Parkinson's Disease & Riding A Stationary Bike

Parkinson's disease affects movement and is most often recognized by its jerky movements and shuffling gait. Individuals with Parkinson's experience a number of symptoms and restrictions to daily living skills that lower quality of life, all of which involve movement. Exercise, especially stationary bike riding, may offer some benefits to Parkinson's patients.

Definition

Parkinson's disease is considered a neuromuscular degenerative condition that affects movement, caused by a decrease in the amount of dopamine in the brain, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. While to date there is no cure for Parkinson's, research continues to find ways to decrease the pace of the progression of the disease and to relieve symptoms.

Symptoms

The most common symptoms of Parkinson's, which may increase as the disease progresses, are jerky, stiff and uncontrolled movements or tremors of the extremities and the head. If you've been diagnosed with Parkinson's, you may also experience slowed movement, called bradykinesia, as well as impaired balance and stability. Many people with Parkinson's are afraid to lift their feet from the floor because of their fear of falling, and shuffle when walking. Some people have trouble talking, writing and eating, making daily living skills difficult. As the disease worsens, swallowing and breathing may prove more difficult, and some lose bladder and bowel control.

Exercising with Parkinson's

Exercise and physical therapy for Parkinson's patients generally focuses on retaining strength and stability. The Center for Neurologic Study notes that balance and stability are the main goal of exercises that also promote maintaining muscle tone and power, as well as to help slow spine or other skeletal deformities. Patients are advised to maintain a wide stance on the floor when engaging in any type of exercise to reduce fall risk. Exercises such as marching in place or range of motion movements of the hips help improve balance and encourage individuals to lift their feet when moving.

Stationary Bike Riding

Sensory signals transmitted from the brain to the body are different for someone riding a bike than someone walking, states Dr. Bastiaan Bloem at the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, located in the Netherlands. Jay Alberts, Ph.D, of the Lerner Research Institute at the Cleveland Clinic, states that some Parkinson's patients riding stationary bikes showed an improvement in their condition by as much as 35 percent, both in their lower limbs and arms. Stationary bike riding may help reduce symptoms of Parkinson's disease, suggest findings from the Ruvo Center in Las Vegas, following clinical trials sponsored by the Cleveland Clinic.

Considerations

Talk to your doctor about exercising on a stationary bike for Parkinson's symptoms. Each individual must be treated as a unique case, and results for everyone may not be the same.