We participate in a walk for our local Parkinson’s Organization every year to support the many activities they provide. I am always astounded by the many different levels of walkers who come out, people who have this disease but are still willing to walk to make it better. Every event is so inspiring. Walking a 5k is difficult and when you add in balance or gait concerns, it can be overwhelming. As a PD CarePartner, there are some things that I have learned along the way that might help us both avoid falls when walking.

My husband has long legs and walks quite fast when he has somewhere to go. I have shorter legs, taking 3 steps to every 2 of his, and sometimes struggle to keep up. He doesn’t currently have any gait or balance concerns, but we need to work now to make sure that when they do come, and they probably will, he is doing everything possible to keep them under control. There are a couple of things that we do to make sure that he is safe when we walk.

First, he wears good fitting shoes that give his feet the support they need. I know that many of our friends with PD wear loafers because they are easier to get into, but, when walking, my husband prefers a shoe that ties on securely and won’t slip off should he stumble. Secondly, he practices with daily walks. We try to go at least a mile every day. There are some things he could add like swinging his arms and kicking his feet out to make sure he places his heel first, he knows them, he just doesn’t use them yet.

For more information on balance and gait, check out this article on the Parkinson’s Foundation website entitled Trouble Moving or Walking.