Help to BEAT that gait problem.

[bobingalong]

Having heard that walking to music can help to improve gait I proceeded to find out.

Firstly I needed the right music with a tempo that matched my pace. This can be scientifically measured but my way was to listen to various tracks and find one that comfortably matched my pace.

Searching the web I found a site that would tell me the BPM (beats per minute) of that track, Songbpm.com for instance.

Having found my pace-making BPM I needed to find other tracks in that range. This was done with the assistance of walk.jogfm.com which will allow you to search for music with a specific BPM.

You are then able to adjust the selection with regards to your own taste in music. These tracks can then be sourced from elsewhere or downloaded via an online music account to your iPhone.

I say iPhone and not mp3 player as I needed a GPS tracking device.

For this I used a fitness software freely available at endomondo.com which you can download to your iPhone with an available Application.

This is found by searching your phones app's for endomondo (the free version) and downloading it.

This is a fitness tracking software that covers various sports and includes walking.

Once installed on your iPhone to need to open a free account with your email address on your PC. This site will then store the data from your walks by transferring it from your iPhone.

You can then keep a record of your walks and analyse them using the various tools supplied.

Back to the music that you want to walk to, having down loaded this to your iPhone, you can then create a standard playlist in your music player.

You can then select your created playlist within the App by selecting the change playlist button after hitting music note icon. Also within this window are the music controls.

And there you have it! You can select your playlist containing your selected music, press the start button on the fitness application and away you go. Finishing your walk and pressing the stop button, your data will be transferred to your home PC.

You can then analyse your data at your leisure and see if it does actually make an improvement.

There are also endless possibilities of sharing this data with whoever you wish via social media. Maybe you could start a group to compare data?

There are lots of help and blog sites around but should you become stuck, get the help of a friend or family member, preferably below the age of 10! They probably won’t take long setting it up, but I can't guarantee what type of music you will be walking to!!!

[davidedwards]

i am 52 and have had p/d for 10 years. i canly barely dial a phone call on an iphone..............let alone search anything....i don't mean sound rude but using iphone is not an option

[Goof55y in reply to davidedwards]

i understand what you mean , had pd 11years am now 61. Stalevo has helped me, get my joints moving, so much so i took up knitting again 6mths ago, the more I do the better the movement, I even completed Big Ben in 3d jigsaw the other night, tricky but I won. I have a body sculpture exercise bike, you sit back on it , the handle bars are by your side , when my legs start going off I pedal my bike , gently, I don't go mad, usually knitting and it seems to work the stiffness out of them. When I do freeze like david I say walk walk walk,like marching, most of the times it works.

[PatV in reply to davidedwards]

I know. I'm 73, just got an i{Pad. Thank goodness for grandchildren!

[Jash]

You are so resourceful. Well done and thank you for sharing that excellent information so that we too get moving to the beat. Best to you

[Hidden]

Life does get complicated

When I go out walking I use this simple beat to keep in step.

Left Left I had a good job and I left. Left Left I had a good job and I left. It works very well for me.

[soup]

Well done being so persistent and resourceful. If people can't manage all of that and have no youngsters around to help, a simple belt mounted metronome could help. You don't have to go round ticking, you can get some that vibrate against the skin.

[MyownPOV]

I've discovered that listening to HALLELUJAH by Handel as I arrive on my throne improves my day immensly.

[Coblrman]

I thought of something last night that appears to work for freezing and off-time. When I'm off I can't walk at all hardly. I recall when I moved a year ago our house was full of boxes everywhere for a couple of days and I had to step over boxes and work my rear off. I did so well I assumed the physical activity or exercise was the secret but last night when struggling to get to the bedroom I had to step over a footrest and then realized I could actually walk if I imagined I was stepping over boxes. I tried it again this morning and it works better than anything else I've tried. So basically I visualize boxes that I need to step over as I walk. Give it a try and tell me if it works for anyone else.

[PatV in reply to Coblrman]

Look for youtube by Pamela Quinn. We learn many such techniques in our movement for Parkinson's class.

[davidedwards]

i wrote this to goof55y

what an inspratiob your are! i was having trouble with my gait today and i thought of gomer pile's left right left right. i started saying in my mind over and over and it really helped...........thank you so much

[Polyanna007 in reply to davidedwards]

Such good advice. Thanks

Polyanna007