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Walking Training for Parkinson disease

The purpose of this study is to determine how people with PD learn to improve their walking. Participants will enroll in 12 walking training sessions, either with or without a metronome that beeps while you walk. The metronome tempo is set to target certain aspects of your walking. We will test your walking before, after, and at 3 months following all training.

Age & Gender

  • 50 years ~ 80 years
  • Male, Female, Gender Inclusive

Visit Availability

  • Standard business hours (M-F, 8-5)

Location

North Carolina (Statewide)

What will be asked of you

At your first visit, you will perform some walking tests and we will take a picture of your brain, using an MRI. You will then train for 12 visits (3 times per week for 4 weeks) to practice walking either with or without a metronome to guide your steps. After your last training visit, we will repeat the walking and MRI testing. You will then return 3 months later for a follow-up to see if any changes to your walking have persisted. Each visit will take about an hour.

Incentives

up to $265, free parking, information about walking changes, picture of your brain.

In-person visits:
16
Total length of participation:
4 months

Looking for Specific Volunteers

Able to participate:

  • Parkinson disease
  • 50-80 years old
  • normal (or corrected to normal) hearing
  • be on stable doses of orally administered levodopa
  • trouble with gait continuity (like shuffling, shortened steps, freezing, festination, bradykinesia)

Not eligible if:

  • currently undergoing PT
  • can not walking without therapist assistance
  • have undergone deep brain stimulation
  • uncontrolled cardiorespiratory/metabolic disease, or toher neurologic disorders or orthoepdic injury that might affect walking
  • unable to have an MRI (metal implants, claustrophobia)

Contact the Team

Visit Location

Contact & Visit Location

Primary Contact

Primary Visit Location

ReGaiN Laboratory
Medical School Wing D (UNC-Chapel Hill)
336 Emergency Room Dr, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA

Additional Study Information

Principal Investigator

Michael Lewek
Allied Health - Physical Therapy

Study Type

Clinical or Medical
Interventional

Study Topics

Physical Disability
Movement

IRB Number

23-0021

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