Parkinson's Disease
A tailored home programme improved walking, balance and confidence for a gentleman living with Parkinson's disease.
The patient experienced freezing of gait, reduced step length and several near-falls at home. He had become fearful of moving around independently.
We used Parkinson's-specific strategies: cueing techniques for gait initiation, large-amplitude movement training, balance work and a home exercise routine with carer support.
Freezing episodes reduced with cueing strategies, step length and walking speed improved, and the patient grew more confident moving between rooms.
The patient was moving more freely at home with fewer freezing episodes, had no further falls during the programme, and maintained an ongoing home exercise routine.
| Measure | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| 10m walk speed | 0.6 m/s | 0.9 m/s |
| Falls in period | 4 (prior month) | 0 |
| Mini-BESTest | 16/28 | 22/28 |