Training with verbal instructional cues results in near-term improvement of gait in people with Parkinson disease.
OBJECTIVE
To assess immediate and near-term effects of an instructional set on select gait parameters in people living with Parkinson disease (PD).


METHODS
Five individuals with early stage PD participated in a within subject design in Part One. Eleven individuals with early stage PD were randomly assigned to a treatment group (n = 5) or a control group (n = 6) in Part Two.


METHODS
The treatment consisted of a 10-day training program of walking 1800 feet per day and with the instructions to take long steps. Testing occurred before treatment (baseline), immediately after treatment, one week after treatment, and one month after treatment. Measurements of step length, velocity, and cadence were taken without the use of the instructional set.


RESULTS
There was a significant increase in step length and velocity and a significant decrease in cadence between baseline and all post-test measures for part one. For part 2, step length of the treatment group significantly increased between baseline and all 3 post-tests and there was a significant difference between the treatment group and control group at all posttests for step length.


CONCLUSIONS
The instructional set was effective in improving parameters of gait for at least 4 weeks. These data support the concept that people with Parkinson disease have a potential for motor learning.
Lehman
David A
DA
Tennessee State University, Department of Physical Therapy, USA. dlehman@tnstate.edu
Toole
Tonya
T
Lofald
Dan
D
Hirsch
Mark A
MA
D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001479:Basal Ganglia / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities