Exercise for Parkinson's disease is recommended by scientists

A year after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s, I struggled to lift a gallon of milk from the trunk of my car. The realization that my muscles (such as they were) had weakened so quickly alarmed me and spurred me to search the Internet for a magic pill that could halt or slow the onslaught of Parkinson’s symptoms. No such luck.

Everything I read told me that if I wanted to live well with Parkinson’s and maintain my independence longer, I would have to “work out” daily — something I had successfully avoided throughout my pre-Parkinson’s life. In high school gym class, it took three friends to help me complete a forward roll. When applying to colleges, I eliminated those that had p.e. requirements. I thought I had beaten the system, but, as the saying goes, “You can run, but you can’t hide.”

“Patients who exercise … seem to have slower progression of disease and a better prognosis (than those who don’t),” wrote Dr. Joseph Jankovic, Director, Parkinson’s Disease Center and Movement Disorders Clinic, Baylor College of Medicine. (Neurology Now, Spring 2005). “I have seen patients improve joint mobility, posture, coordination and balance without any change in medications just because they started exercising.”

So, what kind of exercise, at what intensity, and at what frequency offers the greatest potential for improving our ability to walk and move normally and to manage activities of daily living, like climbing stairs and getting in and out of a car without help? Preliminary study data shows that the specific exercises you do are not as important as doing them with an intensity that makes you sweat.

Scientific evidence in animal models of PD has revealed that intensive exercise produces chemical and structural changes in the brain that alter the way it works, and restores function lost to Parkinson’s.

Research says exercise helps PWP:

• Improve emotional wellness.
• Establish better sleep patterns.
• Increase energy level and mobility.
• Improve balance and minimize gait problems.
• Boost body strength and reduce disability
• Maintain flexibility.
• Initiate movements easier.
• Speak and swallow better.
• Reduce pain.
• Gain more control of their bodies.
• Relieve stress.

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