Parkinson Disease
Conditions
Keywords
Assistive devices, Freezing of gait, Gait disorders, Gait hesitation, Gait ignition failure, Laser light, Parkinson's disease, Rolling walker, Visual Cue, Walker
Brief summary
The purpose of this study is to determine whether a laser light beam, attached to a rolling walker and projected onto the floor, reduces freezing episodes in patients with Parkinson's disease.
Detailed description
Freezing of gait is a debilitating feature of Parkinson's disease. This study aims to determine whether a laser light beam, attached to a rolling walker and projected onto the floor, reduces freezing episodes. Patients will perform two trials of 3 timed walking tasks: once with the laser beam and once without. For each trial, the time to complete, number of steps, and number of freezing episodes will be recorded. Patients will be randomized to perform the first trial either with the light or without the light, to control for fatigue.
Interventions
DEVICELaser light (U-Step Walking Stabilizer with laser light)
Use of a laser light on a rolling walker during episodes of freezing of gait.
Sponsors
Parkinson's Disease Research, Education, and Clinical Center, Philadelphia
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* idiopathic PD confirmed by a movement disorders neurologist * a Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE)\[13\] score ≥ 24 to ensure competence to participate in informed consent and an ability to learn procedurally the use of the rolling walker with laser beam * functional visual acuity for recognizing the laser beam on the rolling walker * FOG in both on and off medication states, as indicated by a score of ≥ 2 on Item 14 of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) and/or ≥1 on Item 3 of the Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (FOGQ) * ability to ambulate for at least household distances with or without an assistive device as indicated by scoring 0, 1, or 2 on Items 15 and 29 of the UPDRS.
Exclusion criteria
* diagnosis of a gait disorder other than Parkinson's disease
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Time to complete walking task | Two hours | Time in seconds for subject to complete the designated walking task. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Number of steps | Two hours | Number of steps taken to complete the designated walking task. |
| Number of freezing episodes | Two hours | Number of freezing episodes that occur during walking task. |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed