StepOver Wand

[Joe Bruman <jrbruman@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

StepOver Wand

Many PWP experience the "freezing" phenomenon, where the victim
wishes to walk, often through a narrow passage such as a doorway,
but is psychologically unable to move. Researchers (and pragmatic
PWP) have found that addition of a visual cue, such as a stripe or
pattern on the floor, or a small obstacle such as another person's
toe, unfreezes the patient. IMHO, a hallmark of PD is loss of the
autonomic posture and motor functions that are taken for granted
or not even noticed by normal people. In PD the patient, consciously
or otherwise, substitutes voluntary movement control, using a
different set of neural pathways, to compensate for the loss.
Therefore any visual guidance cue is helpful against "freezing".

Now the determined and resourceful Lisa Greenstadt, an 18-year
veteran of PD and frequent attendee at our local support groups,
has applied for a patent on her gadget: An otherwise ordinary
walking cane has at its foot a small hinged right-angle arm, which
can be extended to either side or folded up out of the way. With
this, whenever beset by "freezing", Lisa just steps over the arm
and is on her way. It really works, and she has videos observed by
her neurologist to prove it. She also is on her way with her small
company formed to market the StepOver Wand, at (818) 789-9612.
Lisa and her magic cane have appeared on local TV, and today they
are the subject of a cover story in the Los Angeles Daily News.
Congratulations Lisa!

Joe