About This Project

I'm studying Nordic Walking (NW) in Parkinsonism to understand how the pole walking can help individuals with Parkinson disease. We aim to study the quality of life, gait biomechanics (three-dimensional movement), respiratory, and clinical-functional parameters in a randomized controlled trial (RCT) strategy. One periodized 8 week training of NW and free walking was structured in order to test these effects. We hope improving the quality-of-life and wellness of these patients.

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What is the context of this research?

The Parkinson’s disease (PD) promotes motor symptoms such as stiffness disorders, resting tremor, bradykinesia (slowness of movement), reduced mobility, and speed of walking. The motor symptoms, in turn, may limit the functional activities of daily living.

Aerobic exercise, on the other hand, potentially mitigates the motor neurodegenerative functional changes. Aerobic training reduces the deleterious effects of PD by potentially decreasing neuronal death, enhancing cell survival,

stimulating neurogenesis, reducing the oxidative stress of dopaminergic
neurons, and increasing the concentration levels of proteins and their
neurotrophic factors (proteins that helps neurons develop).

What is the significance of this project?

Walking with poles changes the walking mechanics, by increasing the step length, changing the patterns of muscular activation (Pellegrini et al., 2015) and providing rhythmic external cues, which can inhibit defective circuitries in the brain. This study is unique because will test how these alterations affect the gait and mobility of Parkinson subjects. More information (subtitle with automatic translate):

What are the goals of the project?

The main objective of this study is to analyze the effects of a NW training program and Free walking on biomechanical and physiological parameters in PD patients. The specific goals are: to compare the gait biomechanics (stride length, stride frequency, range of ankle, knee and hip motion, pendular mechanism, oxygen uptake, metabolic and mechanical cost of walking before and after an 8 week nordic walking and free walking training.

Budget

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The nordic poles are crucial to permit the subjects training accordingly. Adding 20 pairs of poles we will increase the number of individuals training concomitantly, with more possibilities of collective activities (see videos and pictures in facebook).

The oxygen gas cylinder will be used to exercise cardiopulmonar tests.

The reflective markers will be used in kinematic assessment of gait. Accurate measurement of joint and limb positions is critical for Gait Analysis and these reflective spherical markers allow for quick and objective measurement of joint angles and better visualization of body segment rotations.

These protocols will to reveal on the economy and efficiency of Parkinson disease subjects.

The fee will be used to publish the article in a free-access journal.

Endorsed by

I am very glad to endorse this project. Dr. Tartaruga and his research group have a deep understanding of nordic walking, in terms of patterns of muscles activation, biomechanics and energetics (Pellegrini et al., 2015, Pellegrini et al., 2016). The idea to train Parkinson disease patients with a locomotion modality which induces changes of the pattern of movements opposite to the changes induced by the disease is intriguing, and should be explored. I am looking to read the results of this interesting and potentially useful research.
This is an important research that opens new directions for developing knowledge about the effects of Nordic Walking on Parkinson's Disease. In addition, the research team has been studying this area.
There is an increasing clinical interest in to find strategies that allow the recovery of the characteristics of normal locomotor patterns. The study proposed by Prof. Tartaruga and his research group is an innovation, in that sense. The project will to evaluate a strategy that can determine great benefits in this broad population of patients. I consider that the experience and excellence of the proponent group in the area guarantees the achievement of good results. I am very cheerful to endorse this project.
I had the great opportunity to follow this amazing project at UFRGS last year. I could feel and see how much the Nordic Walking exercise/training improved social life and health of all participants. Beyond this, the research group Locomotion is reference in this topic of study! Best wishes guys!!!!
It is a true pleasure for me to endorse this project. The idea behind this research is a proof that the biomechanics of locomotion is a true complete and interdisciplinary science, where sports and clinics are two of the possible fields of application. I am looking forward to hear from Dr. Tartaruga and his team the first results of this interesting and useful research.
I endorse this project because of its important scientific and social implications. It is an innovative study that can contribute for the better understanding of the effects of exercise in the improvement of health in persons with Parkinson's Disease.

Meet the Team

Leonardo Alexandre Peyré-Tartaruga
Leonardo Alexandre Peyré-Tartaruga
Associate Professor

Affiliates

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
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Angela Peña Ghisleni
Angela Peña Ghisleni
Professor

Affiliates

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS
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Karen Przybysz da Silva Rosa
Karen Przybysz da Silva Rosa
PT Ms

Affiliates

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
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Flávia Martinez
Flávia Martinez
Adjunct Professor

Affiliates

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul
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Elren Passos Monteiro
Elren Passos Monteiro
PhD Student

Affiliates

Federal University of Sciences of Health of Porto Alegre
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Marcelo Coertjens
Marcelo Coertjens
Associate Professor

Affiliates

Federal University of Piauí
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Aline Pagnussat
Aline Pagnussat
Carlos Rieder
Carlos Rieder

Team Bio

The team is multidisciplinary and involves a range of health professionals to see problems through many different lenses, uncover unique insights, and widen the scope of what’s possible. Concern for patients was the main attractor for professionals of different areas. The combination of doctors, physiotherapists, and sport/exercise scientists make this a very strong team.

Leonardo Alexandre Peyré-Tartaruga

I grew-up in the south Brazil, alternating times between Montevideo (Uruguay) and Porto Alegre (Brazil). Crossing several times the Pampas made me deeply interested by the nature and biology. After, I can joint my passion for sports and movement to biology area. Currently, I am Professor and Researcher at Lapex, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, Brazil. I am interested in minima, maxima and others optima in terrestrial locomotion & Sports Sciences. The pathological gait is a very interesting area to apply basic concepts of human locomotion. I am very proud to study and principally, changing life as in the Parkinson projects.

Angela Peña Ghisleni

As a physiotherapist and currently as a university professor, I have a special interest in the functional improvement of patients. Having the opportunity to contribute to the Nordic Walk project in Parkinsonism is an honor.

Karen Przybysz da Silva Rosa

I am a physiotherapist and physical aducator, currently trying to specialize in human locomotion, water therapy and water exercises. I live in south Brazil, where I work in water reabilitation and general rehabilitation. I'm interested in biomechanics, physiological responses to exercise, neuroplasticity, neurorehabilitation, among others studies. I strongly belive that knowledge is more worthy if shared and if it can be applied in our comunity. That's why I currently help in two programs in the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, one of Nordic Walking for elderly and Parkinson's patients, and other of Aquatic Physiotherapy.

Flávia Martinez

I'm physical therapist and physical educator with PhD in Neuroscience (UFRGS, 2007). Currently, I'm Adjunct Professor at Department of Physical Education, Physical Therapy and Dance, UFRGS. My research line is aquatic therapy and movement disorders. I'm very proud and happy to participate in this amazing project. The Nordic Walking has a strong potential to help individuals with Parkinson disease.

Elren Passos Monteiro

I grew-up in Belem, capital of Pará State, in the Amazon region. Since child, my passion to help people let me to study physical education with specialization in Neurosciences. The Parkinson project started with my master study were we found our first impressive results. Today, we want to increase our capacity to improve the Parkinson subjects' quality-of-life, and, at same time, to deep our knowledge about biomechanical and energetics changes with the nordic walking training in individuals with Parkinson disease.

Marcelo Coertjens

I'm physical educator and historian with Master Science in Human Movement Science. Currently, I'm Associate Professor at Federal University of Piauí and PhD Candidate in Pneumological Sciences (UFRGS). Also, I'm supervisor and instructor of the Parkinson project and I can stating that I learn every day in this outstanding project.

Additional Information

We will conduct tests on treadmill walking at three speeds and self-selected speed. Here we will collect ventilatory and biomechanical data. Specifically we will determine the metabolic cost of walking, the mechanical cost of walking, mechanical efficiency and pendular mechanism. More information:

our project in Facebook!




Project Backers

  • 37Backers
  • 33%Funded
  • $1,248Total Donations
  • $32.84Average Donation
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