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Enhancing dynamic postural stability during gait in Parkinson's disease with textured insoles and auditory cue
Thanakorn Angkurasiripaiboon1,2, Chernkhuan Stonsaovapak3, Thitichaya Soythong3
1Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
Purpose:
Parkinson's disease (PD) causes motor impairments, with postural instability and gait disturbances among the most disabling symptoms. Textured insoles enhance sensory feedback, and auditory cues improve stride rhythm. This study evaluated whether combining textured insoles with auditory cueing provides complementary benefits compared with textured insoles used alone for improving postural stability and gait parameters in individuals with PD, while comparing both approaches to progressive walking training alone.
Methods:
Twenty-seven individuals with PD (Hoehn & Yahr stages 2.5-3) were randomized into three groups: textured insoles with auditory cues (TI+A), textured insoles only (TI Only), and control. Over a 6-week period, all groups completed progressive walking goals (2000-3000 steps/session). Postural stability was measured using the Functional Gait Assessment (FGA), and gait parameters were analyzed with the G-Walk sensor system.
Results:
Postural stability improved across all groups at 6 weeks. Both sensory intervention groups achieved significantly greater FGA improvements than the control group, with the TI+A group demonstrating the largest gains (group × time interaction, p = .010). No significant between-group differences were observed in gait parameters.
Conclusion:
Sensory-based interventions improved postural stability in individuals with PD. Combining auditory cueing with textured insoles provided task-specific advantages for dynamic balance tasks.
