MA Podiatrist Hopes to Prove that Music Can Improve Gait
What do you get when you mix a musician with a physician, both on a mission? In the case of Rick Bausman of Edgartown and Dr. Jay Segel of West Tisbury, the hope is to come up with some relief for those who suffer from Parkinson's disease and muscular dystrophy. Dr. Segel has been a podiatrist on the Martha's Vineyard for more than 25 years. Foot and ankle problems, which podiatrists address, are often triggered by the way we walk. By precisely measuring how someone's feet strike the ground, a podiatrist is better able to assess and address biomechanical problems in that person's gait.
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Dr. Jay Segel analyzes gait (Photo Rick Bausman) |
What would happen if the subject were measured twice, in rapid succession, with a bit of drumming interspersed between the two? Or, as Dr. Segel put it, "does the program that Rick puts forth in the Drum Workshop help stabilize, improve biomechanics, function, reduce shakiness in a person's gait?" Segel uses a diagnostic device called TOG GaitScan, which measures and records the impact of a foot-strike on a highly sensitive pad on the floor. Dr. Segel sees promise in the protocol. "I am already getting results," he said. "I can tell you that, from the people we've scanned right now, we are cautiously optimistic."
Source: Whit Griswold, The Martha's Vineyard Times [4/11/12]
