Abstract
Gait disorders in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) impact their mobility and self-dependence. Gait training and dual-task (DT)-training improve gait quality. This study aims to assess the feasibility of a specific, gradually intensified DT-training for PD patients with a special focus on gait performance under single task (ST) and DT conditions. Correlations to Freezing of Gait (FoG) were examined. 17 PD patients (70.1 ± 7.4 years, H&Y Stadium 2–3, FoG-Q 9.0 ± 5.5) participated in a four-week DT-training (1x/week, 60 min) with progressively increasing task difficulty and number of tasks. Gait performance (spatiotemporal parameters) was assessed during ST and DT conditions. The training improved DT gait performance, especially gait velocity + 0.11 m/s; (F(2,16) = 7.163; p = .0171; η2part = .309) and step length (+ 5.73 cm). Also, physical well-being and absolved walking distance improved significantly. Correlation analyses of the FoG score at baseline with relative change of gait metrics post-training revealed significant correlations with training-induced changes of step length and improvement of gait velocity. Overall, the developed DT-training was feasible and effective. Further studies should examine the long-term benefits and the optimal setting to achieve the highest impact. The study was registered in the DRKS (ID DRKS00018084, 23.1.20).
Highlights
Introduction toDT situations during walking in everyday life, e.g. avoiding obstacles while walking or reacting to instructions while walkingAdvanced exercises in DT situations while walking and mediation of task managing strategies, e.g. focusing on the footstep rolling behaviorCombining complex DT situations and mediation of coping strategies, e.g. reacting correctly to direction signs by walking into the opposite direction, while walking with shopping bags was collected as a measure of general force and fitness
We focus on the feasibility and effectiveness of DT training to improve gait performance for participants with mild to severe Freezing of Gait (FoG) under single and dual-task conditions
A total number of 19 Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients were recruited after giving informed consent
Summary
Combining complex DT situations and mediation of coping strategies, e.g. reacting correctly to direction signs by walking into the opposite direction, while walking with shopping bags was collected as a measure of general force and fitness. It was measured with a hand dynamometer (Saehan Corp., Masan, South Korea) during sitting and attached arms and flexed elbow to 90°. The overall aim of the training was to improve the ability to cope with the simultaneous demands of everyday walking situations and to improve coordination, balance and reactivity to distraction from the environment This means that the participants needed to learn to inhibit irrelevant information. The number of sessions was reduced to examine the feasibility
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