How does WALK work?
WALK targets "spinal excitability". WALK stimulates muscles to modulate excitability and reduce walking related symptoms in Parkinson's Disease.
Generally, walking is an automatic activity. One does not usually think about the act of walking while doing so. This is because the spinal cord manages a significant part of the coordination.
In Parkinson's, the communication between the brain and spinal cord is abnormal, which causes ymptoms such as slow movement (bradykinesia), no movement (akinesia) and freezing of gait which can cause unsteadiness and may lead to falls. A basic analogy is something like this: A non-Parkinson's brain sends one unit of current to the spinal cord, which activates it and then the spinal cord manages walking on it's own. In Parkinson's, this reduces to half a unit because cells in a part of the brain called the Basal Ganglia are lost. Through muscle stimulation, we modulate spinal excitability and enable the spinal cord to better cope with this reduced supply from the brain
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How to integrate WALK into your daily routine
WALK should be used an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening. It can be worn during morning and evening walks, and individuals can use the gamified therapies in the WALK mobile application along with general walking.
Using the WALK App
The WALK mobile application has two main features that the caregiver should use: the Trends chart and the reports section inside it. The trends chart shows walking and balance scores and needs to be monitored after starting any new therapy or modifying an existing therapy. Any sudden changes or drops in the chart can indicate an increased risk of falls and it is important to get your doctor's opinion for the same. The report can be shown to the doctor for additional information
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How to contribute
We have a number of scientific and clinical initiatives where your experience as a caregiver can improve our understanding of Parkinson's and help develop better solutions. If you would like to be involved, please contact us at
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Know more about the initiative
If you have a family member who has been diagnosed with Parkinson's or if you are a caregiver, please feel free to contact us