Parkinson’s is a disease that is usually caused by a brain disorder. And this type of brain disorder may lead to stiffness, shaking and difficulty with balance, walking and coordination. However, the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease begin gradually and they became worse gradually with the age.
If your age is 50 plus and you have difficulty talking and walking, you should test yourself for Parkinson’s. But if you are already suffering from Parkinson’s disease you should follow the Parkinson’s exercise. In today’s article, I am going to discuss the best exercise for Parkinson’s patients.
What is the Main Cause of Parkinson Disease?
Parkinson disease is mainly caused by the damage of the nerve cells in the part of the brain. And that is usually known as substantia nigra.
Usually, nerve cells are responsible for producing dopamine chemicals. These chemicals work as a messenger between the nervous system and the parts of the brain. And this strong coordination help to control body movements.
So, when the nerve cells become die or damaged the amount of dopamine chemical reduce. As a result, part of the brain controlling movement cannot work normally. People who face this problem their movement become abnormal and slow.
How can I Test Myself for Parkinson’s?
There is no specific test for identifying Parkinson’s disease. Usually, based on your medical history, physical and neurological examination and review of your symptoms and signs your neurologist can identify Parkinson’s disease.
How does a Person with Parkinson’s Feel?
At the primary stage of this disease you may feel all of the symptoms like Body shaking, muscle stiffness, having trouble maintaining your coordination and balance and having trouble walking and standing.
But in the 2nd or mature stage, you have trouble sleeping, talking, mental problems. You may also experience behavioural changes and also have other different symptoms.
Exercise for Parkinson’s Patients
Usually, exercise is intended for improving people’s physical fitness. Exercise can help Parkinson’s patients control the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. This type of exercise will protect your brain cells and also give you different psychological benefits.
Before doing any exercise you should discuss it with your medical team. Because they can give you the best suggestion to design your safe exercise plan according to your health condition.
However, you can practice Parkinson’s exercises at home or anywhere you want. Actually, there is no perfect exercise for Parkinson’s patients. Depending on overall symptoms and health conditions everyone’s regimen will differ.
According to your health condition try to follow all of the following 5 Exercises for Parkinson’s disease.
Aerobic Exercise
This type of exercise includes different activities that usually challenge your cardiorespiratory system (lungs and heart).
For example biking, walking, brisk walking, different pool activities, stationary cycling and running. Basically, under this exercise, you can do all activities that usually get your heart pumping.
Aerobic exercise may control the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease if you practice this exercise for 30 to 40 minutes 3 days a week.
Strength Training
Strength training exercises for Parkinson’s can help to build their strength and muscle mass by using their body weight or different tools. Try to start strength training exercises with low weight and repetition. Using resistance bands and weights you can improve your muscle strength.
You can do this exercise two days a week. You can focus on the muscles of your backside or on your extensor muscles. Focus on these muscles can help with posture.
Flexibility Training
To improve flexibility, stretching could be one of the best options for Parkinson’s patients. Because stretching is very helpful for maintaining the range of posture and motion. Per week you can practice this exercise for two or more two days.
You can easily improve your body muscle length if you hold each stretch for 30 to 60 seconds.
Balance and Agility Training
Balance exercises for Parkinson’s are very helpful for improving their health condition. Usually, balance training exercises combine strength training, flexibility training and aerobic exercise. For example, balance training includes all of the following activities.
- Yoga
- Dancing
- Gardening
- Golfing
- No-contact boxing
- Water aerobics
- Tai chi, and Pilates
New Types of Exercise for Parkinson’s
To find out different types of Parkinson’s exercise medical researchers continually studying on exercise or different body activities and their benefits. Recently, they find out two activities that Parkinson’s patients can practice as their daily exercise. For example Karate and Golf.
Karate – This body activity is very helpful for improving the quality of life, gait and self-reported impression of change. Parkinson’s patients can practice 10 weeks karate class program to improve their health condition.
At the 2019 American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting, medical researchers highlighted karate as one of the new best exercises for Parkinson’s patients.
Golf – At the 2021 American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting medical researchers’ highlighted golf as one of the best beneficial modes of exercise for people who are suffering from Parkinson’s disease.
It would be an ideal choice according to your health condition if you include any of these exercises in your exercise routine.
Why is Exercise Important for People with Parkinson’s disease?
