Shake It Up Australia Foundation is excited to announce that a groundbreaking paper, led by The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) and international experts, has been accepted for publication in the prestigious Journal of Parkinson’s Disease (JPD).

This paper introduces a standardised protocol for assessing gait impairments in Parkinson’s disease (PD). Gait impairments—such as slowed walking, shorter steps, and freezing—are hallmark symptoms of PD and play a crucial role in diagnosing the disease, monitoring progression, and evaluating the effectiveness of treatments. However, inconsistent data collection methods across studies have hindered progress in this area.

To address this, the Gait Advisors Leading Outcomes for Parkinson’s (GALOP) committee, led by MJFF and supported by global Parkinson’s organizations including Shake It Up, worked collaboratively to develop a unified protocol. This new approach aims to ensure consistency in gait assessment, making it easier for researchers to compare data, accelerate clinical trials, and uncover new insights into the progression and treatment of PD.

Why this matters

• A standardized protocol allows for more reliable and actionable data, paving the way for more effective treatments and better clinical trial outcomes.
• By integrating expert consensus and requiring funded studies to use this protocol, MJFF and partners are fostering collaboration across clinics and research institutions worldwide.

Shake It Up is proud to support this important work, which highlights the power of collaboration in driving Parkinson’s research forward. As the paper moves closer to publication, we look forward to sharing more details about its impact on the field.

This achievement reflects our commitment to funding research that makes a tangible difference for the 200,000 Australians living with Parkinson’s and their families.

Stay tuned for updates on this initiative and other exciting developments in cutting-edge Parkinson’s research.