September 15, 2023 @ 3:06 PM

Boxers with Parkinson’s assessment tests and insights are designed for the practical use in measuring the functional progression of physical capabilities and limitations in people with Parkinson’s in a typical Rock Steady Boxing environment when administered regardless of whether the administrator is a medical personnel such as a physical therapist or by a non-medical RSB coach... using your "Coach Intelligence". 

However, to serve the boxer and their family, the results, reports and insights need to be straight forward and meaningful to people with no medical training using “Boxer Common Sense”.

The primary goals in the development of PARS were to:

  • Migrate the RSB assessment process from paper in manila folders to a tablet with improved, not perfect, data reliability and consistency.
  • Standardize the RSB assessment process clarifying instructions where appropriate for greater consistency between administrators, between subjects and between assessment intervals.
  • Use uniform data formatting to allow for system-wide reporting and analysis
  • Normalize test scoring into a 100-point easy-to-understand-and-explain scoring system regardless of whether the test is measured in subjective adjectives (PDQ) or objective measurements including inches (FAB 2 & 8), seconds (TUG) or repetitions (S2S). 
  • Use the power of the computer to organize the tests, calculate scores and provide new and innovative insights in real time which are meaningful to the boxer, their family and the coach.  Note that the boxer is first.
  • Provide boxers with information to coach, motivate and inspire them to stay in the RSB program and fight hard everyday.  Demonstrate that their time, money and sweat are important to reduce, reverse or delay the symptoms of PD.  Even if they are in decline, they might be doing worse without a regular, disciplines exercise program like RSB.
  • Track symptoms and assessment results over time to show trends or progression.
  • Provide innovative coach/boxer consultation tools.
  • Provide the boxers with direct access to their information and assessments to review or share with family and their medical support team.

To this limited and specific end, BwP uses “Coach Intelligence” and “Boxer Common Sence” as our guiding standard.  In the same way RSB coaches have interpreted the PDQ/FAB/S2S/TUG on paper, by transitioning to a tablet and applying Coach Intelligence and Boxer Common Sence, PARS data may not be suitable for rigid research projects but it is significant and of great value for reporting and analysis within the understood conditions and limitations described in PARS: An Imperfect Solution.

Words matter.  It is important that a coach not over-state or understate what they read in the results, reports and insights.  To the boxer and their family, this is serious business.  Are they improving, staying even (winning) or declining?  Staying even in these areas and declining on others?

BwP’s first generation assessment tools were chosen by Rock Steady Boxing 16 years ago.  BwP elected to stay with the PDQ, FAB, S2S & TUG due to the deep base of existing boxer information and assessments on paper and the in-place intrinsic value of trained, familiar and experienced assessment administrators… the coaches.

BwP plans to add other widely recognized tools like the Berg or the Mini-BEST to create a comprehensive library of tests so a coach can choose their preferred test series or even individual assessment tests based on the boxer.  BwP’s next generation tools may include PD level 1 & 2 assessment tests, PD level 4 assessment tests, a PD exercise prescription module and a PD Daily Living Quick Test.  BwP’s test offerings may be recognized tests to be use as designed, existing tests with modifications or enhancements, or new assessment tests.