If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, exercises and physical therapy may help you retain more muscle control, function and range of motion as the disease progresses. While medications may help with some symptoms, certain exercises may help with stability and fall prevention and with daily living skills such as dressing, bathing and grooming. The focus of therapy for Parkinson's patients is to help overcome the fear of falling and to increase balance and stability.
Description
Parkinson's disease is a neuromuscular disorder that gradually worsens over time. At the time of publication, there is no cure for Parkinson's disease, which attacks the nerve endings. In Parkinson's patients, dopamine levels drop. Dopamine is a chemical neurotransmitter that acts as a messenger in the brain that tells nerves and muscles what to do. People diagnosed with Parkinson's disease experiencing damage to the nerve endings also lack in norepinephrine, another chemical messenger that controls body function such as blood pressure, breath rate and other internal organ function.
Stance Practice
Those with Parkinson's disease often develop a stiff, shuffling gait. Many are afraid of falling, which leads to an unwillingness to lift the feet off the floor while walking. Physical therapy aids your movement by encouraging you to widen your stance to about 10 inches while standing and walking to provide your body with a wider and more stable base. When walking or turning, your physical therapist will encourage you to take small steps and to avoid crossing one foot over another while turning.
Toe Lifts
If you have Parkinson's disease and have difficulty walking, you may often feel as if your feet are literally frozen to the floor. Your physical therapist will help you practice what is called toe lifting prior to taking steps. You can't move your feet until you lift your toes. Your therapist will encourage you to stand in place and repeatedly lift your toes to help reduce muscle spasms that make walking difficult.
Body Tilts
Those experiencing the debilitating effects of Parkinson's disease often feel unbalanced. To increase your balance and stability, your physical therapist may ask you to perform body-tilting exercises. For example, stand shoulder-width apart with your feet , hands down at your sides. Lean forward and then backward. Your therapist won't let you fall. Next, lean to your left, then to your right. When you feel comfortable, rotate your upper body in a clockwise and then counterclockwise circle, keeping your neck and shoulders tall, as if a string is attached from the top of your head to the ceiling. This exercise will help improve your sense of balance.
