Overview
The Path Finder is a shoe attachment that provides visual cues to assist users in overcoming Freezing of Gait (FoG), a common sysmptom in Parkinson's disease.
What is Freezing of Gait (FoG)?
Freezing of Gait affects more than half of Parkinson's disease sufferers, which makes it difficult to initiate walking. When attempting to lift the foot to step forward, the foot feels 'stuck' to the ground, which can lead to falls and causing further debilitating or life-threatening injuries.
Currently FoG is being treated using drugs, which may decrease the duration and frequency of each episode. However users on these therapies may have a higher prevalence of leg trembling and small shuffling steps.
Additionally people living with Parkinson's disease tend to suffer more from FoG during off periods and as such pharmacological treatment cannot be relied up on for relief.
As such the external cueing system of Path Finder (ie visual cues) activates the motor cortex and help initiate movements. This is because FoG is known to respond well to sensory cues as sufferers have not lost the ability to move, but rather experience difficulty in its activation.
Research has demonstrated that walking over parallel lines on the floor immediately reduce the number of FoG episodes. Through the use of visual cues the duration of these episodes are decreased by over 50%.
The Path Finder is a laser shoe attachment that helps people with Parkinson's Disease walking independently by providing visual cues to help you take the next step.
How does it work?
1. A green horizontal laser line is projected onto the ground
2. The laser line is at a set distance from the user's feet
3. On setup, it's calibrated to the user's unique step length
4. The laser acts as external stimulus to trigger walking
KEY BENEFITS
- Hands-free
- Step-sync cueing: no multitasking needed
- Can be used at all stages of the mobility journey
- Works on its own or with a cane or walker
- Lines consistently provided for every step
- Calibrated to the wearer's unique step length
SIZING GUIDE
(Size is in Australian standards)
|
Men |
Women |
M |
6 or 7 |
3.5 - 7 |
L |
7 - 8.5 |
7.5 - 9 |
XL |
10 - 15.5 |
10.5 - 12.5 |