Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsExercise BenefitsHow to Exercise With Parkinson’sParkinson’s Home Exercise ProgramTips and ConsiderationsFrequently Asked QuestionsNext in Parkinson’s Disease GuideEssential Oils for Parkinson’s Disease
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Exercise Benefits
How to Exercise With Parkinson’s
Parkinson’s Home Exercise Program
Tips and Considerations
Frequently Asked Questions
Next in Parkinson’s Disease Guide
Parkinson’s diseaseis a neurological disorder that causes a wide variety of movement-related symptoms including resting tremors, rigidity in the arms or legs, slowed movement, and difficulty with walking or balance.These symptoms typically progress slowly, but can eventually cause significant disability and loss of independence.
While there is no cure for this condition, performing a Parkinson’s exercise program can help you manage your symptoms and may prolong your independence.
Benefits of Exercise for People With Parkinson’s Disease
Exercise has been shown to have severalsignificant benefitsfor people with Parkinson’s disease. These helpful effects seem to stem from two specific neurological changes that occur when you work out:
These two exercise-related changes can result in many concrete advantages for people with Parkinson’s, including:
Whether you’re a first-time exerciser or a lifelong athlete, the key to working out with Parkinson’s is to safely and regularly move your body in a variety of ways. Your fitness regimen should include these four main categories of exercise:
People with Parkinson’s should strive to perform aerobic activity at least three times weekly and to complete exercises from the other categories two to three times each week.
In total, the Parkinson’s Foundation suggests performing 150 minutes of moderate tovigorous exercise weekly.
To help you achieve this goal, try these helpful tips:
You don’t need to join a gym or purchase expensive fitness equipment to stay active with Parkinson’s disease. On the contrary, there are many great exercises that you can do from the comfort of your home, regardless of which stage of the disease you are in. Take a look at some great examples in the sections below.
Early-Stage Parkinson’s Disease
These exercises appropriately challenge your body during the early stages of the disease. During this time, mobility impairments are minimal, and more vigorous exercising can typically be performed.
Chair Squats
Push-Up
This shoulder and chest exercise can be performed against a wall for an easier variation or on the floor to make it more challenging.
Brisk Walking or Jogging
Whether on a sidewalk or a treadmill, this common aerobic exercise helps improve your cardiovascular fitness.
Middle-Stage Parkinson’s Disease
During the middle stages of Parkinson’s disease, movement begins to get more challenging and falling becomes more of a concern. The following exercises are good options to challenge your body while remaining mindful of your safety.
Bridges
Use the bridge exercise to strengthen the leg muscles that help you stand up and climb the stairs.
Jogging in Place
Dancing
Moving along to your favorite type of music can provide cardiovascular benefits while also challenging your balance.
Advanced-Stage Parkinson’s Disease
During late-stage Parkinson’s disease, standing and walking become very difficult, and finding safe ways to exercise becomes more challenging. Fortunately, there are still many options at your disposal to strengthen and stretch your muscles.
Clam Shells
This exercise strengthens the outer muscles of the hip that help to stabilize yourpelvis as you walk.
Heel Lifts
Heel lifts are a safe and effective way to target the muscles in your calf that play an important role in your balance.
Trunk Twist
Trunk twists help to increase the range of motion in your neck, upper back, and shoulders. This can make everyday movements and activities easier to perform.
Summary
Starting a Parkinson’s exercise program can help you manage your symptoms and may prolong your independence. There are different exercises recommended for the varying stages of Parkinson’s, based on your level of mobility.
By staying active and committing to a regular workout routine, you can improve your overall outlook and maintain your safety as you cope with this challenging disease.
Many different exercises that target the legs and trunk can help enhance your stability. Tai-chi and yoga classes are also valuable additions to your workout routine if balance is a concern. If you are worried about your risk of falling, be sure to speak to a physical therapist about a formal evaluation.
The Parkinson’s Foundation recommends people with the disease complete moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise at least three times per week for 30 minutes. In addition, strength training, stretching, and balance exercises should each be performed two to three times weekly. Ultimately, 150 minutes of active exercise each week is suggested.
4 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Parkinson’s Foundation.What is Parkinson’s.FengYS, Yang SD, Tan ZX, et al.The benefits and mechanismsof exercise training for Parkinson’s disease.LifeSciences. 2020;245:117345. doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2020.117345Parkinson’s Foundation.Parkinson’s exercise recommendations.American Parkinson Disease Association.Fitness counts: a body guide to Parkinson’s disease.
4 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Parkinson’s Foundation.What is Parkinson’s.FengYS, Yang SD, Tan ZX, et al.The benefits and mechanismsof exercise training for Parkinson’s disease.LifeSciences. 2020;245:117345. doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2020.117345Parkinson’s Foundation.Parkinson’s exercise recommendations.American Parkinson Disease Association.Fitness counts: a body guide to Parkinson’s disease.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Parkinson’s Foundation.What is Parkinson’s.FengYS, Yang SD, Tan ZX, et al.The benefits and mechanismsof exercise training for Parkinson’s disease.LifeSciences. 2020;245:117345. doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2020.117345Parkinson’s Foundation.Parkinson’s exercise recommendations.American Parkinson Disease Association.Fitness counts: a body guide to Parkinson’s disease.
Parkinson’s Foundation.What is Parkinson’s.
FengYS, Yang SD, Tan ZX, et al.The benefits and mechanismsof exercise training for Parkinson’s disease.LifeSciences. 2020;245:117345. doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2020.117345
Parkinson’s Foundation.Parkinson’s exercise recommendations.
American Parkinson Disease Association.Fitness counts: a body guide to Parkinson’s disease.
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