Improvement in freezing of gait of a Parkinson’s patient induced by physical therapy intervention with an internal rhythmic cue task

Abstract

[Purpose]: We examined the effect of exercise therapy, aiming to improve the ability to form internal rhythm, on the rhythmic tapping and freezing of gait (FOG) of a Parkinson’s disease patient. [Subject] One Parkinson’s disease patient who had difficulty in sustaining rhythmic tapping, and in controlling FOG with external visual or auditory cues. [Methods]: We provided a 20 min-exercise that facilitates internal rhythm formation for 8 weeks (twice per week), and evaluated the subject’s performance of rhythmic tapping and walking. [Results]: We found a gradual increase in the number of repetitions of rhythmic tapping and a reduction in FOG after the intervention. [Conclusion]: Exercise to facilitate movements based on internally formed rhythm, instead of external cue, might be a more effective way of improving FOG in Parkinson’s disease.