The purpose of this study is to determine how using auditory cues of a metronome and music at various frequencies impacts the gait mechanics in people with Parkinson's disease when walking over ground and on a treadmill. The investigators will enroll a total of 40 participants: 30 subjects with a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (10 in Stage 1, 10 in Stage 2, and 10 in Stage 3) and 10 unimpaired subjects. Participants will complete 7 different treadmill walking conditions and overground walking conditions while the investigators measure step length, cadence, gait speed, and variability of movement.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
21
Steps are timed with the beat of the metronome set to the subject's cadence
Steps are timed with the beat of the metronome set to 85% of the subject's cadence
Steps are timed with the beat of the metronome set to 115% of the subject's cadence
Steps are timed with the beat of the music by a rhythm consistent with the subject's cadence
Steps are timed with the beat of the music by a rhythm consistent with 85% of the subject's cadence
Steps are timed with the beat of the music by a rhythm consistent with 115% of the subject's cadence
Steps are not timed with any auditory cue.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States
Step Length
The length of each step taken while walking on a treadmill or overground. It is the anteroposterior distance from one foot to the other at heel strike measured during walking under each condition.
Time frame: The entire duration of each condition, approximately 2 minutes each.
Cadence
The number of steps taken per minute measured while walking on a treadmill or overground under each condition.
Time frame: The entire duration of each condition, approximately 2 minutes each.
Gait speed
The distance covered in a measured period of time (meters per second) while walking overground under each condition.
Time frame: The entire duration of each condition, approximately 2 minutes each.
Movement variability
The coefficient of variation of spatiotemporal measures (step timing and step length) while walking overground and on a treadmill under each condition.
Time frame: The entire duration of each condition, approximately 2 minutes each.
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