My wife tried this device for about 3 weeks on a pretty regular basis. It had no real impact so we decided to return it. To their credit, the company was very good about taking it back and returning our money.

Gait, balance, postural instability, and falling are her worst PD problems. She has now had Parkinson's for nearly 7 years. She has never had tremors, but has stiffness when her meds are off.

She has been doing yoga two days a week and working out with a trainer who is experienced with PD for several years. Also has worked with PT's. These may have some impact on her Parkinson's, but the falling especially is a particularly scary symptom. We have been to the emergency room numerous times after a fall and she has broken bones, etc.

Aside from Sinemet, she is also on Mirapex and Azilect. She has also tried Aricept (which in a small study was shown to have a positive impact on falling.) Nothing appears to really be of much help.

Anyone have insights into the symptom of falling or anything that has worked for you?

Thanks in advance,

Howard

Hi Howard,

I have fallen forward down hills and pitched forward through a bathroom window so I guess the first thing I would recommend is be aware of the obvious...i have rails on the sides of the toilets, and sometimes crawl or use a walking stick or walker [the latter at home only; my father-in-law gave me one and it helps very much.

Think ahead as much as possible. I know that each morning, or sometimes around 4 a.m. the chances are good that I will have a bout of dystonia. So I lay out a sheet, have pillows waiting on the floor as well as anything i use for propping up my legs and feet. Then i don't have to risk a fall trying to get that ready when i need it but can't walk safely. Make sure paths are clear always.

And, as with everything else, the legs have to be strengthened. I am finishing up a few months if physical therapy in an aquasizer - a hot tub that you stand in that is a treadmill . I walk for about 25 in then do leg and lower back exercises in the water. This has helped me to put more attention to how much i really need to use my legs and not my back and abdominal muscles. I do those exercises faithfully due to back spasms.

i guess the last thing i would say though it seems obvious, but look down once in awhile - many of my falls are a r esult of just tripping over the one object in the room on the floor. i don't remember it's there.

oh -watch out on escalaters - especially going down, don't do it while carrying anything. take the elevator.

best wishes,
paula

A couple of thoughts-
Have you looked at the martial arts? I know that some of them specifically teach falling, particularly how to do it properly to avoid injury. Folks can get so scared of falling that the problem can create itself. And imagine what a confidence booster it could be.

On a similar note, I keep telling myself that I'm going to string myself up. Actually, I've been thinking about a strong rope between two trees in the yard and a pulley or ring that slides along it with a shorter rope that hangs down and is tied under my arms. No way to fall. Completely safe. What would happen if we spent 30 minutes a day like that? Throwing ourselves out into the cosmos?