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Related Concept Videos

Parkinson's Disease: Overview01:15

Parkinson's Disease: Overview

Neurodegenerative disorders are progressive diseases that cause irreversible damage and loss to neurons in specific brain areas. Examples of these disorders include Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Multiple Sclerosis (MS), and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). These disorders share characteristics such as proteinopathies, selective neuronal vulnerability, and a complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors. The primary therapeutic goal for these conditions is to...
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Related Experiment Video

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Applying the RatWalker System for Gait Analysis in a Genetic Rat Model of Parkinson's Disease
04:08

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Published on: January 18, 2021

Backward walking in Parkinson's disease.

Madeleine E Hackney1, Gammon M Earhart

  • 1Program in Physical Therapy, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63108, USA.

Movement Disorders : Official Journal of the Movement Disorder Society
|October 28, 2008
PubMed
Summary

Backward walking is significantly more impaired in people with Parkinson's disease (PD) than forward walking. These findings highlight challenges in backward locomotion for PD patients, increasing fall risk.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Biomechanics
  • Movement Disorders

Background:

  • Backward walking (BW) is a common daily activity.
  • Individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) frequently experience falls, particularly when moving backward.
  • Assessing BW is crucial for understanding mobility impairments in PD.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate and compare backward walking (BW) performance in individuals with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) and healthy controls.
  • To identify specific gait parameters affected during BW in PD patients.

Main Methods:

  • Gait analysis of both forward walking (FW) and BW was conducted in 78 individuals with PD (Hoehn & Yahr stages 0.5-3) and 74 age- and sex-matched controls.
  • Participants were assessed in the ON medication state.
  • Key gait parameters including stride length, swing percent, stance percent, and functional ambulation profiles were measured.

Main Results:

  • Individuals with PD exhibited impaired FW compared to controls, with shorter strides and altered stance/swing phases.
  • Both groups showed slower walking speed and wider base of support during BW compared to FW.
  • In BW, PD patients demonstrated significantly slower speed, shorter strides, lower swing, higher double support and stance percentages, and reduced functional ambulation profiles compared to controls.

Conclusions:

  • Mild to moderate Parkinson's disease impairs both forward and backward walking.
  • Gait deficits are more pronounced during backward walking in individuals with PD compared to forward walking.
  • These findings underscore the increased difficulty and fall risk associated with backward locomotion in PD patients.