The Effectiveness of Utilizing a Combination of External Visual and Auditory Cues as a Gait Training Strategy in a Pharmaceutically Untreated Patient with Parkinson's Disease: A Case Report

ABSTRACT

One major functional problem that many individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) face is gait difficulties, including a shuffling gait and freezing episodes. Proposed treatment options in physical therapy (PT) include teaching PD patients to utilize external cues in order to allow for a more efficient gait. The purpose of this case study was to compare the effectiveness of visual cue alone and combined visual and auditory cues on various gait parameters in a patient with PD, who was not receiving pharmaceutical treatment. The patient was a 71-year-old male who presented with a diagnosis, signs and symptoms of PD. The patient was seen in PT for 5×/week for 7 weeks. The main focus on the intervention was improved gait through gait strategies such as visual and auditory cues. Outcomes showed increased gait velocity, distance ambulated, and decreased frequency of freezing with visual and auditory cues compared to visual cues alone.

KEYWORDS. :

• Parkinson's disease
• external cues
• gait
• non-medicated care