Targets for fall-prevention rehab in people living with Parkinson’s
Official title: Identifying Targets for Fall-prevention Rehabilitation in People with Parkinson’s Disease
Funded at Arizona State University-Tempe Campus · NIH-11384092 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study to help people with Parkinson’s reduce falls by improving physical therapy that focuses on balance and stepping in daily life.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Arizona State University-Tempe Campus NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Scottsdale, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $639,545 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AG086533-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11384092 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with Parkinson’s disease who have balance or fall-risk concerns and can participate in physical therapy sessions.
✕Less likely to help
People without Parkinson’s or those unable to participate in balance-focused therapy might not benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to make physical therapy more effective at preventing falls in people with Parkinson’s by figuring out exactly which balance skills to target. Researchers will explore how reactive stepping and standing sway relate to real-world fall risk and how brain changes drive these balance problems. They plan to connect therapist-guided rehab with neurostimulation approaches to optimize balance training. The work will involve people with Parkinson’s in follow-up assessments to track improvements in balance and falls.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could lead to more effective balance training and fewer falls for people with Parkinson’s.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies show that balance training can reduce fall risk, but this project seeks to identify the most impactful balance targets for PD.
Where this research is happening
-
Arizona State University-Tempe Campus
Scottsdale, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Peterson, Daniel Soren — Arizona State University-Tempe Campus
- Study coordinator: Peterson, Daniel Soren
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Improving fall prevention for people with Parkinson's
This project aims to find which balance and stepping skills physical therapy should focus on to help people with Parkinson's fall less.
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Finding ways to prevent falls in people with Parkinson’s disease
This study is looking to improve physical therapy for people with Parkinson's disease by figuring out the best ways to help them balance better and prevent falls, so they can feel safer and more confident in their daily activities.
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Gut-brain clues in Parkinson’s disease: supplement to a large registry
A plant-wide supplement to an NIH program will enroll people with Parkinson’s, with and without GI symptoms, plus healthy controls, to study how gut function, brain signals, and sleep rhythms relate to Parkinson’s symptoms.
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Gut-brain connections in Parkinson’s disease: how the gut and environment shape symptoms
A Mayo Clinic team is studying how gut problems, environmental factors, and genetics together influence Parkinson’s disease and its GI symptoms to find biomarkers and better understanding of the disease.
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Gut-brain communication in Parkinson’s disease for better symptoms and daily life
This project enrolls people with Parkinson’s disease and healthy controls to build a big registry and study how gut function, brain signals, sleep, and circadian rhythms relate to PD symptoms.
-
Gut microbiome and Parkinson's disease: how gut bugs relate to symptoms and progression
A multi-year study will look at gut bacteria and related markers in people with Parkinson’s disease to understand how the gut-brain connection may influence symptoms and progression.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.