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Walking with personalised music-based guidance

Researchers test a walking programme using a digital music device, looking at walking ability and how naturally walking happens in Parkinson’s.

Testing a treatment or activity · Study reference: NCT07705373

Plain-language introduction written with AI from the registry; not independently checked by a clinician. Read the original details below ↓

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Looking for volunteers

Start (reported actual date)
2026-08-20
Main measurements finished (planned)
2028-12-31
Study finished (planned)
2029-02-28

Planned dates can move. A study finishing does not tell us when a paper will be published.

No results summary has been confirmed in the registry records we imported. See connected papers below; we keep checking after recruitment ends.

Changes we have recorded
  • 2026-10-11 — recruiting

These are dates we observed a change, not necessarily the dates it happened.

Papers connected to this study

No connected paper has been found yet. The tracker checks the growing library for study identifiers and registry-linked publications.

Who can join?

Age 40 years and over · Does not accept healthy volunteers

These are starting points, not the full rules. The research team can tell you whether the study is right for your situation.

Read all the rules for taking part

Sex eligibility reported by registry: all

Inclusion Criteria: * Self-report of diagnosis of typical Parkinson disease determined by a medical doctor * ≥ 40 years of age * Community-dwelling (e.g. home, independent living, senior housing) * Have stable PD medications for at least two weeks prior to enrollment * Modified Hoehn and Yahr stages 1-3 per physical exam by a licensed physical therapist * Able to walk independently without physical assistance for at least 10 minutes (assistive devices allowed with reciprocal gait pattern) * Willing and able to provide informed consent * Provide HIPAA Authorization to allow communication with the primary healthcare provider for communication (as needed) during the study period Exclusion Criteria: * \< 40 years of age * Diagnosis of atypical Parkinsonism * Modified Hoehn and Yahr stages 4-5 * Significantly disturbing freezing episodes during daily walking based on the New Freezing of Gait Questionnaire (Part III Item 7) * Fall frequencies \>1x/week on average, over the past month. * Currently participating in physical therapy for Parkinson gait rehabilitation * Currently performing walking exercise at moderate intensities or higher for at least 30 min. per session ≥ 3x/week * Self-reported cardiac problems that interfere with the ability to safely exercise (e.g., congestive heart failure, uncontrolled cardiac arrhythmias, chest pain; * Orthopedic problems in the lower extremities or spine that may limit walking distance (e.g., severe arthritis, spinal stenosis, or significant pain) * Any other medical conditions that would preclude successful participation as determined by the researcher/ physical therapist * Cognitive impairment (i.e., Montreal Cognitive Assessment, MoCA \< 21) * Unable to walk independently (i.e., without physical assistance) at a comfortable speed ≥ 0.4m/s as measured using the 10-meter Walk Test (10mWT) as examined in Baseline #1 * Resting tachycardia (\> 100 beats/min) or uncontrolled blood pressure (resting systolic BP \> 160 mmHg or diastolic BP \>100 mmHg)) as measured by the researcher/ physical therapist * Unable to independently use the music-based digital therapeutic during training * Significant hearing impairment
Full study name & original research details

Official study title

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

Original description

The purpose of this research study is to examine the effects of a 3-month personalized community-based walking program using a digital music-based device designed for self-directed gait training in people with Parkinson disease (PD). The study uses music cues delivered through this digital device to improve walking outcomes. The investigators want to know if personalized music cueing through the digital device can improve walking quality, walking ability, daily walking amount and intensity, and quality of life, while helping walking feel more automatic and require less mental effort. Participants will take part in this research study for approximately 18 weeks in total. During this time, participants will complete 4 study visits at designated research centers at Boston University, Washington University in St. Louis, or the University of Utah, depending on the site of enrollment.

Further description from the registry

The overall goal of this single-arm, multi-center repeated baselines study (N=162) is to examine how a personalized closed-loop music-based digital gait intervention, using MR-005 (MedRhythms, Inc.), improves gait quality, capacity, real-world walking performance, and gait automaticity in Parkinson disease (PD). Participants will complete a community-based, self-directed walking program using the digital music-based device 4 days a week for 12 weeks, designed to promote sustained walking beyond the use of the device. This study builds on a stepwise investigation beginning with a proof-of-concept feasibility study (N=23) followed by a 6-week randomized controlled trial (RCT; N=44). This mechanistic-focused study will examine the substrates of a personalized approach that underlie changes in walking outcomes, as well as identify determinants that determine responsiveness to the intervention. This study is a critical next step to elucidate mechanistic understanding of closed-loop personalized gait approaches and to determine those with PD who benefit most.

Conditions reported: Parkinson's Disease (PD)

Registry records for this study

Records are joined using registration identifiers. Titles alone do not establish that two studies are the same.

Study type
Interventional
Interventions
MR-005 (MedRhythms, Inc., Portland, ME)
Phases
NA
Sponsor
Boston University Charles River Campus
Start date reported by registry
2026-08-20 (actual)

Registry updated: 2026-08-24 · Status last verified by the registry submitter: 2026-08

Registry records retrieved 2026-10-11 (UTC). Individual records may have older updates. Recruitment and eligibility must be confirmed with the study team.

Contact the research team

Public study contacts supplied to the registry. Ask whether recruitment is still open and what participation involves.

Erica Clarke, BS · 617-358-6157 · egclarke@bu.edu

Franchino Porciuncula, EdD PT DScPT · 617-353-7571 · fporciun@bu.edu

Study locations

Site status can differ from overall study status. “Status not reported” means local availability needs confirmation. Remote participation and travel arrangements must be checked with the team.

Boston University Center for Neurorehabilitation

Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Recruiting

Erica Clarke, BS · 617-358-6157 · egclarke@bu.edu

Terry D. Ellis, PhD, PT

Washington University School of Medicine

St Louis, Missouri, United States

Recruiting

Kayla Bell, PT, DPT · 314-273-6016 · kayla.bell@wustl.edu

Kerri Rawson, PhD, MS · 813-468-8900 · rawson@wustl.edu

Gammon Earhart, PT, PhD

University of Utah

Salt Lake City, Utah, United States

Recruiting

Rheanna Anderson, MS · 801-587-3615 · rheanna.anderson@utah.edu

Lee Dibble, PT, PhD

Facility not reported

United States

Status not reported

The original descriptions and participation rules come from the registry. Participation is voluntary and does not guarantee benefit.