Exercise is very important for people’s mental and physical well-being. And people with Parkinson’s disease should practice exercise regularly to slow this disease and its symptoms.
Usually, exercise helps to protect the brain cells of Parkinson’s patients. And exercise also helps Parkinson’s patients to do their everyday activities.
Patients with Parkinson’s disease should choose an exercise that they can continue for a longer time. Always try to choose those exercises that you can enjoy the most.
When Should I Start Exercising If I have Parkinson’s disease?
If you are suffering from Parkinson’s disease without wasting your time you should start your exercise immediately. Because earlier exercise at the primary stage of these diseases can give you the best outcome and overall well-being.
What is the Best Exercise for Someone with Parkinson’s?
Actually, there is no specific best exercise for Parkinson’s. Every patient has a different health problem. Exercise that can enjoy by patients and that also improve their health condition is considered as the best exercise for them.
But to find out the best exercise for you should consult with your doctor. Because they can figure out what type of movement challenge you need to recover. And according to your movement problem they can give you the best exercise suggestion to improve your health condition.
What Kind of Exercise can I do if I have Trouble Standing or Walking?
Do you face walking and balancing or standing problems? If yes, you need to take it very seriously, because these are the common symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. First of all, you must visit a doctor as soon as possible.
Remember we are not a doctor, through this article you can only get the knowledge about problem and solution. But what is best for you that should decide by your personal doctor. Because they are specialists in these diseases they can give you the best suggestion for your improvement.
Try to take the best suggestion from your therapist to find out the exercise that works best for improving your walking difficulties.
Usually, walking and balance or standing difficulties are directly linked with brain change. Basically, Parkinson’s disease affects people’s basal ganglia. And this basal ganglia is a part of the brain that helps to keep our balance perfectly.
However, this brain change inhibits patients’ ability to take a large step to control their balance and fall. Drugs cannot improve the balance problem.
You should practice exercise on a routine wise. First of all, you should do different brain activities to improve your brain condition. If your brain improves your walking difficulties also improve. But you also need to do brain exercise and walking exercise together for faster improvement.
You can do different mental activities for brain improvement like solving math, problems in your head, Doing puzzles, Name as many animals in 1 minute.
You should also practice exercises for walking and standing difficulties like- Practice different leg exercises, Try to walk a longer distance. Take long strides and swing your arms move when you walk.
Take stairs instead of the elevator. Practice different balancing exercises. To get more ideas you can also watch Parkinson’s exercise videos.
Is there any risk of Exercising with Parkinson’s disease?
If you design your exercise routine according to your doctor’s or therapist there would be no risk for you. But if you do the wrong exercise that may be a risk for your health condition. So, to avoid risk consult your doctor to get which exercise is best for you.
Although there is no risk if you do exercise by following your doctor’s suggestion, at first you may have some trouble doing exercise. But after practice for a few days, you will adjust to the exercise.
Don’t push yourself too hard for exercising because it may lead to serious injury. So, try to start slowly and over time increase your intensity and duration.
What Type of Exercise is best for Parkinson’s?
There is no specific exercise for Parkinson’s patients. The exercise that can improve your health condition and that is enjoyed by you would be considered as the best exercise for you.
What Should Parkinson’s Patients Avoid?
Parkinson’s patients should always avoid all of this food like high-protein foods, dairy products, processed foods, hard-to-chew foods, acidic foods and salty foods.
Can Parkinson’s be reversed with Exercise?
No, it cannot be reversed by any exercise or medical therapy. Medical therapy and exercise only help people to feel better and to improve their health condition.
How Can I strengthen my Parkinson’s Legs?
There have different body activities that can gradually strengthen your Parkinson’s legs. It would be better for you to practice those activities by watching leg strengthen exercise videos on YouTube.
Does Walking Help Parkinson’s?
Yes, different research that is published in Neurology suggests that regular walking exercise for Parkinson’s patients can help to improve their health condition.
Final Thought
Medications are not effective for Parkinson’s disease. Only exercise can improve or fully recover these issues. Always try to choose those exercises that you enjoy the most and can practice for a long time.
Hopefully, our article on the best exercise for Parkinson’s patients helps you a lot to get a clear concept about Parkinson’s exercise. Don’t forget to make your exercise routine by following your doctor’s suggestions.
Do you have more questions about Parkinson’s exercise? or if you want to share your own exercise routine, please feel free to share it in the comment section below.
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