Active clinical trials for "Gait Disorders, Neurologic"

This study evaluates the screening accuracy of a device (OAK) in assessing fall risk in the elderly, compared to the assessment provided by the Algorithm for Fall Risk Assessment of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The OAK device is a technologic system, based on virtual reality. It allows to quickly perform a fall risk assessment integrating clinical indexes of the Brief-BESTest (The Balance Evaluation System Test), and kinematic and posturgraphic indexes. The participants interact with the OAK device through simple exercises, then the device provides an assessment of their functional mobility, equilibrium and postural reactions.

Diabetes mellitus type II (DMII) causes many complications, including retinopathy and peripheral neuropathy. These complications are well understood and believed to contribute to gait instability and increase the risk of falls. Poor balance control and increased falling risk have also been reported in people with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). Patients with DPN are at an increased risk of falling due to the decreased proprioceptive feedbacks. Effective balance training should improve instabilities of postural control in patients with DPN. For this purpose, evaluations and balance training was designed. The goal of our study was to establish values for proprioception, balance, muscle coordination and strength in patients with DMII, who underwent biofeedback balance training using the Biodex Balance System.

The aim of the study is to evaluate the effects of neuropathic pain due to type 2 diabetes on balance and gait. The study is a prospective controlled study. The study is being carried out at the Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Center Gait Analysis Laboratory Unit in Turkey. Individuals diagnosed with neuropathic pain due to Type 2 Diabetes and individuals with diabetes without neuropathic pain are included in the study by clinical examination and tests by a physician. At the same time, healthy individuals are participating as the control group. There will 3 groups in the study : Group 1: Individuals diagnosed with neuropathic pain due to type 2 diabetes (n=14) Group 2: Individuals with type 2 diabetes but no neuropathic pain (n=14) Group 3: Healthy control group (n=14) Assessments: Individual and clinical characteristics of individuals: age, gender, height, body weight, marital status, education level, duration of complaints, and dominant side. Douleur Neuropathique en 4 questions (DN4) Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (LANSS) Pain Questionnaire Visual Analog Scale (VAS) Gait analysis Static and dynamic balance The data will be analyzed using the statistical program for social sciences (SPSS) version 21.0 (IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.). The data will be expressed as mean standard deviation (X±SD) and number (n%). The homogeneity of the groups will be evaluated with the Levene Test. Balance, plantar pressure, and walking values between the groups will be compared using the Kruskal Wallis Test. All the statistical analyses will be set a priori at an alpha level of p<0.05.

A combination of diabetes and neuropathy can cause an altered gait, increased tissue stiffness, limited joint mobility, muscle weakness, foot deformities, thus leading to excessive plantar pressure. The presence of an increased plantar pressure and the loss of sensation is a serious risk factor in the risk of development of diabetic foot ulcers (DFU). Therefore, appropriate shoes and insoles are recommended to redistribute high peak pressure (PP) and reduce pressure time integral (PTI) . Shoe modifications and insoles, when used, is effective to prevent the recurrence of plantar ulcer. The primary aim of the study was to: explore gait characteristics, kinetics and kinematics in a cohort of patients diagnosed with diabetes, with and without neuropathy, assigned to use different types of insoles. The second aim was to assess the relation between gait characteristics, kinetics and kinematics to high plantar PP and PTI. The third aim was to compare gait characteristics, kinetics and kinematics of patients with diabetes and healthy controls.

In our study, we tested the hypothesis of the safe effect applicability of motor training in the immersion high-tech polymodal VR system not only on the parameters of balance, gait, and motor status of the patient, but also on his cognitive functions and mental health in patients with a degree of disability no more than 3 points on a scale Rankin.

Freezing of Gait (FoG) is a class of symptoms that occur in Parkinson's patients. Also called motor blocks, FoG is characterized by a sudden inability to move the lower extremities which usually lasts less than 10 seconds. The exact pathophysiology of FoG is poorly understood, but treatment with levodopa appears to improve FoG observed in the off-state. As Parkinson's patients progress in severity, FoG in the on-state can increase in frequency and appears to be resistant to dopaminergic therapies. There is additional evidence that norepinephrine as well as dopaminergic systems may be involved in FoG. Droxidopa has has been approved for use in Japan since 1989 for treatment of frozen gait or dizziness associated with Parkinson's Disease. This study is to further explore the safety and efficacy of droxidopa in this indication.

The purpose of this study is to assess the effectiveness of a regular walking program (which inevitably involves human interaction) compared to a usual care condition and to a human interaction condition (without the extra walking program) in individuals residing in Long-Term Care (LTC). Outcomes of interest include: balance, strength, mobility, endurance, walking distance; rate and severity of falls; activities of daily living; mood and behaviour. It is hypothesized that participants taking part in the walking program will demonstrate maximal benefits compared to the no treatment control group (usual care) and the participants who will only receive social interaction. It is expected that benefits of the walking program will include decreased fall rates, and improved balance, endurance, strength, mood, behaviour, activities of daily living and quality of life indices. Given research findings that the addition of pleasant activities improves resident mood (Teri et al, 1997; 2003), it is expected that participants in the social interaction only group will demonstrate improvements in mood and other indices of quality of life.

Gait disorders and falls are frequent in patients with parkinsonian syndromes. In patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), these signs occurred later during the course of the disease in comparison to patients with other degenerative parkinsonian disorders. The pathophysiology of these symptoms are still not fully understood. Gait initiation challenges the balance control system as the body moves from an upright stable static posture to a continuously unstable gait. The aim of this study is to analyse the gait initiation process in patients with parkinsonian disorders.

This study evaluates the effects of an isokinetic fatigue protocol of the quadriceps on the amount of co-contractions of this last with the hamstrings during a maximal isometric flexion movement in hemiparetic stroke patients. The effect of such a protocol on gait parameters and spasticity of the quadriceps will be evaluated also.

This study will enroll patients with Multiple Sclerosis and some difficulty with walking. The purpose of this study is to use Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS) a music therapy technique that provides rhythmic auditory cues (like a beat) to help improve a patient's movements, especially when walking. Participants will be asked to participate in a walking program (WP) with Rhythmic Auditory Stimulation (RAS), or a WP without RAS.