Vibrational device and methods for mitigating symptoms of freezing of gait

A method of improving the gait of a user, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) securing a vibratory system to a foot of the user, the vibratory system comprising a device adapted to be secured to a lower extremity comprising a foot of a user, a controller coupled to one or more vibration actuators mounted on the device, the one or more vibration actuators configured to provide vibrations to the foot of the user during one or more use cycles, the controller programmed to operate the one or more vibration actuators in accordance with a vibration treatment protocol for treating freezing of gait of the user, and plural sensors comprising a combination of at least one force or pressure sensor, at least one acceleration sensor, and a global positioning system (GPS) sensor, mounted on the device;
• and
• (b) operating the system in a continuous mode comprising the sequential steps of:
• (i) providing vibration to the foot of the user by activating the one or more vibration actuators according to preset conditions without a dependence upon information sensed by the plural sensors for a first duration;
• (ii) providing no vibration to the foot of the user according to preset conditions without a dependence upon information sensed by the plural sensors for a second duration;
• (iii) providing vibration to the foot of the user by activating the one or more vibration actuators according to preset conditions without a dependence upon information sensed by the plural sensors for a third duration;
• and
• (c) operating the system in a feedback mode for a fourth duration of time in which the one or more vibration actuators are repeatedly activated and deactivated to provide vibration or no vibration to the foot of the user based directly upon information sensed by the plural sensors;
• and
• during the one or more use cycles, providing a transition of the one or more vibration actuators between providing vibrations to the foot of the user in the continuous mode and providing vibrations to the foot of the user in the feedback mode, wherein the transition is based directly upon information sensed by the GPS sensor.

A method of improving the gait of a user, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) securing a vibratory system to a lower extremity comprising a foot of the user, the vibratory system comprising a device comprising a non-cushioned material adapted to be secured to a foot of a user, a sock, a stocking, or a combination thereof, the vibratory system including a controller coupled to one or more vibration actuators mounted on the device and configured to provide vibrations to the foot of the user during one or more use cycles, the controller programmed to operate the one or more vibration actuators in accordance with a vibration treatment protocol for treating freezing of gait of the user, and plural sensors comprising a combination of at least one force or pressure sensor, at least one acceleration sensor, and a global positioning system (GPS) sensor, mounted on the device:
• (b) operating the system in a continuous mode comprising the sequential steps of:
• (i) providing vibration to the foot of the user for a first duration by activating the one or more vibration actuators according to preset conditions without a dependence upon information sensed by the plural sensors,
• (ii) providing no vibration to the foot of the user for a second duration according to preset conditions without a dependence upon information sensed by the plural sensors,
• (iii) providing vibration to the foot of the user for a third duration by activating the one or more vibration actuators according to preset conditions without a dependence upon information sensed by the plural sensors;
• and
• (c) operating the system in a feedback mode for a fourth duration of time in which the one or more vibration actuators are repeatedly activated and deactivated to provide vibration or no vibration to the foot of the user based directly upon information sensed by the plural sensors;
• during the one or more use cycles, providing a transition of the one or more vibration actuators between providing vibrations to the foot of the user in the continuous mode and providing vibrations to the foot of the user in the feedback mode, wherein the transition is based directly upon information sensed by the GPS sensor;
• wherein the method comprises a treatment for Parkinson's disease;
• wherein the method comprises subjecting the user to a vibration treatment protocol comprising multiple cycles of steps (b)(i)-(iii) per day for multiple days;
• and
• wherein the treatment protocol comprises two consecutive days of treatment, followed by a day of no treatment, followed by two consecutive days of treatment.

A vibratory system comprising:

• a device adapted to be secured to a lower extremity comprising a foot of a user;
• one or more vibration actuators mounted on the device, the one or more vibration actuators configured to provide vibrations to the foot of the user during one or more use cycles;
• plural sensors comprising at least one force or pressure sensor, at least one acceleration sensor, and a global positioning system (GPS) sensor mounted on the device;
• a controller connected to the one or more vibration actuators, the controller programmed to operate the one or more vibration actuators in accordance with a vibration treatment protocol for treating freezing of gait of the user, including:
• (a) in a continuous mode in which:
• (i) the one or more vibration actuators are activated to provide vibration to the foot of the user according to preset conditions without a dependence upon information sensed by the plural sensors for a first duration,
• (ii) then, after (i), no vibration is provided to the foot of the user according to preset conditions without a dependence upon information sensed by the plural sensors for a second duration, and
• (iii) then, after (ii), the one or more vibration actuators are activated to provide vibration to the foot of the user according to preset conditions without a dependence upon information sensed by the plural sensors for a third duration;
• and
• (b) in a feedback mode, in which the one or more vibration actuators are activated to provide vibration to the foot of the user based directly upon information sensed by the plural sensors;
• and
• wherein during the one or more use cycles, the controller is further programmed to transition the one or more vibration actuators between providing vibrations to the foot of the user in the continuous mode and providing vibrations to the foot of the user in the feedback mode, wherein the transition is based directly upon information sensed by the GPS sensor.