Objective: We aim to compare the performance of the same prescribed walk test in the laboratory/clinic versus in the home.

Background: With the advent of wearable, inertial sensors and the adaptation of hybrid clinical trials, home assessment of mobility has become possible. We hypothesize that the same prescribed walk test in clinic and home would results in same gait and turning characteristics in people with PD.

Method: 21 individuals with idiopathic PD (age: 69 ± 7 years, disease duration: 9 ± 6 years, MDS-UPDRS III in ON medication state: 34 ± 11) participated in the study. Subjects wore 3 inertial sensors (one on each foot and lower back) in the laboratory and at home. Participants were asked to walk with the prescribed L-shaped path (walk at least 10 steps straight, take a 90-degree turn, walk straight at least 4 steps, turn 180-degree and comeback with the same path) for 5 repetitions in the lab and their home.

Results: Gait speed was not significantly different in lab versus home. However, many foot orientation measures and turning measures were significantly different in lab compared to home. For example, foot-strike angle (p<0.001) and elevation of the foot during swing (p<0.001) were larger in the home compared to the lab. In contrast, turn velocity was slower in the home compared to the lab (p<0.001).

Conclusion: Prescribed walking tests performed in the lab and home settings show significantly different results in many gait and turning measures suggesting that context and environment plays a major role in the performance.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/comparing-digital-gait-and-turning-measures-from-a-prescribed-gait-test-in-the-clinic-laboratory-versus-the-same-test-at-home-in-people-with-parkinsons-disease/