If you live with Parkinson’s disease, walking in public can feel stressful. You might worry about freezing at a crossing, getting stuck in a doorway, or feeling rushed when others are waiting. Over time, that fear alone can make walking feel harder, even before your feet move.
This anxiety is common, and it can feed directly into freezing of gait. Many people begin avoiding shops, social outings, or short trips outside the home, not because they can’t walk, but because they don’t feel safe or confident doing so. That loss of confidence can slowly shrink independence and quality of life.
At Healthstin Elizabeth, our Exercise Physiologists understand that freezing isn’t just a physical issue. With the right strategies, practice, and support, it’s possible to reduce freezing triggers, manage anxiety, and walk in public with greater confidence again.
What Freezing of Gait Feels Like
Freezing of gait (FOG) is a common Parkinson’s symptom. Imagine wanting to walk but feeling as though your feet are glued to the floor. Studies indicate that around 50% to 80% of people with Parkinson’s experience freezing, particularly as the condition progresses.
Anxiety often makes freezing worse. Stress, fear of falling, and busy environments like crowded footpaths or shopping centres can trigger episodes. Over time, this can lead some people to avoid going out, reducing independence and affecting quality of life.
Why Walking Outdoors Can Be Hard
Walking in public isn’t just about moving your legs. With Parkinson’s, the brain has to consciously control tasks that were once automatic. Even simple movements such as turning a corner, stepping through a doorway, or talking while walking can become mentally exhausting.
Common triggers for freezing include:
– Turning or changing direction
– Narrow spaces, such as doorways, queues, or crowded aisles
– Divided attention, like talking while walking
– Feeling rushed or observed
Recognising these triggers is the first step toward managing them safely and confidently.
How Exercise Physiologists Can Help
At Healthstin, our NDIS Exercise Physiology programmes in Elizabeth, are designed to give people with Parkinson’s practical tools for public walking. Our approach targets both movement mechanics and anxiety, so you can move with more confidence.
Strategies may include:
– External cueing techniques such as rhythmic counting, visual lines, or metronome beats to help start and maintain steps
– Safe walking exercise practising starting, stopping, and turning in a controlled environment
– Pacing and attention strategies reducing cognitive load while walking
– Strength, balance, and posture exercises supporting safer and more stable gait
Research shows that task specific gait training combined with external cueing can reduce the frequency and severity of freezing episodes when delivered as part of structured therapy.
Why See a Parkinson’s Mobility Specialist in Elizabeth?
Local, evidence based support makes a big difference. As a trusted NDIS registered provider, Healthstin Elizabeth combines Physiotherapy for Parkinson’s with Exercise Physiology to create coordinated programmes that translate into real world walking confidence.
We work with:
– People living with Parkinson’s
– Carers and family members
– Teachers and community support staff
– GPs and other healthcare providers
Our goal is simple: to help you move more safely, manage freezing triggers, and feel confident outside your home.
Tailored Support from Healthstin Elizabeth
We focus on understanding when and why freezing happens for you, so we can create strategies that make walking feel safer and more manageable.
Our approach is personalised to your unique needs and daily our services include:
– Comprehensive mobility and gait evaluations to identify challenges
– Customised EP programmes designed to build confidence and safe walking
– Guided practice in real world walking scenarios, helping you navigate public spaces with ease
– Clear communication with family, carers, GPs, and your support team
Whether your goal is confidently walking through a shopping centre, crossing streets safely, or simply feeling calmer when leaving home, our team is here to support you every step of the way.
Overcome Freezing, Step by Step
If freezing anxiety is holding you back, support is available. You can call 1300 090 931 to speak with our Elizabeth team, submit a Referral Form to coordinate care with your GP or support network, or book a FREE consultation to explore personalised Parkinson’s Physiotherapy and Exercise Physiology strategies.
At Healthstin Elizabeth, we help you regain independence and walk with confidence, safety, and peace of mind, so you can move freely on your own terms.