Walking fast and cycling.

More in relation to cycling and walking fast swinging arms.

Steady balance in cycling is dependent on speed, toppling off at zero speed.

A comfort zone is there. So with walking.

I have seen Parkinsonics ‘shuffle’ forwards - but walking fast.

jksw

jksw

From: Nandana Wijayaweera [mailto:ndw321@hotmail.co.uk] 
Sent: Tuesday, June 17, 2014 1:20 AM
To: Susiri Weerasekara
Subject: FW: Chances of falling are less for a faster walker

See below for comments from an Audio Vestibular Phycisian

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Dear Nandana,

I am glad that you sent me the U-Tube clip on Parkinson's tremor and rigidity being reduced / subdued by repetitive wilful activity (ie:-cycling) or exercise (ie:- dancing) ...

I can't formulate a hypothesis to explain it but it is interesting that these activities gives (what I fathom is) temporary relief, perhaps sustained for hours or days but "not a cure"

Perhaps cholinergic over activity seen in Parkinson disease in face of reduced dopamine, is in some manner

1. bypassed  ... or

2. corrected

when cycling or dancing so that there is in someway a release of 'a reserve' of Dopamine from basal ganglia.

f-MRI studies might give a clue as to the physiology.

The observation that chances of falling (in the older subject) who are faster may seem a paradox, but it is a fact that if one slows down and "is careful" ....  the chances of falling are much greater.

If a "fast individual" were to trip over there would be automatic reflex protective movement.

In the case of a older individual the reflex protective postural changes to regain balance would be gradually lost as spontaneity is reduced 'when being careful' having to consciously think of basic movements such as walking. 

sincerely,

Jaika