Early Signs of Parkinson’s Disease May Be Detected Through Walking Patterns
Could the way you walk reveal one of the early signs of Parkinson’s disease years before a diagnosis?
New research suggests that subtle changes in everyday walking may be associated with Parkinson’s disease long before traditional symptoms become obvious. Using data from wearable motion sensors, researchers identified several differences in walking patterns among people who were later diagnosed with Parkinson’s.
The findings add to growing research into early Parkinson’s detection and raise an intriguing possibility: wearable devices such as smartwatches could eventually help researchers identify subtle movement changes that occur years before a Parkinson’s diagnosis.
Study Examines Walking Patterns and Parkinson’s Disease
Researchers at the University of New South Wales in Australia analyzed movement data from more than 73,000 participants in the UK Biobank, a large-scale health research database. Researchers then followed participants through their medical records for up to 10 years. During that period, 314 participants were diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Instead of simply counting steps, researchers analyzed detailed characteristics of how participants walked. Using software called Watch Walk, they examined 17 different measures of walking, including walking speed, step rhythm, the amount of continuous walking, and arm movement. The goal was to determine whether subtle differences in everyday movement could be detected years before Parkinson’s was diagnosed.
Five Walking Changes Were Linked to Later Parkinson’s
The researchers identified five walking characteristics that consistently differed among participants who were eventually diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
1. Fewer Daily Steps
People who later developed Parkinson’s generally took fewer steps each day than those who did not receive a Parkinson’s diagnosis. The difference became more pronounced as the time of diagnosis approached. A reduction in daily movement may therefore be one of several potential early Parkinson’s symptoms, although fewer steps alone cannot be used to diagnose the disease.
2. Slower Maximum Walking Speed
Participants who later developed Parkinson’s also tended to have a slower maximum walking speed.
This measurement is different from simply asking how fast someone normally walks. Researchers were interested in the person's ability to increase their walking speed when needed. Changes in this ability may provide information about subtle alterations in motor function.
3. Reduced Arm Swing While Walking
One of the most interesting findings involved arm movement. People who eventually developed Parkinson’s spent more time walking with their arms relatively still and less time displaying a natural arm swing. Reduced arm swing is already recognized as a potential movement-related sign of Parkinson’s disease. In this study, changes in arm movement appeared particularly early. Researchers were able to detect differences as much as 6.8 years before Parkinson’s diagnosis.
4. Changes in Walking Rhythm
Researchers also found differences in step rhythm. Interestingly, people who later developed Parkinson’s showed somewhat more uniform step patterns. The researchers suggested that this could reflect reduced flexibility in movement. Normal walking involves constantly making small adjustments based on speed, balance, terrain, and surroundings.
Changes in the ability to make those adjustments could potentially provide an early clue to changes in motor control.
5. Differences in Walking Patterns Throughout the Day
The researchers also examined how walking was distributed throughout participants' daily lives.
They looked at whether people tended to walk in shorter or longer continuous periods rather than relying solely on total daily step counts. People who later developed Parkinson’s showed different patterns of walking throughout the day compared with participants who did not develop the disease. This highlights an important point: Parkinson’s movement changes may involve more than simply walking less.
Can a Smartwatch Detect Parkinson’s Disease?
The study does not show that a smartwatch can currently diagnose Parkinson’s disease.
Instead, it demonstrates that wearable sensors can identify subtle differences in movement across large groups of people. That distinction is important. A person who takes fewer steps, walks more slowly, or has reduced arm movement does not necessarily have Parkinson’s. Walking behavior can be affected by many other factors, including age, physical fitness, injuries, medications, and other health conditions.
The researchers' findings describe population-level patterns, not an individual diagnostic test. More research will be needed to determine whether these digital movement markers can reliably identify people at risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.
Why Wearable Technology Could Be Important for Parkinson’s Research
One of the most significant aspects of this research is that the movement data came from participants' normal everyday lives. Traditional neurological examinations often provide only a brief snapshot of a person's movement. Wearable sensors can collect information over much longer periods, potentially revealing subtle patterns that might not appear during a short appointment. This approach is sometimes referred to as using digital biomarkers—measurable information collected through digital technology that may provide insight into a person's health. For Parkinson’s research, wearable devices could eventually allow scientists to monitor movement continuously rather than relying entirely on occasional clinical assessments.
Parkinson’s Disease May Begin Changing Movement Years Before Diagnosis
Parkinson’s disease affects brain systems involved in movement and coordination. Symptoms such as tremor, stiffness, balance difficulties, and changes in walking can become noticeable as the disease progresses. However, researchers have increasingly been investigating whether measurable changes occur before a person receives a formal diagnosis. The new study adds to that research by showing that differences in everyday walking were detectable years before diagnosis among people who eventually developed Parkinson’s. The finding involving arm movement was particularly notable because differences could be detected up to 6.8 years before diagnosis. The researchers also found that reductions in daily steps became especially pronounced closer to the time of diagnosis.
Could Wearables Help With Earlier Parkinson’s Detection?
The possibility of using wearable technology for early Parkinson’s detection is attracting increasing interest. Smartwatches and fitness trackers already collect information about movement, activity, heart rate, and other physiological measures. If researchers can establish reliable digital biomarkers for Parkinson’s disease, some of these devices could potentially become useful tools for long-term monitoring. However, several questions remain unanswered. Researchers need to determine whether these walking patterns can distinguish Parkinson’s disease from other conditions that affect movement. They also need to establish how accurately wearable data can identify people at an increased risk of developing the disease. Large studies involving different populations will be important for answering those questions.
What This Study Means for People With Parkinson’s
For people living with Parkinson’s disease—or those concerned about their risk—the study should not be interpreted as a recommendation to use a smartwatch as a diagnostic device. Current wearable technology cannot determine on its own whether someone will develop Parkinson’s disease. Instead, the research points toward a potential future in which everyday movement data could complement traditional medical assessments. If digital biomarkers can eventually be validated, they could have several potential applications. Researchers could use them to identify people for clinical trials, monitor changes over time, and investigate what happens during the earliest stages of Parkinson’s disease.
The Future of Parkinson’s Detection May Be in Everyday Movement
Walking may seem like one of the simplest things we do, but it involves complex coordination between the brain, nervous system, muscles, and balance systems. This study shows that wearable sensors can capture details of that movement that are difficult to observe with the naked eye. The most important finding isn't that smartwatches can diagnose Parkinson’s today. Rather, it is that subtle changes in everyday walking may provide measurable clues years before a Parkinson’s diagnosis. As researchers continue studying digital biomarkers and wearable technology, devices that people already wear every day could eventually become valuable tools for understanding and potentially detecting neurological diseases at much earlier stages. For now, the findings are an important step toward understanding how walking patterns, wearable sensors, and digital health technology may contribute to earlier Parkinson’s disease research.
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