New non-pharmaceutical, non invasive home use device is helping people with Parkinson's disease improve their walking long term.
Haifa, Israel (PRWEB) January 11, 2011
Jeanne Crace once dreamed of enjoying her retirement with a lot of traveling, camping and visiting her siblings and grandchildren, but her mobility has been getting worse in the last 15 years due to Parkinson's disease.
With increasing freezing episodes, shuffling, stooped posture and frequent falls Jeanne says she was lucky to only have broken ribs on a couple of occasions. The Craces had almost exhausted their search for anything that would help.
Today, thanks to a non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical home use device called GaitAid, this 72 year-old Hamilton, AB resident is living her dreams of camping trips and family visits.
The GaitAid is a simple movement, feedback, training device developed over the last 15 years which is shown to improve walking for a variety of neurological patients including stroke, cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis but has been most successful for those with Parkinson's disease.
The GaitAid includes special goggles worn over the eyes and headphones which output visual and audio cues. The patient now has a target for each walking step and feedback on their movement. With daily 20 minute practice sessions, patients re-learn to walk better with more confidence and balance.
"The GaitAid isn't right for everyone.", says Prof. Baram, inventor of the device. "Patient's need to be cognitively intact and not be wheelchair bound. Motivation, persistence and caregiver support are crucial for success."
Jeanne first noticed symptoms during a cross-country trip in 1995. Jeanne says " later on mobility became a serious problem. It became necessary to use a scooter, walker, and a cane. Dan, my husband, has always been there to help me and encourage me when tasks became difficult. Adjusting my medications didn't help much and often caused nausea problems. We always enjoyed visiting family, but as the disease progressed we were limited to day trips."
Jeanne has been using the GaitAid for over a year and a half now. Jeanne says, "I have gained so much, my freezups are now non existent except at times when I am in a large crowd, and my walking has improved so much I don't need to use my scooter. I still take my cane just for that feeling of security. My coordination in getting dressed has also improved considerably. Dan and I took a 7-day vacation to Florida and South Alabama where I got to go fishing and walk barefoot on the beach, also caught more fish than Dan. I am so thankful I can now recapture many of the things I have been missing like travel, family visits, fishing, camping, shopping and music."
Dr. Jeff Harrison, Jeanne's physician says, "It is neat stuff. It displays a virtual checkerboard grid and makes a clicking sound when she makes a forward movement onto one of the grid squares. this helps override some of the inhibitory signals her brain generates and allows her to walk with a quicker and more stable gait."
More information on the GaitAid device available through the website: MediGait.comby email: support(at)medigait.comor by phone: 888-777-9906
Audrey Holmes-BaramMediGait LTD888-777-9906Email Information