Automated analysis of gait and modified timed up and go using the Microsoft Kinect in people with Parkinson’s disease: associations with physical outcome measures

Abstract

Instrumenting physical assessments in people with Parkinson’s disease can provide valuable and sensitive information. This study aimed to investigate whether variables derived from a Kinect-based system can provide incremental value over standard habitual gait speed (HGS) and timed up and go (TUG) variables by evaluating associations with (1) motor and (2) postural instability and gait difficulty (PIGD) subscales of the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). Sixty-two individuals with Parkinson’s disease (age 66 ± 7 years; 74% male) undertook an instrumented HGS and modified TUG tests, in addition to the UPDRS. Multivariable regression models were used to evaluate the associations..