Flathead Valley Parkinson's Support Group

EXERCISE AND PARKINSON’S

Before starting any exercise, check with your doctor to be sure it is safe for you to start working out.

As most of us know, exercise is one of the most important things we can do for our quality of life with Parkinson’s. Many studies have shown that exercise is the only thing proven to slow the progression of Parkinson’s. Starting an exercise program as soon as possible after a diagnosis of Parkinson’s can be crucial to slowing the decline in quality of life. For Parkinson’s, it is best to do some type of activity every day to maintain our mobility and function.

There are a variety of choices when it comes to exercise but what is most important is to choose something you enjoy and will stay with. We also need to incorporate cardio, strength, balance, stretching, and flexibility into our workouts. Some of the exercises that include these components are boxing, BIG for Life, hiking, biking, running, walking, Tai Chi, yoga, dance, and weight training. High intensity workouts have also been shown to be extremely helpful with symptom control. Here are a couple of articles related to high intensity workouts. See our Links page for more articles like these.

Michael J. Fox article on high intensity workouts

Brian Grant article on high intensity workouts

Fortunately, for the Flathead Valley Parkinson’s community, we have three excellent exercise programs specifically for people with PD. Click on these links to learn more about our Rock Steady Boxing, Strength & Balance, and Tai Chi programs.