Amplitude and Rate of Intrinsic Feedback During Treadmill Training for Parkinson's Disease
- Conditions
- Parkinson's DiseaseTreadmill
- Interventions
- Behavioral: magnitude treadmill groupBehavioral: rate groupBehavioral: regular treadmill walking
- Registration Number
- NCT01987557
- Lead Sponsor
- Wilfrid Laurier University
- Brief Summary
Treadmill training has been shown to be beneficial for reducing motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). The mechanisms for the therapeutic effects of treadmill training remain unknown. However, specific types of intrinsic feedback generated from muscle spindles (detect changes in length of muscle) and golgi tendon organs (detect muscle force) seem to be an important factor for achieving the reductions in motor scores. This study will compare a treadmill program that generates a high rate of intrinsic feedback to a treadmill program focused on generating a high magnitude of intrinsic feedback.
- Detailed Description
Not available
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 48
- diagnosis of Parkinson's disease
- must be able to walk unassisted for 10 metres
- cardiovascular disease/history of stroke
- Dementia
- lower body injury that would be worsened by repetitive walking
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Magnitude treadmill group magnitude treadmill group In this condition participants will walk on a treadmill with weights on their ankles to elicit a greater magnitude of instrinsic feedback from force sensitive golgi tendon organs Treadmill Intervention 1: Rate Group rate group Participants in this condition will walk with a cadence (steps per minute) that is approximately 35% faster than comfortable walking pace. In this condition, participants will maintain a step length that is similar to that of their comfortable walking pace. regular treadmill walking regular treadmill walking participants will walk at a comfortable self-selected pace on a treadmill
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Motor Section of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS-III) Pre assessments are conducted in the week prior to the treadmill program. Post are conducted during the week immediately following the program. Changes after the 6 week treadmill program are being examined A measure of the motor symptom severity within Parkinsons. UPDRS III is a qualitative assessment performed by a trained clinician. Specifically, a change in UPDRS III from pre to post is the main outcome measure.
The UPDRS-III score is a summation of 27 tasks that are scored from 0-4. 0 meaning no impairment, and 4 representing extreme impairment, inability to complete task. Possible scores on the UPDRS-III range from 0 (no impairment) to 108 (extreme impairment).
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Static Posturography (Balance/Postural Control) pre test occurs within the week prior to the start of the treadmill training program. Post testing will occur during the week immediately following the 6 week treadmill training program. A Balance SD system from BIODEX (Shirley, NY) will be used to assess postural control. Changes from pre to post are what is being examined.
Spatiotemporal Aspects of Gait pre test occurs within the week prior to the start of the treadmill training program. Post testing will occur during the week immediately following the 6 week treadmill training program. Participants will walk on a pressure sensitive GAITRite carpet (Sparta, NJ), at both comfortable and fast paced walking speeds. Changes in gait characteristics from pre to post are what is being examined.
Quantitative measures of gait such as step time, step length, walking velocity, and others will be used in the analysis.
Spotters are always present to ensure safety during this assessment.