Assisted technology in Parkinson's disease gait: what's up?

Background:  Gait disturbances are prevalent and debilitating symptoms, diminishing mobility and quality of life for Parkinson's disease (PD) individuals. While traditional treatments offer partial relief, there is a growing interest in alternative interventions to address this challenge. Recently, a remarkable surge in assisted technology (AT) development was witnessed to aid individuals with PD.

Objective:  To explore the burgeoning landscape of AT interventions tailored to alleviate PD-related gait impairments and describe current research related to such aim.

Methods:  In this review, we searched on PubMed for papers published in English (2018-2023). Additionally, the abstract of each study was read to ensure inclusion. Four researchers searched independently, including studies according to our inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Results:  We included studies that met all inclusion criteria. We identified key trends in assistive technology of gait parameters analysis in PD. These encompass wearable sensors, gait analysis, real-time feedback and cueing techniques, virtual reality, and robotics.

Conclusion:  This review provides a resource for guiding future research, informing clinical decisions, and fostering collaboration among researchers, clinicians, and policymakers. By delineating this rapidly evolving field's contours, it aims to inspire further innovation, ultimately improving the lives of PD patients through more effective and personalized interventions.