Friends In Frederick
Parkinson's Disease Support Group
Post Office Box 213
Walkersville, MD 21793-0213
ph: (301) 703-1194
stephen
Keeping Active
From the Parkinson's Foundation:
Exercise is an important part of healthy living for everyone. For people with Parkinson’s disease (PD), exercise is more than healthy — it is a vital component to maintaining balance, mobility and activities of daily living.
Exercise and physical activity can improve many PD symptoms. These benefits are supported by research.
The Parkinson’s Outcomes Project shows that people with PD who start exercising earlier and a minimum of 2.5 hours a week, experience a slowed decline in quality of life compared to those who start later. Establishing early exercise habits is essential to overall disease management.
- First, be safe. Before starting an exercise program, consult your neurologist and primary care doctor about concerns and recommendations.
- Ask your doctor or members in your support group to refer to a physical therapist (PT) who knows about PD.
- Work together to identify your concerns and limitations. Target exercises to improve them. For most people, a structured exercise program will include aerobic exercise (such as brisk walking) and resistance training (using weights or bands).
- Purchase a pedometer (step-counter) and figure out how many steps you take on average each day, then build up from there. Many smartphones or smartwatches have a built-in pedometer feature or an application that can be downloaded.
- Exercise indoors and outdoors. Change your routine to stay interested and motivated.
- Again, most importantly pick an exercise you enjoy.
Learn more at the Parkinson's Foundation website.
You can --CLICK HERE-- to take the Friends in Frederick Parkinson's Disease Support Group Exercise Survey.
Post Office Box 213
Walkersville, MD 21793-0213
ph: (301) 703-1194
stephen