Gait training with progressive external auditory cueing in persons with Parkinson's disease.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the progressively increasing external auditory cues during mobility training with persons with Parkinson's disease (PD).


METHODS
Experimental.


METHODS
General community.


METHODS
Convenience sample of persons with PD (N=12) who walked independently.


METHODS
Gait training to external auditory cues was based on a participant's comfortable walking pace. Training external auditory cues rates were increased if patients were able to maintain or increase stride length with increasing external auditory cues rate. Movement synchronization was not monitored during training. Participants trained for 30min/session, 3 sessions/wk, for 8 weeks.


METHODS
Walking velocity, stride length, and cadence.


RESULTS
Participants trained at a mean maximal rate of 157bpm. They showed a significant (P<.01) increase in walking velocity, stride length, and cadence after 8 weeks of training.


CONCLUSIONS
Walking velocity, stride length, and cadence can significantly improve when community-dwelling persons with PD participate in progressive mobility training.
Ford
Matthew P
MP
Department of Physical Therapy, University of Alabama, Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA. mford@uab.edu
Malone
Laurie A
LA
Nyikos
Ildiko
I
Yelisetty
Rama
R
Bickel
C Scott
CS
D000368:Aged; D003463:Cues; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D016138:Walking