deep brain stimulation or a pacemaker
Terms in these criteria, in plain language(2)

Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.

MMSE and MoCA

Short tests of memory and thinking, each scored out of 30. Lower scores suggest more difficulty; criteria give a range, either to include people with memory problems or to leave them out.

Informed consent

Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.

You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.

05

Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single (Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
60 participants (estimated)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    Immediate Start Beechband

    Participants wear the Beechband for approximately 6 hours per day throughout the 12-week study period.

    Device: Beechband

  • Experimental
    Delayed Start Beechband

    Participants continue their usual activities without wearing the Beechband during the first 6 weeks. They then wear the Beechband for approximately 6 hours per day during Weeks 6-12.

    Device: Beechband

Interventions

  • DeviceBeechband

    The Beechband is a wrist-worn device that delivers intermittent vibrotactile stimulation. Participants are instructed to wear the device for approximately 6 hours per day during their assigned intervention period, following the manufacturer's guidance. Arm 1: Participants in the IMMEDIATE start arm wear the device for 12 weeks. Arm 2: Participants in the DELAYED start arm wear the device during Weeks 6-12. During selected remote assessments following a Beechband wearing period, movement measures are completed with the device switched on and switched off.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Modified Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Motor Score (Modified UPDRS)

    Motor symptoms are assessed remotely using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale. Items that cannot be assessed reliably by video, including rigidity and postural instability, are omitted. Retained items are scored and summed, with higher scores indicating more severe motor symptoms. Assessments following a Beechband-wearing period also include measurements with the device switched on and switched off.

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 6, and Week 12

Secondary outcomes

  1. Timed Up and Go Test Completion Time

    Time in seconds required to stand from a chair, walk 3 metres, turn, return, and sit down. A shorter time indicates better functional mobility.

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 6, and Week 12

  2. Falls Efficacy Scale - International (FES-I)

    Self-reported concern about falling during everyday activities. Higher scores indicate greater concern about falling.

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 6, and Week 12

  3. Visual Sensitivity Scale (VSS)

    Self-reported symptoms associated with visually complex or moving environments

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 6, and Week 12

  4. Gait Specific Attentional Profile (G-SAP)

    Self-reported attention directed toward walking and movement.

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 6, and Week 12

  5. Generalised Anxiety Scale (GAD-7)

    Seven-item measure of anxiety symptoms, ranging from 0 to 21; higher scores indicate greater anxiety.

    Time frame: Baseline, Week 6, and Week 12

Other outcomes

  1. Montreal Cognitive Assessment Total Score (MOCA)

    Measure of cognitive function completed remotely, including drawing tasks shown to the researcher by video.

    Time frame: Baseline

  2. Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity Score (RAPA)

    Self-reported level of physical activity during the preceding two weeks.

    Time frame: Every 2 weeks through Week 12

  3. Self Reported Beechband Use

    Average number of hours per day and frequency of Beechband use during the preceding two weeks.

    Time frame: Every 2 weeks during the assigned wearing period, through Week 12

  4. Participant Withdrawal Rate

    Number and percentage of enrolled participants who withdraw before completing the Week 12 assessment.

    Time frame: Through Week 12

  5. Adverse Events

    Number and type of unwanted or unexpected health events reported during the study, including discomfort and dizziness.

    Time frame: Every 2 weeks and through Week 12

07

Study locations

1 site
08

References and documents

Individual participant data

Plan to share: Yes — Fully anonymised individual participant data supporting the published study findings will be shared through the Open Science Framework. Shared data may include motor-assessment scores, functional mobility outcomes, physical activity measures, and information about device use and adverse events. Names, contact information, dates of birth, postal addresses, linking information, questionnaire responsese and video recordings will not be shared. Supporting materials, including a data dictionary, study protocol, and relevant analysis information, will be provided where possible. Data will be made available following completion of the study and publication of the main findings, anticipated by December 2027. The repository record and web address will be added when available. Access will be open, subject to the repository's terms and the reuse licence applied to the dataset.

Supporting information: Study protocol, Analytic code

Time frame: The anonymised individual participant data and supporting information will be made available from December 2027, following completion of the study and preparation of the main study findings. The materials will remain available through the repository without a planned end date.

Access criteria: Fully anonymised individual participant data and supporting materials will be made openly available through Open Research Exeter (ORE). Researchers and members of the public will be able to access these materials without submitting an application or obtaining approval. Access and reuse will be governed by the repository's terms and the licence assigned to the dataset. Only data from participants who have consented to data sharing will be included. Identifiable information, participant-code linking files, and video recordings will not be shared.

No publications or documents are linked to this record.

09

Timeline

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
ElapsedEstimatedEstimated, not yet reachedSimilar studies: half by the dot; the band is the middle halfHalf of similar studies reached it by the dot; the band is the middle half, from a quarter to three quarters

Started Apr 2026 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Nov 2026, 6 months after the start.

Of 1,291 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Parkinson Disease, half reached primary completion within 24 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 11 and three quarters within 44. This study's planned 6 months is below that.

Counting every sponsor, half of 1,367 studies reached it within 25 months; a quarter within 11 and three quarters within 44.

How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.

Registered
Sep 9, 2026
First posted
Sep 15, 2026
StartActual
Apr 22, 2026
Primary completionEst.
Nov 10, 2026
CompletionEst.
Nov 10, 2026
Last update
Sep 15, 2026
What these dates mean
Start.
When the first participant enrolled; while estimated, when the study expects to open to recruitment.
Primary completion.
When the last participant was examined or treated to collect data for the study's main question, its primary outcome. A study that stopped early gives the date its data collection stopped.
Completion.
When the last participant's last visit took place, for every outcome, secondary ones and side effects included: the end of the study. Often later than primary completion, sometimes the same day.
Actual and Est.
Actual means the registry says the date has happened. Est. (estimated) is a date the sponsor plans or expects. It can still move, and the sponsor is expected to change it to actual once it has passed.
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Sep 15, 2026, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
10

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT07821151
Responsible party
Sponsor
First posted
Sep 15, 2026
Start date
Apr 22, 2026
Primary completion
Nov 10, 2026 (estimated)
Completion
Nov 10, 2026 (estimated)
Last update
Sep 15, 2026

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is active, not recruiting, as verified in Sep 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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