Understanding posture and movement in Parkinson’s patients to reduce falls
Official title: Kinematic and neural dynamics of postural instability in Parkinson’s disease
Funded at Minneapolis VA Medical Center · NIH-11538979 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study using wearable sensors to track real-world balance and movement in people with Parkinson’s disease to help prevent falls.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Minneapolis VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Minneapolis, United States) |
| Project start | November 1, 2024 |
| Project end | October 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2027 |
| NIH project number | 5I01RX004810-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11538979 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with Parkinson’s disease who experience postural instability and balance challenges.
✕Less likely to help
Patients without Parkinson’s or without interest in wearable-monitoring approaches may see no benefit.
What this research studies
People with Parkinson’s often struggle with balance and walking, which leads to falls and injuries. This project uses wearable sensors worn in daily life to measure how posture and movement change outside the clinic. The goal is to capture real-world data and identify patterns that explain why instability happens and how it varies among individuals. Insights from this work could guide more effective ways to monitor and treat postural instability in PD.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could lead to better monitoring of balance in daily life and inform personalized strategies to reduce falls in PD.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows wearables can capture meaningful balance-related data in PD, with growing evidence supporting real-world monitoring.
Where this research is happening
-
Minneapolis VA Medical Center
Minneapolis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcgovern, Robert a — Minneapolis VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Mcgovern, Robert a
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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.