| Exercise helps manage Parkinson's disease | | | | and give tips on improving the safety of her living |
| Regular exercise, along with physical and occupational | | | | situation. |
| therapy, can help maximize someone's fitness, | | | | The PT can also treat slowness of movement. |
| mobility, and ability to continue her daily routines after | | | | Parkinson's disease typically impairs the automatic |
| she's diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Helping her | | | | processes in the brain that allow a person to move |
| function at the optimum level now may offset some | | | | without thinking about it. One technique for helping |
| of the physical limitations that can develop later. First | | | | the patient, say, stand up from sitting in a chair is to |
| you'll want to help her understand why exercise is | | | | teach her to consciously think about each step of |
| important. Then you can focus on ways to help her | | | | the motion in advance. It's also worth asking whether |
| work the best kinds of activity into her life. | | | | the person has slowed down because the illness has |
| Exercise is vital for Parkinson's disease management. | | | | made her more sedentary, causing muscle weakness. |
| At a time when someone with Parkinson's probably | | | | If so, the solution is to try to get her walking more, |
| feels like she's losing control of her world, one of the | | | | according to Basham. |
| best things she can do for herself is exercise, | | | | Slowness, stiffness, or gait problems, along with |
| movement disorder experts say. Not only do regular | | | | nonmotor Parkinson's disease symptoms such as |
| workouts and physical activities lift the spirits, release | | | | depression and apathy, can sap a patient's motivation |
| stress, and tune up the heart, they can also build | | | | levels. You or other family members might try joining |
| strength, flexibility, and endurance and improve | | | | her for walks on a flat route. Start with 5- to |
| posture. | | | | 10-minute jaunts and build her up to 30 minutes, at |
| A new British analysis that pooled the results of | | | | least three to five times a week, says Basham. Keep |
| multiple studies found that various exercise | | | | in mind that walking may require her full focus on |
| interventions boosted physical functioning, | | | | putting one foot in front of the other. Trying to |
| health-related quality of life, strength, balance, and | | | | engage in a conversation at the same time may tax |
| walking speed in Parkinson's patients. And some | | | | her; if so, suggest holding off on chitchat until you |
| research on mice with Parkinson's disease-like | | | | take a break. |
| symptoms even hints that exercise can enhance the | | | | Alternative exercises for Parkinson's patients |
| brain's supply of dopamine, the chemical lacking in | | | | Other workout options include dance, |
| Parkinson's patients. | | | | water-resistance exercise, and tai chi, the ancient |
| Physical therapy helps a Parkinson's patient exercise | | | | Chinese exercise that emphasizes flowing moves, |
| Even if the person with Parkinso's is a couch potato, | | | | posture, balance, and meditation. Check with a local |
| it's never too late to benefit from exercise. To get | | | | medical center or movement disorders clinic to see if |
| started, she should first discuss with her doctor | | | | it offers these kinds of classes for Parkinson's |
| whether she has any health issues that might | | | | patients or seniors. |
| preclude certain kinds of activities. | | | | Also highly recommended is a ten-lesson exercise |
| Get workout pointers from a physical therapist. It's | | | | plan from theater arts coach John Argue, author of |
| important to take advantage of rehabilitative care | | | | Parkinson's Disease and the Art of Moving. His book |
| services such as physical therapy early in Parkinson's | | | | and accompanying video teach Parkinson's patients to |
| disease rather than waiting until problems arise, says | | | | purposefully think themselves through the acts of |
| Julie Carter, associate director of the Parkinson | | | | moving and speaking. The most important thing is for |
| Center of Oregon, in Portland. | | | | your family member to find safe activities that she |
| The person with Parkinson's can ask her neurologist | | | | enjoys doing. If she doesn't enjoy them, she |
| for a referral to a PT to help her plan a moderate | | | | probably won't keep doing them. |
| exercise program. It's preferable to consult someone | | | | Other resources: |
| knowledgeable about Parkinson's disease rather than | | | | The National Parkinson Foundation's free brochure, |
