Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease affecting the release of dopamine in the basal ganglia of the brain. Some of the symptoms of Parkinson’s that we work on at Neuromotion include: bradykinesia (slowness of movement), freezing, rigidity (stiffness), shuffling gait, decreased arm swing while walking, kyphotic (stooped) posture, soft voice, small handwriting, depressed mood, memory loss, and impaired motivation.
Most of our physiotherapists, kinesiologists and athletic therapists have post-graduate certification in Parkinson’s Wellness Recovery (PWR) clinician or instructor training. The athletic therapist or physiotherapist will carry out a detailed assessment of every client with PD, after which they will develop a specific treatment plan of one-on-one sessions and a home exercise program. Some clients are referred to an exercise class in the community or at one of our clinics.
There is strong evidence supporting the use of Parkinson’s specific exercise for improving symptoms, improving function, slowing the disease progression, and improving mood, memory and social engagement.
Parkinson’s’ specific exercises and treatments include:
- Progressive aerobic exercise
- Large amplitude whole body movements
- Progressive treadmill training (with or without a harness)
- Agility training
- Coordination and balance training
- Flexibility exercises
- Pole walking
- Dual task and cognitive exercises
- Loud voice practice
- Dance and rhythm