A Practical Guide to the Evaluation of Compensation Strategies for Gait Impairment in Parkinson’s Disease

The application of compensation strategies is an important element of gait rehabilitation in persons with Parkinson’s disease. While the efficacy of these strategies is generally very high, a tailored, personalized approach is necessary to determine the optimal strategies for every patient. We propose a straightforward, practical guide to the evaluation of compensation strategies in clinical practice: considering the primary gait target(s) to optimize functional mobility, the context in which the strategies will be employed in daily life, and patient-specific personal preferences. Furthermore, we introduce www.walkingwithparkinson.com as a resource on the available compensation strategies, developed specifically for persons with Parkinson’s disease, their carers, and (allied) healthcare professionals.