Re: towards an understanding of "falling"

[Dennis Greene <dennisg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Tom,

Thank you for your comments on falling.  I read your original postings
linking falling to visual perception and wondered then as now on what you
based your theory.  My experience of falling as a direct consequence of
having PD bears such little resemblance to the examples you provide as to
make me wonder if we are talking about the same thing.

For example you speak of  falling only when 'on' because "because while
"off" gait initiation
problems prevent one from walking with any volitional displacement of centre
of gravity".  Most of my falls have occurred when 'off'. That's the only
time I 'festinate'. When I'm 'on' all of this is academic as my stride is
normal without conscious effort on my part. I have fallen when 'on' - as a
result of loosing control of my legs due to extreme dyskinesia, but this is
not a problem since my pallidotomy.

You also speak of walking improving if one closes one's eyes and/or places
one's hands behind one's back. Once again this is in direct opposition to my
actual experience.  In practice I find the relationship between walking and
arm swinging  to be so close that I can regulate my stride length and speed
by changing my arm swing.  I have no explanation as to why I find it easier
to control my arms than my legs but I do.

Tom, even as I doubt your conclusions, I applaud your efforts to make some
sense in this crazy disease.

Dennis.

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Dennis Greene 48/11
dennisg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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