---
title: Improve gait stability using cane
nct_id: NCT06950255
phase: NA
status: RECRUITING
sponsor: Federal University of Minas Gerais
study_type: INTERVENTIONAL
canonical_url: "https://parkinsonspathways.com/trial/NCT06950255"
clinicaltrials_gov: "https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06950255"
last_fetched: "2026-05-10T14:04:52.916Z"
source: "Parkinson's Pathways (curated)"
---
# Improve gait stability using cane

**Goal (in five words):** Improve gait stability using cane

**Official Title:** Effect of a 3-week Program of Cane Training and Use on Gait of Individuals With Parkinson's Disease: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

**Trial ID:** [NCT06950255](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06950255)

## Key Facts

- **Phase:** NA
- **Status:** RECRUITING
- **Study Type:** INTERVENTIONAL
- **Sponsor:** Federal University of Minas Gerais
- **Target Enrollment:** 26 participants
- **Start Date:** 2025-05
- **Completion Date:** 2026-09
- **Conditions:** Parkinson Disease
- **Interventions:** Cane, static stretching and health education
- **Intervention Types:** DEVICE, OTHER

## Summary For Families

It tests whether a focused 3-week cane training program can improve walking speed, step quality and stability for people with Parkinson's who have slowed or unstable gait. Participants are randomized to supervised training that teaches correct single-point cane timing, placement, weight shift and posture to promote steadier, longer steps, or to a control group doing static stretching and health education; the cane is a mechanical aid used alongside stable Parkinson's medications and does not change how drugs like levodopa work. The trial is looking for adults 40 and older with idiopathic PD at Hoehn and Yahr stages II to IV who can walk independently up to 14 meters at 1.1 m/s or slower, are on stable antiparkinsonian meds for at least 6 months, and can safely use a single-point cane, while people with cognitive impairment, deep brain stimulation, or other major health issues are excluded.

## Eligibility

- **Minimum age:** 40 Years
- **Sex:** ALL

### Full Criteria

```
Inclusion Criteria:

* diagnosis of idiopathic PD confirmed by a neurologist
* classification between stages II to IV of the modified Hoehn \& Yahr Scale (HY)
* use of anti-parkinsonian medication with stable pharmacological therapy for at least 6 months
* ability to walk independently in a 14-meter corridor with a walking speed ≤ 1.1 m/s
* ability to use a single-point cane during walking correctly and safely, and not being regular users of any type of assistive device since the diagnosis of PD.

Exclusion Criteria:

* cognitive impairment, assessed by the Mini Mental State Examination
* use deep brain stimulation,
* had any other neurological, cardiopulmonary or musculoskeletal condition that may compromise the tests performance
```

## Locations (1)

- Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil _(-19.9208, -43.9378)_
  - Christina DCM Faria, Doctor — (CONTACT) — chrismoraisf@gmail.com

## Central Contacts

- Christina DCM Faria, Doctor — (CONTACT) — +55 (31) 34097448 — cdcmf@ufmg.br

---

*Canonical: https://parkinsonspathways.com/trial/NCT06950255*  
*HTML version: https://parkinsonspathways.com/trial/NCT06950255*  
*Source data: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06950255*