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Sep 30, 2010
WebMD.com
PRESS RELEASE
Older adults with Parkinson’s disease as well as those without neurological problems are at increased risk of injury-causing falls when walking and talking at the same time, a study shows. Researchers at Florida State University say Parkinson’s disease alters gait, stride length, and step velocity. It also alters the ability of older people to stabilize themselves on both feet when asked to perform increasingly difficult verbal tasks while walking. A surprising finding of the study was that even older adults who do not have a neurological impairment also have trouble walking and talking at the same time. The study is published in the October issue of the International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology. “These results suggest that it might be prudent for health care professionals and caregivers to alter expectations and monitor cognitive-linguistic demands placed on these individuals while they are walking, particularly during increased risk situations, such as descending stairs, in low-light conditions, or avoiding obstructions,” study researcher Charles G. Maitland, MD, of Florida State University’s College of Medicine, says in a news release.