Secondary task performance during challenging walking tasks and freezing episodes in Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) patients likely use attentional strategies to compensate for their gait deficits, which increases the cognitive challenge of walking. The interplay between cognitive functions and gait can be investigated by evaluating the subject's attendance to a secondary task during walking. We hypothesized that the ability to attend to a secondary task decreases during challenging walking conditions in PD, particularly during freezing of gait (FOG)-episodes.

The walk-bicycle: A new assistive device for Parkinson's patients with freezing of gait?

Background: Previous studies reported a preserved ability to cycle in freezers, creating opportunities for restoring mobility and independence. However, use of a bicycle is not always feasible. Here, we investigated the effectiveness of a "walk-bicycle" in reducing freezing of gait (FOG).