Science says that if we do this movement when we walk it could be one of the first symptoms of Parkinson’s

Walking is a natural act of the human being. You learn to walk in the first years of life, unless there are diseases or dysfunctions that can impair movement. It is necessary to learn numerous movements which will then become automatic. Walking requires the coordination of numerous parts of the body including the inner ear, for the sense of balance, the visual system and the capacity for eye-muscle coordination. It requires with each step an adjustment of the body in space with fluid movements that we are not aware of. When this mechanism is not so harmonious, there is likely to be some muscle or neurological problem. Science tells us that if we do this movement when we walk it could be one of the first symptoms of Parkinson’s.

The disease

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system. Patients with Parkinson’s disease have problems speaking and coordinating hand and walking movements, with the risk of continuous falls. However, the most common symptoms are related to movement. For example, there is tremor, stiffness, slowness of movement, postural instability and difficulty in walking and gait. Sometimes, patients freeze while walking without being able to restart or change position (freezing gait). The motor symptoms of Parkinson’s are caused by the death of certain dopamine-producing brain cells. Here, therefore, that being able to understand the first symptoms of the disease in its early stage would allow a more adequate therapy for the patient.

Science says that if we do this movement when we walk it could be one of the first symptoms of Parkinson’s

Being able to identify the first symptoms of a disease allows, in general, to eliminate or mitigate complications of the disease. We had already seen for example how to recognize an aortic aneurysm with a simple movement of the thumb. In Parkinson’s disease, an early symptom of the disease is impaired coordination between arm movements while walking. When walking, the arms move alternately (one in front and one behind) and in a coordinated manner.

The extent of this movement can be measured. This is what was done in the study by Huang X et al. (Gait & Posture, volume 35, 3 of 2012). It has been shown that, in the early stages of the disease, the two arms move at different amplitudes and at different speeds. That is, there is an asymmetry in walking that can be used to recognize the very first symptoms of Parkinson’s. Observing others and ourselves carefully is a life-saving form of love.