Parkinson's disease is a neuromuscular condition that progressively impairs movement. Symptoms start as a tremor, but progress to slowed motion, rigid muscles, impaired posture and balance, loss of automatic movements and changes in speech. Range of motion exercises, also called ROM exercises, can help delay the onset of symptoms. Though ROM exercises do not stop the progression of the disease, they build muscle strength, help maintain flexibility, improve mobility and can ease secondary symptoms such as constipation and depression.
Precautions
Perform ROM exercises slowly, gently and smoothly, taking 10 to 30 seconds to stretch you muscles. Repeat each exercise several times, then move on to the next. Don't force or jerk your muscles, and avoid overstretching. Stop exercising if you feel pain or feel sick.
Head and Neck
For the chin-to-chest, tip your head toward your chest. Try to rest your chin on your chest. Perform head turns by turning your head to the left and to the right as far as possible. Tilt your head to the left toward your shoulder and then to the right toward your right shoulder.
Shoulder and Elbow
Turn your palms toward your body. Bring your arms forward and raise them straight up over your head, stretching them upward, then lower them back to your side. Raise your arms out to the side to shoulder level, and then raise them over your head, stretching as you raise them. Return your arms to your sides.
Raise your arms to shoulder level. Turn your palms so your thumbs points up and then rotate your arm so your thumb points down. Return your arm to your side. Face your palms forward. Bend your elbows as if your were doing curls, bringing your hands toward your shoulder. Try to touch your shoulders with your fingertips.
Hold your arms out at shoulder level with your palms facing up. Bend your elbows, bringing your hands toward your shoulders. Try to touch your shoulder.
Forearm and Wrist
Put your arms in front of you, palms down. Bend your hands at the wrist, stretching your fingers upward. Bend your hand at the wrist so your fingers point down. Repeat several times, then place your hands straight out in front of you. Rock your hands back and forth at the wrist. Rotate your hand at the wrist so your hand turns in smooth circles. With your hands still in front of you, face your palms up, then rotate your wrist so your palms face down toward the ground. Repeat several times.
Hip and Knee
While lying flat on your back on a bed or floor, bend your knee and raise it toward your chest as far as you can. Return your foot and leg to the flat position. Move your right leg to the right as far as possible, bending at your hip, then move it as far as possible to the left, crossing over your left leg if you can. Roll your right leg so your big toe touches the bed, and then roll it outward so your little toe touches the bed. Bend your right knee so your right foot is flat on the bed.
Return to lying flat, with your legs apart. Rotate your right leg inward as far as possible, moving your knee toward the bed, rotating your foot so the side of your big toe lays flat on the bed. Now, rotate your leg outward as far as possible, moving your knee to the right so the side of your little toe lays flat on the bed. Repeat these exercises with your left leg.
