Parkinson's Disease
Conditions
Keywords
Gait, Parkinson's Disease, Walking App, Rhythmic auditory cueing
Brief summary
This is a pilot study designed to assess the feasibility, adherence, and preliminary effects of a 6-week home-based gait training intervention using the Walking Tall mobile app in individuals with Parkinson's disease. The app delivers rhythmic auditory cues and motivational verbal prompts to promote gait improvements. Primary outcomes include daily walking duration and step count measured via wearable sensors; secondary outcomes include gait speed, balance, self-reported confidence, and usability.
Detailed description
This open-label, single-arm feasibility study will recruit 30 participants with idiopathic Parkinson's disease, currently enrolled in a rehabilitation program at the Ezra LeMarpe Organization in Israel. Participants will perform 4-5 walking sessions per week for 6 weeks using the Walking Tall smartphone application. The app delivers rhythmic cueing and motivational prompts to enhance walking speed, stride length, and confidence. The study includes baseline and post-intervention assessments. Walking behavior will be monitored using a tri-axial accelerometer worn for 7 days at each timepoint. The primary aim is to evaluate feasibility, adherence, and changes in daily walking activity, with secondary outcomes addressing gait parameters and user satisfaction. Findings will guide the design of future randomized controlled trials.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALWalking Tall App
Participants will use the Walking Tall smartphone app to complete 4-5 home-based walking sessions per week for 6 weeks. The app provides rhythmic auditory cues and verbal prompts to improve gait quality.
Sponsors
Tel-Aviv Sourasky Medical Center
Study design
Allocation
NA
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Intervention model description
Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
40 Years to 85 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Clinical diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson's disease (MDS criteria); * Hoehn \& Yahr stage II-III (ON-medication state); * Able to walk independently for ≥5 minutes; * Stable medication for ≥1 month; * Currently enrolled in a rehab program at Ezra LeMarpe; * Able to provide written informed consent;
Exclusion criteria
* Musculoskeletal, neurological, or visual/hearing impairments affecting gait; * Cognitive impairments or severe behavioral symptoms; * History of stroke, severe TBI, or brain tumor; * Cardiovascular contraindications; * Inability to use a smartphone; * Participation in other concurrent intervention studies.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Average Step Count Per Day | Time Frame: Baseline and 6 weeks | Measured via accelerometer |
| Daily Walking Duration (minutes/week) | Time Frame: Baseline and 6 weeks | Measured using tri-axial accelerometer (Axivity) over 7 days |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Gait Speed (m/s) - single- and dual-task | Time Frame: Baseline and 6 weeks | Assessed using a 1-minute walking test under two conditions: (1) single-task (normal walking) and (2) dual-task (walking while performing a cognitive task such as serial subtraction). Gait speed is calculated in meters per second based on distance walked over time in each condition. |
| Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) | Time Frame: Baseline and 6 weeks | The SPPB is a standardized test that evaluates lower extremity function using three components: balance (side-by-side, semi-tandem, tandem stance), gait speed over a 4-meter walk, and chair stands. Each component is scored from 0 to 4, with a total score ranging from 0 (worst performance) to 12 (best performance). |
| Timed Up and Go (TUG) - single- and dual-task | Time Frame: Baseline and 6 weeks | The TUG test measures functional mobility by timing how long it takes a participant to stand up from a chair, walk 3 meters, turn, return, and sit down. It is performed under two conditions: (1) single-task (normal walking) and (2) dual-task (walking while performing a cognitive task, such as serial subtraction). The test evaluates gait, balance, and cognitive-motor integration. |
Countries
Israel
Contacts
CONTACTMarina Brozgol, MS
CONTACTTatyana Gurevich, Prof
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORTatyana Gurevich, Prof
Head of the Movement Disorders Unit at Ichilov Hospital
Outcome results
None listed