Influence of Gait Speed on Inter-Joint Coordination in People with and Without Parkinson's Disease

The influence of gait speed on lower-extremity coordination while walking in people with Parkinson's disease (pwPD) is poorly understood. This study sought to investigate the relationship between gait speed and hip-knee coordination and coordination variability in older adults and pwPD.

A total of 27 pwPD and 21 healthy older adults were recruited. Participants walked in a straight line at slow, preferred, and fast walking speeds. Gait data were collected using inertial measurement units, and the kinematics of the hip and knee were calculated. Coordination and coordination variability at the hip-knee joint pair were determined using continuous relative phase. A repeated measures two-way ANCOVA tested the impact of gait speed on coordination and coordination variability, while group differences were evaluated using statistical parametric mapping (SPM).

Neither the healthy older adults nor the pwPD adjusted their hip-knee coordination in response to changes in gait speed. pwPD also displayed a trend towards restricted hip and knee joint excursion compared to older adults, which may further limit their ability to adapt gait strategies.

These findings suggest that interventions addressing both joint excursion and motor adaptability may be important for improving gait function in individuals with Parkinson's disease. Real-world applicability can be found in the potential of wearable sensors to become a valuable tool in routine clinical practice for both diagnosis and ongoing management.

The study is registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (DRKS00022998).