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How an early sign of dementia could be difficulty walking a curved path – an expert says to beware of gait changes in loved ones

  • Walking along a curve demands better balance, coordination and cognitive input than straight walking; problems doing so may help flag dementia early, study says
  • A writer’s mother who developed dementia began to list when walking, as if drifting off her path, long before she began to show signs of forgetfulness

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When you walk in a curve, your body has to adjust constantly to maintain balance and direction. Difficulty doing so could be an early sign of dementia, according to a recent study. Photo: Shutterstock
This is the 33rd instalment in a series on dementia, including the research into its causes and treatment, advice for carers, and stories of hope.
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Commissioned to write a play to raise awareness of dementia sufferers’ experiences, Dani Shapiro took part in a virtual dementia tour for which she donned scratched goggles and earphones that played random noises – loudly.

Wearing several pairs of gloves made it difficult to move or use her fingers. And wearing shoes with sharp spikes in the soles made her shuffle awkwardly.

I remember that shuffling in my mother; it grew more pronounced as her illness advanced, and is a common feature of Alzheimer’s disease.

Writer Anthea Rowan’s daughter and mother on a stroll together. Her mother began to list and walk stiffly as her dementia progressed. Photo: Courtesy of Anthea Rowan
Writer Anthea Rowan’s daughter and mother on a stroll together. Her mother began to list and walk stiffly as her dementia progressed. Photo: Courtesy of Anthea Rowan

Behnaz Ghoraani, co-director of Florida Atlantic University’s Centre for Smart Health, in the US, has a PhD in engineering. But her research intersects with healthcare and offers insights into conditions such as dementia.

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She and her team recently published a study into walking, specifically “curve walking”.

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