| simply see a trainer at the gym. People with | | | | Parkinson Disease: Fitness Counts A video or DVD of |
| Parkinson's often develop a stooped posture in which | | | | 24 seated exercises entitled Motivating Moves for |
| their spine and shoulder muscles -- along with other | | | | People with Parkinson's, coproduced by the |
| big muscle groups in the arms and legs -- flex | | | | Parkinson's Disease Foundation and available for |
| forward. Strengthening the major extensor muscles, | | | | purchase online. Occupational therapy helps keep |
| such as the back shoulder muscles, can work to | | | | Parkinson's patients independent at home |
| counterbalance this, but the average personal trainer | | | | OTs can also offer solutions when Parkinson's disease |
| may not realize the importance of that in Parkinson's | | | | hinders the many little jobs of daily living, from |
| patients, says Carter. | | | | bathing and using the toilet to cooking and eating. |
| Based on an evaluation of the patient's physical | | | | These licensed practitioners ask, "What does the |
| condition and her personal goals, the PT can design a | | | | person need to do, want to do, and have to do to |
| targeted program of strengthening, stretching, | | | | be able to maintain his daily activities, his life, and his |
| balance, or aerobic fitness exercises. Your family | | | | lifestyle?" says Nancy Lowenstein, an OT at Boston |
| member can do these on her own or work on them | | | | University. The OT (occupational therapist) offers |
| with a gym trainer (make sure the trainer doesn't | | | | strategies and adaptive devices -- from extra-long |
| modify the program without the PT's approval). | | | | shoehorns to utensils with built-up, easy-grip handles |
| Stretching is key. Because Parkinson's patients tend | | | | -- to navigate activities more easily and safely. |
| to become stiff and lose the ability to turn the torso, | | | | If the physical therapist prescribes a walker, for |
| flexibility exercises are crucial for improving range of | | | | example, the OT might visit your family member at |
| motion. In Portland, Carter's center set up classes in | | | | home to figure out how she'll use it while getting |
| pilates, a low-impact exercise system that focuses | | | | clothing out of the closet. With each problem at hand, |
| on breathing and rotating, extending, and flexing the | | | | Lowenstein says, the OT might advise changing the |
| spine. Pilates or a basic stretching routine can make | | | | way she does the activity or making changes in the |
| "a big difference in how functional people are over | | | | home environment. If she has trouble carrying items |
| time," says Carter. "You can just see that they're | | | | around the kitchen because of a tremor, she could |
| visibly able to take bigger strides, they can reach | | | | use a small rolling cart to move them instead. The |
| better, they can turn better." | | | | risk of slipping in the shower or bathtub could be |
| Similarly, gentle yoga techniques of stretching, | | | | reduced by adding grab bars, a tub seat, or both. |
| breathing, and relaxation can lengthen the spine and | | | | When possible, you or other family members should |
| extend the big muscle groups, says physical therapist | | | | go to the initial physical therapy and occupational |
| Marilyn Basham of the Parkinson's Institute and Clinical | | | | therapy visits with her. Understanding the challenges |
| Center in Sunnyvale, California. "If the spine is | | | | that she faces will make it easier to provide the kind |
| elongated, breath comes in easier, swallowing is | | | | of support and patience that she needs from you. |
| easier, conversation is easier," she says. | | | | You can remind her of the OT or PT's techniques |
| Troubleshooting movement problems with Parkinson's | | | | and become part of the solution. |
| If the Parkinson's patient has difficulty with walking, | | | | For instance, says Lowenstein, if stiffness and |
| balance, pain, or activities such as dressing or getting | | | | slowness make it a challenge for your family member |
| in and out of bed, the PT can analyze her gait and | | | | to open a box of cereal, you could buy a container |
| mobility and offer a range of treatments and coping | | | | that's easy to open and transfer the cereal into it. Or |
| strategies. For tripping and falling problems, the PT | | | | if she has trouble bending down to reach the pots |
| may set her up with an assistive device such as a | | | | and pans on the bottom kitchen shelf, you might |
| hiking stick or walker. Ideally, the PT or an | | | | suggest moving them to a more convenient spot. |
| occupational therapist (OT) will make a home visit | | | | |