Exercise is "best medicine" for people with Parkinson's disease

Study after study shows that people with Parkinson’s (PWP) who remain active and exercise regularly do better over time than those who do not. The more PWP move, the easier it gets.

While there is no proof that exercise slows disease progression, there is ample evidence that it provides symptomatic relief and helps PWP maintain overall quality of life — no small feat when talking about a progressive, debilitating, incurable disease.

“Patients who exercise … seem to have slower progression of disease and a better prognosis (than those who don’t),” says Dr. Joseph Jankovic, professor of neurology and director, Parkinson’s Disease Center and Movement Disorders Clinic, Baylor College of Medicine. (Neurology Now, Spring 2005). “I have seen patients improve joint mobility, posture, coordination and balance without any change in medications just because they started exercising.”

People at all stages of Parkinson’s who exercise regularly are better able to go up and down a flight of stairs or get into a car without help, says Eric Breitenbeck, wellness coordinator for the promotion division at the University of Michigan Health System. “Getting into a habit of physical activity certainly has long-term benefits.”

Researchers at the Washington University medical school in St. Louis recently found that PWP can significantly improve functional mobility by taking Argentine tango lessons and exercise classes. The tango group, however, showed greater improvement in balance, which is critical to avoiding falls. Additional studies with larger groups of patients are needed to confirm these preliminary findings.

“The dance classes included stretching, balance exercises, tango-style walking, footwork patterns, experimenting of timing of steps, and dance with and without a partner. The exercise classes included 40 minutes of seated exercise, followed by standing exercises supported by a chair, core strengthening and stretching.” (U.S. News & World Report )

A Duke University exercise study published in 1998 found that regular flexibility exercises significantly improved mobility and coordination in people with early and mid stage Parkinson's disease in as few as 10 weeks. “Introduced early, exercise programs might delay further impairment, or even reverse it,” study investigators concluded.

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Research says exercise helps PWP:

• Improve emotional wellness.
• Establish better sleep patterns.
• Increase energy level and mobility.
• Improve balance and minimize gait problems.
• Boost body strength and reduce disability
• Maintain flexibility.
• Initiate movements easier.
• Speak and swallow better.
• Reduce pain.
• Gain more control of their bodies.
• Relieve stress.

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