Multisensory Training in PD

Effect of Multisensory Training on Gait Variability in People With Parkinson's Disease

People with Parkinson's disease (PD) were characterized by many motor symptoms, including rigidity, postural instability, bradykinesia, and resting tremor. These motor symptoms might cause gait dysfunction. Gait dysfunction represented a common sign of PD, including reduced gait velocity, reduced stride length, reduced arm swing, and increased gait variability. Poor postural control in people with PD might result to increase gait variability and then increase fall risk. Previous studies reported that proprioceptive-vestibular multisensory training improved postural stability in people with PD. However, no literature investigated the effects of proprioceptive-vestibular multisensory training on gait variability. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine the effect of proprioceptive-vestibular multisensory training on gait variability in people with PD.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Idiopathic PD
• Hoehn and Yahr stage I to III
• Age 60~80 y/o
• Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) ≥24
• Ability to ambulate independently (with or without walking aid)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Affecting the peripheral vestibular system
• Medical condition that substantially influenced their gait and balance performance
• People had joined any rehabilitation past 1 month