Gait analysis of patients with Parkinson's disease using a portable triaxial accelerometer

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundGait disturbance is a major problem for Parkinson's disease patients.AimWe examined the nature of parkinsonian gait using a triaxial accelerometer, and elucidated differences as compared with healthy adults.MethodsA total of 16 patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease, 14 healthy young adults and 10 healthy older adults took part in the study. The accelerometer was placed at the level of the L4 spinous process and the participants were instructed to walk along a 30‐m horizontal walkway. Gait speed and acceleration were analyzed on the middle 10 m. Acceleration data were obtained by using the root mean square of acceleration in three directions as the mean acceleration value.ResultsGait speed and mean acceleration had a high correlation in healthy young and older adults, but not in the Parkinson's disease patients. Gait speed in the Parkinson's disease patients was significantly slower than that in the healthy older adults (P < 0.05). Evaluations of each component of acceleration showed that the mediolateral component in the patients was significantly high as compared with that in the healthy older adults (P < 0.05), although the vertical and anteroposterior components were not different between the Parkinson's disease patients and healthy adults.ConclusionsGait speed in Parkinson's disease patients is significantly slower than that in healthy older adults. Furthermore, it is suggested that gait in Parkinson's disease patients swings in a more bilateral manner as compared with the gait in normal controls.