Rehabilitation in Parkinson's disease is as important as the use of medications. Appropriate rehabilitation exercises performed by the patient slow down the progress of the disease, and thus - improve the patient's quality of life. Find out which exercises are best for people with parkinson's.

Parkinson's diseaseis a condition in the course of whichrehabilitation,appropriateimprovement exercises,are as important as the medications you take. In the course of Parkinson's disease, body tremors, increased muscle tone and gait disturbances appear - the gait becomes slower, the patient moves with small, small steps. They are accompanied by disturbances in body posture (characteristic silhouette of an old man), speech disorders, changes in handwriting, and depressive disorders. Appropriate exercise delays the appearance of these symptoms, and thus - improves the patient's quality of life.Rehabilitation in Parkinson's diseasedepends on the severity of the disease, and thus - the physical fitness of the patient, as well as his age. Therefore, before arranging an appropriate set of exercises, a physiotherapist should assess the patient's stages of disability and the severity of parkinsonian symptoms. A special scale of Hoehn and Yahr serves this purpose.

Parkinson's disease - rehabilitation. Exercises in the first stage of the disease

In the first stage of Parkinson's disease, the physical fitness of the patient is not very impaired, therefore the goal of rehabilitation will be to maintain it as long as possible. Regular walks over short and long distances on various surfaces (concrete, carpet, grass, etc.) are recommended. During them, it is recommended to

  • raise your knees high (the so-called stork gait)
  • take bigger steps
  • go up and down the curb
  • cross obstacles
  • take major and minor bends
  • engage your hands to work, e.g. by swinging

Nordic walking is especially recommended, i.e. a walk with poles, the basis of which is a long and dynamic stride.

Parkinson's disease - rehabilitation. Exercises in stage II of the disease

At this stage of the disease, the need to maintain an upright posture is emphasized. To prevent slouching, you should lie flat on your stomach and back for at least 30 minutes a day. It is also recommendedexercises to get up from a chair, perform squats and half-squats (e.g. against a wall with his back - the patient rests his back against the wall and squats as if he wants to sit on a chair), walking up stairs, exercises for changing position and sitting in bed, and stretching exercises.

Besides, the following exercises are recommended:

  • buttoning and unfastening buttons by yourself (e.g. when dressing and undressing)
  • reaching for items of various shapes and sizes
  • pouring water from vessel to vessel
  • unlocking the door lock
  • writing (on lined paper) paying attention to the correct capitalization (from line to line)
Worth knowing

Parkinson's disease - helpful physical therapy

Physical therapy is helpful in Parkinson's disease. This term covers light therapy, heat treatment, laser therapy, electrotherapy, magnetotherapy, cold therapy and similar procedures that improve the patient's overall fitness.

Parkinson's disease - rehabilitation. Exercises in stage III of the disease

Balance disorders are characteristic for this phase of the disease, therefore balance exercises are important, as they provide stability while moving, and thus prevent dangerous falls. For example:

The entire rehabilitation process requires the involvement of a physiotherapist, occupational therapist, psychologist, and speech therapist.

  • sit on the bed so that your legs hang freely and do not touch the floor. Put both hands to the side and try to reach as far as possible, alternating left and right sides
  • sit on the edge of the bed, put your feet on the floor. Take a pillow in your hand and carry it from your right ankle over your left shoulder. Try to look at the pillow all the time. Do the same exercise from the left ankle over the right shoulder
  • Sit on the ball, hands on the waist. Make circles to the left and right. This exercise perfectly relaxes and massages the hips
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Music therapy good for people with Parkinson's disease

Music therapy, or treatment with music, can have a positive effect on the functional condition of people struggling with Parkinson's disease. It uses a combination of singing, movement, dance, and playing instruments by the sick, especially the percussion. Rhythmic stimulation affects movement and gait control. When a person suffering from Parkinson's hears music, he starts to move completely differently - his stride is longer, he walks faster and more rhythmically. An important element of rehabilitation is also singing, which allows you to improve speech. In turn, the combination of music anddancing has a positive effect on balance, turning and prevents falls.

Parkinson's disease - rehabilitation. Exercises in stage IV of the disease

At this stage of the disease, standing and walking without someone else's help is much more difficult. It is recommended to walk with support and help from a caregiver on a regular basis, for example by moving around the bed, and stretching exercises are performed.

Parkinson's disease - rehabilitation. Exercises in stage 5 of the disease

The sick person is completely dependent on the environment (mainly sitting or lying). Walking is only possible with the help of guardians. Adequate orthopedic equipment to enable mobility (eg walking frames, pram strollers. It is important to prevent the consequences of prolonged lying, such as pressure ulcers and respiratory diseases), so be careful about repositioning and maintaining respiratory function using breathing exercises.

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"Freeze of gait, movement" - what to do?

Parkinson's disease is characterized by the so-called Freezing of gait - the patient cannot take a step, stumbles in place or has a feeling that his feet "stick" to the ground. In such a situation, the patient should stop trying to continue walking, press the heel to the ground, straighten up and lift the head up, hit the thigh with his hand and try to walk forward.

Torso mobility exercise in Parkinson's disease

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