According to the National Parkinson Foundation, patients with Parkinson’s have increasing difficulty performing the activities of daily living. Parkinson’s is caused by a degeneration of the brain cells that produce dopamine, a message relay chemical that aids in human movement. Symptoms of the disease include tremors and muscle rigidity. Occupational therapy can help Parkinson’s patients maintain as much control over their daily activities as possible by helping them reduce and cope with the effects of the disease.
Stretching
Stretching helps maintain the range of movement needed to perform activities such as setting the table, loading the washing machine or getting dressed. If balance is a problem, the National Center on Physical Activity and Disability recommends performing the exercises while seated. Stretch your neck by bending your head toward your right shoulder, returning it to an upright position and bending it toward your left shoulder. Try to touch your chin to your chest, but do not bend so far that the movement causes pain.
Exercise the shoulders by raising them toward your ears, holding the position and lowering them back to a normal position. Stretch your abdominal, back and side muscles by raising your arms over your head and touching your fingers, then bending slowly from side to side. To stretch the legs, stand against a wall and slowly roll your torso down with your arms hanging down, and attempt to touch your toes. Once you achieve a comfortable stretch along your legs, slowly roll your torso back to an upright position.
Hand and Wrist
Strengthening and stretching the hand and wrist helps maintain function for writing, using food utensils, and maintaining grip strength. The Better Health Channel recommends maintaining dexterity by touching each finger to your thumb, in turn, and repeating the exercise several times. Exercise your wrist by moving your hands up and down, as if you were waving good-bye, and rotating your palms to face up, and then down. Add challenge by squeezing a ball to build muscles in your fingers and hands, and by holding weights when exercising your wrists.
Communication
One symptom of Parkinson’s disease is vocal chord paralysis, making communication and swallowing difficult. According to the Cleveland Clinic, exercises should focus on projecting your voice and finding ways to enunciate clearly. A speech pathologist can recommend specific exercises for the state of your communication. They include demonstrating the position and shape of the mouth and tongue for producing exact sounds and using a mirror to practice. If speech has become very difficult, a therapist can teach you to use a notepad and pencil or a computer for communication.
Breathing
Sit and Be Fit recommends deep breathing exercises to help Parkinson’s patients keep their breathing muscles flexible. Sit in a straight-backed chair with your hands in your lap, palms up. Draw in a deep breath through your nose while slowly lifting your hands to the side to help stretch the chest cavity and diaphragm. Release the breath through your mouth, returning your hands to your lap.
