Personalized Digital Music-Based Walking Program to Enhance Gait and Quality of Life in Parkinson Disease

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying a 3-month personalized community-based walking program called MyMusiQ that uses music cues delivered through a digital device to help people with Parkinson disease PD. The goal is to see if this personalized music cueing can improve walking quality, ability, daily walking amount and intensity, and overall quality of life, while making walking feel more automatic and less mentally demanding. This study is a single-arm, multi-center trial involving 162 participants, building on previous smaller studies to better understand who benefits most from this approach. Participants will use a digital music device from MedRhythms, Inc., which includes foot sensors, a smartphone app, and headphones. The device collects real-time walking data and adjusts music cues to match and support the users walking pattern. The intervention is self-directed, home- and community-based, lasting 12 weeks. The study includes multiple visits an initial phone screen, two baseline assessments spaced 2 to 3 weeks apart, the 3-month walking intervention, a post-intervention assessment immediately after, and a follow-up about 1 month later. During the study, participants will complete clinical motor and gait function tests, wear sensors to monitor walking, and fill out questionnaires on walking confidence and quality of life. Outcome measures include minutes of moderate-intensity walking, daily step counts, 6-Minute Walk Test results, gait speed, stride length, and other balance and cognitive assessments. Safety and adherence will be monitored throughout, and the total participation time is about 18 weeks with four study visits at designated research centers.

A Novel Digital Music-based Autonomous Personalized Walking Intervention to Improve Gait and Walking Automaticity in Parkinson Disease