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Exercise is "best medicine" for people with Parkinson's disease

Study after study shows that people with Parkinson’s (PWP) who remain active and exercise regularly do better over time than those who do not. The more PWP move, the easier it gets.   While there is no proof that exercise slows disease progression, there is ample evidence that it provides symptomatic relief and helps PWP maintain overall quality of life — no small feat when talking about a progressive, debilitating, incurable disease.   “Patients who exercise … seem to have slower progression of disease and a better prognosis (than those who don’t),” says Dr. Joseph Jankovic, professor of neurology and director, Parkinson’s Disease Center and Movement Disorders Clinic, Baylor College of Medicine. (Neurology Now, Spring 2005). “I have seen patients improve without any change in medications just because they started exercising.”   A Duke University exercise study published in 1998 found that regular flexibility exercises significantly improved mobility and coordination in people with early and mid stage Parkinson's disease in as few as 10 weeks. “Introduced early, exercise programs might delay further impairment, or even reverse it,” study investigators concluded.  http://members.aol.com/apdaypd/illinois/exercise.htm 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.   top	There is a perverse irony in my developing a disease that necessitates regular exercise – something I successfully avoided throughout my pre-Parkinson’s life. In high school, it took three friends to help me complete a forward roll in gym class. When applying to colleges, I eliminated those that had physical education requirements. I thought I had beaten the system, but, as the saying goes, “You can run, but you can’t hide.”   About a year after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s, I noticed that lifting a gallon of milk from the trunk of my car with my left arm had become a struggle. The realization that my muscles (such as they were) could weaken so quickly spurred me to action.   I scoured the Internet for a magic pill that could stop or delay the negative impact Parkinson’s has on almost every aspect of daily life. No such luck, but I did discover the flexibility exercise program developed at Duke University. This became the first chapter of my ever expanding exercise plan to keep the Parkinson's symptoms at bay.   Do I enjoy exercise any more than I ever did? Not really, but I know it is the only thing standing between me and disability. Do the endorphins released by exercise improve my mood? Not nearly as much as when eating a Cherry Garcia bar.   Friends say I’m probably in the best shape of my life except for the fact that I have Parkinson’s disease. That’s no small exception, but daily exercise has helped me hold the line, and that’s big when you’re talking about a progressive, debilitating disease." top
Get moving! Be Active! A Suggested Exercise Program for People with Parkinson’s Disease. Order the illustrated booklet from the American Parkinson Disease Association at no charge.   The Parkinson’s Disease Foundation and the Parkinson Foundation of the Heartland co-produced an award-winning program of 24 seated exercises addressing typical Parkinson's movement challenges. Motivating Moves for People with Parkinson's can be ordered on DVD or videotape for $14.95, plus shipping and handling by calling (800) 457-6676 or visiting http://www.pdf.org/Publications/motivating_moves.cfm   top	Parkinson’s Disease Fitness Counts, by Heather Cianci, PT, MS, GC,  Specific exercises to maintain flexibility, strength, and aerobic conditioning. Photographs and drawings of exercises throughout. Tips for posture and balance. Free from the National Parkinson Foundation NPF website. Delay the Disease - Exercise and Parkinson’s Disease (70 pp, $19.95) by David Zid, a certified trainer, and orthopedic surgeon and PWP Thomas H. Mallory, M.D. Outlines a daily and weekly exercise agenda for every patient at any stage of the disease. Purchase online along with a companion DVD at www.delaythedisease.com. *Stretching images courtesy of Parkinson Foundation of the Heartland top

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