Fifty participants (50-65 years) with idiopathic PD (Hoehn & Yahr scale 2-3) will be randomly assigned to the intervention group receiving four weeks of VPT in a VR environment using the Gait Real-time Analysis Interactive Lab system (GRAIL) or a control group receiving four weeks of regular treadmill training. Primary outcome measures are spatio-temporal outcome parameters of gait and dynamic stability (gait speed, stride time/length, cadence, step-to-step variability, step width variability and trunk sway), and self-reported falls, and will be recorded at all testing phases (pre-test, after baseline, after intervention and after detraining). Secondary outcome measures will include assessments of central and peripheral vestibular function (Cervical and ocular Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials) for correlation with the primary outcome measures. The secondary outcomes will be recorded at pre-testing and directly after the intervention phase.
Falls during walking are common in people with Parkinson's Disease (PD). Fall risk can be attributed in part to the loss of automaticity in walking and an increased reliance on sensory cues, such as the input from the balance organ. In this project the investigators want to assess the effectiveness of rehabilitation training aiming to improve this vestibular input. The effects of a visual perturbation training in a virtual reality environment will be compared to conventional treadmill training.