Julie Nantel, a uOttawa professor and researcher, answers these questions from a unique perspective. Her research focuses on the little-known role of the upper body in postural stability. The professor’s work has led her to establish equally unique partnerships with the Boxing 4 Health program for persons with Parkinson’s disease and with the University of Waterloo to design a smart insole aimed at detecting motor blocks that can increase the risk of falls when walking.
The secret of Nantel’s discoveries lies in her approach, centred around the needs and concerns of persons with Parkinson’s, her holistic view of the disease and her interdisciplinary partnerships. Anyone with Parkinson’s is encouraged to email Julie Nantel to participate in her research.
Impact of arm movement on postural balance
According to Nantel, our arms play an important role in postural balance. “For a long time now, we’ve been looking at lower-limb variability, and that data really tells us a lot about how we stabilize ourselves, especially when we walk. On the other hand, very few people have studied the role of arm movement,” she notes.
In her lab, students in bachelor’s to PhD programs are taking part in her studies with people living with Parkinson’s. That broad engagement is shedding light on various aspects of movement, such as symmetry, rhythm and muscular activity. Nantel says listening is crucial. “I try first of all to determine what the participants want to know. Their ideas and needs have to inform the research questions and their impact,” she says. In Nantel’s view, this process enables them to better understand their condition and the impact of the proposed motor activities on their stability, mobility and quality of life. Her lab is also an incubator for the next generation of Parkinson’s researchers.
“I try first of all to determine what the participants want to know. Their ideas and needs have to inform the research questions and their impact.”
Julie Nantel
— Professor and researcher in the School of Human Kinetics
Boxing: A novel approach for working on stability
Nantel is driven by innovation, as shown by her collaboration with Christine Seaby, founder of the Boxing 4 Health program. Nantel says that in boxing, the amplitude of arm and leg swings that is required can be destabilizing. In short, it’s a complex environment for working on mobility, co-ordination and stability while stimulating attention. Nantel acknowledges that the results are quickly apparent but not permanent—Parkinson’s is, after all, a neurodegenerative disease. Those living with it therefore have to train on a regular basis to keep on the right track and slow the disease’s progression. Nantel’s research is also guiding Boxing 4 Health programs.
Marketing a smart insole to prevent falls
Nantel has been interested in Parkinson’s for over 16 years, and understands the need for further research into aging and the evolution of Parkinson’s, and the development of programs giving those who live with it the tools they need to master their new normal and slow the disease’s progression. She knows that technology, especially connected objects, will soon be added to physical activity and medical treatments as a way of offering a better quality of life. Nantel is currently working with Jonathan Kofman, a professor in the Department of System Design Engineering at the University of Waterloo, and Ed Lemaire, a professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of Ottawa, on a smart insole for detecting motor blocks when walking.
“Freezing of gait,” or motor blocks, is a lesser-known aspect of Parkinson’s, with symptoms manifesting when walking. The body stops moving forward, and the risk of falling increases. The team wants to design an insole that can predict motor blocks and warn the wearer in advance. The trials are progressing well. With data collected from wearers, the device can now predict motor blocks two seconds before they occur. The data can be used to modify the simulation conditions in order to obtain a better prediction rate.
When asked about the next step in the project, Nantel answers without skipping a beat—bringing the insole to market. She says it would be one more valuable tool for people living with Parkinson’s. The connected insoles would also be important in her work, because their signals would provide crucial information about motor blocks and facilitate the development of programs to prevent and counter them. Once again, the experiences of those affected are the primary driving force behind her research.
