Having foot pain, particularly of mild intensity or occasional pain, is associated with a higher risk of falls among people with Parkinson’s disease, a study in Spain shows. The study assessed the factors that could contribute to a higher risk of falls with Parkinson’s and found that people with…

Have you ever witnessed someone falling? One minute they’re walking by your side, and the next, they’re on the ground. Usually this involves slipping on the ice on a cold winter day or drinking too much beer at a college tailgate. But for those of us who have a friend…

My sister Bev, who has stage 3 Parkinson’s disease (PD), has balance problems and an unsteady gait, which have led to a number of falls. Fortunately, she hasn’t suffered any major injuries as a result. Last year, Bev had a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, or DEXA, scan to measure…

IRLAB has received approval from the Swedish Medical Products Agency (MPA) to conduct a Phase 2b trial for its investigational medication, pirepemat (previously known as IRL752), which is intended to treat impaired balance and prevent falls in patients with Parkinson’s disease. “Pirepemat has potential to be the first…

In the summer of 2019, I visited my niece, Lou, and my older sister, Bev, in Ohio. While I was there, we decided to drive to Colonial Williamsburg, an outdoor museum in Virginia, for a brief trip. Bev has stage 3 Parkinson’s disease (PD) and was 81 at the…

The University of Michigan (U-M) will use a five-year, $11.7 million grant to reopen its Morris K. Udall Center of Excellence in Parkinson’s Disease Research, according to a university press release. The grant, from the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke (NINDS), will fund research on falls and…

The first thought that popped into my head when I realized August is Medical Alert Awareness Month was, “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.” While that famous line from commercials in the 1980s and early ’90s became part of pop culture, it also represented a serious concern that continues…

Now and then, especially as I’ve gotten older, my gait can be a bit unsteady. I’ve been known to drift a little to the left while walking. As we age, our balance, steadiness, strength, and agility decrease, and our chances of falling increase. For people with Parkinson’s disease (PD), balance,…

When it comes to exercise and Parkinson’s disease, a plethora of programs are available to help us move better and live more fully. Everyone is different, and there isn’t a single exercise or program that meets everyone’s needs. Some people love to swim, while others don’t. Some like to walk,…

Previous falls, hallucinations, and cognitive problems are among the factors that predict a risk of recurrent falls in elderly people with parkinsonian gait, a study suggests. The study, “Parkinsonian gait in elderly people: Significance of the threshold value of two and more falls per year,” was published in the…