On Nov 2, 2011 Pamela Parks wrote on WISINFO.COM about the importance of exercise for Parkinson’s disease patients.
Exercise is important for people at every age, but for someone diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, it is a key ingredient to maintaining mobility. Now finding just the right exercise class is as easy as going to the Wisconsin YMCA.
Through a collaborative effort between Ministry Door County Medical Center Rehab Services (MDCMCRS), the Y and the Door County Parkinson’s Support Group, special exercise classes are a popular offering twice a week in both the Sturgeon Bay and Northern Door Y program centers. And participants are seeing and feeling positive results.
”It keeps me moving. When I walk, I watch my arms now and make sure my arms are moving. If I don’t go to class, I would be going downwards. If you keep up the procedures, it (Parkinson’s disease) won’t get worse,” said Dave Barta, a class participant since the end of June. Barta was diagnosed with the disease on May 11 and immediately began physical therapy. He built his strength, stamina and mobility to be able to participate in the class. His wife, Tress, goes along with him to class.
”I help him along and often I get right down on the mat and do the exercise with him. And we do them (the exercises) at home, too,” Tress said. “Without the classes, he would be stiff and his joints would be locked and he would be falling … He doesn’t shuffle, he stands erect. He can get up from the floor and can roll over. It has energized him and increased his abilities to do more things.”
Parkinson’s disease affects about 1 in 100 Americans older than 60, the average age of onset, and affects men and women in almost equal numbers. According to the Wisconsin Parkinson Association, it is a slowly progressive neurodegenerative disorder that occurs when nerve cells in the midbrain area die or become impaired and affect dopamine production.
The disease disrupts the smooth, coordinated function of the body’s muscles and movement and can cause tremors, slowness of movement, rigidity of limbs and trunk and impaired balance. Parkinson’s disease is a chronic condition that persists over a long period of time, and its symptoms gradually worsen over time
While its cause is unknown, exercise clearly slows the speed of the disease’s progression.
”Ten years ago we didn’t do a lot of rehab or physical treatment of Parkinson’s, but in the last five to 10 years there has been a lot of research on exercise and Parkinson’s disease,” MDCMCRS physical therapist Carl Grota said. “We are finding out that fairly intense exercise helps preserve brain cells.”
Grota is one of several MDCMCRS physical therapists who facilitate the Parkinson’s Exercise class at the Y. The innovative class began in March and is one of only a dozen like it in Wisconsin.
All three entities are important to the success of the program,” Grota said. “The Y has the equipment — treadmills and floor mats — and space. The support group provides the people. We teach them what we want them to do, and the goal is to increase the quality of life for these individuals.”
During the hourlong class, participants work half the time on floor exercises or in chairs to focus on spine mobility, strengthening, and good posture — which helps improve balance. The remaining time is spent exercising on aerobic conditioning on treadmills.
”You would never think to put someone with Parkinson’s on a tread mill … but they get on there, conquer their fear, and do great,,” Grota said. “Their brain learns how to walk the right way again, and that is what matters.”
In addition to the exercise support, participants find emotional support in the class.
”This is another place to go and share experiences with people who know exactly what they are going through,” Y Healthy Living Coordinator Christine Webb-Miller said. “I hear participants exchange information as they are walking on tread mills … They are able to come here and have those frank discussions and find support.”
On her first day as the Parish Nurse for United Methodist Church of Sturgeon Bay, Carol Moellenberndt received a call requesting a Parkinson’s Support group. That was seven years ago. Now, 12 to 24 people regularly gather for the group each month.
”It is important for people with Parkinson’s disease to connect with other people who have the disease because it is pretty isolating. At the support group, they can talk about things happening to them and they are not alone in it,” Moellenberndt said.
Not everyone with Parkinson’s disease is able to manage the exercise class. Physical therapists at MDCMCRS access interested participants and may recommend a period of physical therapy, like in Barta’s case, to get started.
“This class is letting people see they can face it stronger and make things easier for longer,” Miller said. “We are not going to cure their Parkinson’s, but we can help them live with it better and manage it better and live independently longer.”
The Tutor system, consisting of the HandTutor, ArmTutor, LegTutor and 3DTutor, has been developed to allow for functional rehabilitation of the whole body including the upper and lower extremity. This is especially helpful for Parkinson’s patients. The Tutor system consists of ergonomic wearable devices and dedicated rehabilitation software that provide patient instructions and feedback to encourage intensive massed controlled exercise practice. The Tutor system allows for controlled exercise of multijoints within the normal movement pattern which prevents the development of undesired and compensatory joint movement and ensures better performance of functional tasks. Additional features of the Tutor system include quantitative evaluation, objective follow up and tele-rehabilitation.
The new medical devices, which are effective rehabilitation tools for Brain/Spinal cord injuries, stroke, CP, MS, arm, hand, leg and hip surgeries, are available through the use of telerehabilitation and are FDA and CE certified. See www.HandTutor.com for more information.
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