Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a progressive, neurological disorder that affects movement. While neurologists understand that it is caused by the loss of dopamine producing cells in the brain, they don't know why this occurs. Theories continue to be studied, including one by a University of California, San Francisco researcher, Robert Edwards. Edwards discovered that the dispensing of the communicating neurotransmitters at the connection point between the two nerve cells --- the synapse --- is blocked. This discovery may be very helpful at some point, but for now, there is one thing neurologists seem to agree on --- exercise helps with the physical and emotional well-being of a PD sufferer.
Benefits
Some of the symptoms that people with PD struggle with are an inability to walk with balance and ease, an uncontrollable tremor in one or both hands, and large and fine-motor control. In an exercise program created by the United Parkinson Foundation involving two groups of PD patients, it was found that after 12 weeks, participants had acquired benefits in the pace of their walking, control of their tremor, the ability to grab onto something, and fine-motor control. The conclusion was that exercise was indeed a good, complementary therapy in the treatment of PD.
Warning
The Cleveland Clinic suggests ways that PD patients should approach exercise. First and foremost, the person with the disease should check with her doctor to make sure the exercise program she has chosen fits her general physical profile. Her doctor may recommend certain exercises and express warnings about others.
Considerations
Since PD affects every person differently, there are a variety of ways to exercise. Early-onset PD, which includes people younger than 50, usually does not require a change in exercise, depending on how severe the symptoms are. If a young PD woman hikes and hikes well, there is no reason for her to stop. However, as with any person, regardless of physical fitness, starting a daily exercise program should be started carefully, and be evenly paced.
Expert Insight
The Davis Phinney Foundation offers 10 helpful tips on how to start an exercise program. Phinney and his foundation believe that exercise is definitely a type of "medicine" and that by incorporating it into your daily life, you can actually slow the progression of the disease. This is called "neuroprotection."
Types
Each of the 10 tips provided by the Davis Phinney Foundation are expanded on and explored in-depth, but the main components are: exercise can slow PD progression; starting any type of movement exercise is better than nothing; patients should choose something that they enjoy, such as dancing; intense exercise is the best; patients should incorporate three types of exercise every week -- cardiovascular, resistance and stretching; patients shouldn't wait to start; patients should find an exercise partner; exercise should be done consistently and should be for your whole body and mind; and it's important to take control of your PD through exercise.
References
- NINDS Parkinson's Disease Information Page
- University of California San Francisco: Science Café: Parkinson's Disease Protein Impedes Nerve Signaling Long Before Brain Cells Die
- Cleveland Clinic: Exercise for People with Parkinson's Disease
- "Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehab."; Exercise Therapy for Parkinson's Disease; SS Palmer, et al.; Oct. 1986
- Davis Phinney Foundation for Parkinson's: Top 10 Tips for Exercising with Parkinson's Disease
