Parkinson’s Disease Exercise Tips

Parkinson’s Gait

It is not uncommon for someone with Parkinson’s disease to experience the feeling of running down an incline and not being able to stop. With practice and neurosensory integrational exercise, this technique can be minimized.

What is Freezing?

Many people with Parkinson’s disease experience “freezing” of gait or motion. It is a unique and disabling clinical phenomenon characterized by brief episodes of inability to step or by extremely short steps that typically occur on initiating gait or on turning while walking.

Often, freezing will occur while walking through doorways, at the beginning of a movement (e.g. getting up from a chair, starting to walk from point A to point B) or other situations. When walking steps may become shorter to the point of shuffling. This may ultimately cause one to stop short of a destination, causing balance to be lost, possibly leading to a fall.

Understanding what happens to the body and helping to remain safe and then return to regular gait patterns takes patience and practice.

Balance

Many who have Parkinson’s disease lose their balance. Falling backwards is quite common. Read more about balance >>.

Exercise can enhance neuroplasticity

Wikipedia defines neuroplasticity as “the brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life.” Exercise, by promoting neuroplasticity, may protect and rewire the brain from further degeneration.

How to counteract Parkinson Symptoms
with alternate movement behaviors

These can be practiced and learned best on a “good day”.
Continue to practice so when and if the symptom appears, your brain will remind you what to do.

1. Stop trying to move when you are frozen. Relax the jaw, relax the body by taking deep breaths.
2. Step backwards first, then forward.
3. Look “through” a threshold, doorway or special configuration where you are freezing.
4. Step over something, rather than just taking a step.
5. Estimate number of steps it will take to travel a distance.
6. Think outside the box and instead of trying to take a step, squat once or twice then try to walk or tap the floor, then walk or step backwards.
7. If you find yourself beginning to shuffle, interrupt it by shifting your movement to a sitting or squatting position (also known as sitting in your hips), or try to step backwards then forwards.
8. If you feel you may freeze while walking across a room, estimate the number of steps it will take to get you to your destination, then count off as you walk. Try using a metronome.
9. For Parkinson’s Gait, practice stop and starts. Begin walking (call out green light, then red light) or stop and do a semi-squat/sitting position three times. Have someone (trainer, companion, etc.) stay close to reduce falling. The object is to drive home the contra action of running away.
10. Using resistance bands is an excellent way to modify traditional balance exercises for those who are in the beginning or mid stages of the disease.

Lori Michiel Fitness offers customized exercise plans for those with Parkinson’s disease.

In addition to exercise, it is helpful to connect those with Parkinson’s and their loved ones with others who are experiencing the same issues. Lori has supported the Parkinson’s Resource Organization for decades and highly recommends what their many services.