Effects of the Mechanical Peripheral Stimulation for Parkinson's Disease Rehabilitation

Patients will be submitted to 8 sessions of peripheral mechanical stimulation of the feet or sham stimulation along 4 weeks.

Evaluations will be performed before and after the first session, after the forth and the eighth session.

Inclusion criteria

• Diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson's disease based on clinical criteria, dopamine transporter (DaT) scans and/or magnetic resonance imaging;
• Able to walk 25 feet unassisted or with minimal assistance;
• Presenting freezing of gait;
• Aged between 50-85 years;
• Minimum score of 20 in the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE);

Exclusion criteria

• Secondary musculoskeletal disorder involving the lower limb, as chondral injuries, ligament and ankle sprains which may impede the realization of the gait by pain or motion disability;
• Peripheral neuropathy;
• Not attending all the treatment;
• Absolute contraindications for fMRI (just for fMRI examination);
• Presence of deep brain stimulation;