Symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease may force individuals to move slowly. Individuals feel pain, tightness and weakness, particularly, in the joints and muscles. Physical therapy or PT may help in dealing with the symptoms effectively.
Physical therapy is unable to cure the Parkinson’s disease, as in this problem, neurological damage is unable to reverse. However, therapy helps in compensating the changes brought about from the health condition. These compensatory treatments include gaining knowledge about latest movement techniques, equipment and key strategies.
Prime goal of the physical therapy to treat Parkinson’s disease symptoms is to bring improvement in your quality of life as well as independence by simply improving body functions and movements, while simultaneously, removing/relieving the pain. Based on this, physical therapy helps with-
- Balancing of problems
- Fatigue
- Lack of coordination
- Gait
- Body Pain
- Weakness and
- Immobility.
Best Physical Therapy or PT Exercises for Parkinson’s Disease Patients
Exercises Challenging Lungs and Heart
Parkinson’s disease patients should essentially involve in the exercise programs, which challenge their lungs and heart, while simultaneously, promote good posture, biomechanics, rotation of trunk, symmetric and regular rhythmic movements and similar other physical movements.
Random Practice Exercises
Moreover, exercises, which challenge individuals in changing their regular activities, tempos and direction i.e. random practice exercises give significant benefits to people dealing with Parkinson’s disease.
Variation in Activities is Mandatory
Both neurologists and therapists recommend keeping variation in physical exercise activities. This is because; people suffering from PD often face difficulty while shifting from a particular activity to another one or while performing two and more activities simultaneously.
What Does a Physical Therapist Do?
A physical therapist teaches you important physical exercises directed towards strengthening and loosening of muscles. You may perform a majority of such exercises easily in your home.
Especially, a good physical therapist recommends physical exercises, which involve both preparatory adjustments and maintaining balance of human body, along with a large number of rhythmic activities, including skipping, cycling and dancing directed towards maintaining the physical ability of individuals to perform different types of reciprocal body movements.
Along with this, most of the therapists recommend for exercises, which are helpful in the promotion of learning and attention. These include-
- Walking outside or dancing
- Special aerobic or yoga classes
- Stepping over hurdles/obstacles
- March with music and by swinging big arms
- Involvement in different types of sports, which include golf, ping pong, volleyball and tennis.
Where to Get Physical Therapy?
Today, most of the clinics and hospitals provide outpatient physical therapy solutions for Parkinson’s disease. However, it is essential for you to schedule an appointment with the doctor to undergo the procedure. If you think or feel to receive benefits from the therapy, you should never hesitate about asking your doctor to get referrals.
Visits Required for Physical Therapy
Patients undergoing physical therapy or PT treatments require minimum 1 to maximum 3 visits to the clinic to complete the treatment procedure. First appointment involves an evaluation and necessary recommendations related to physical exercises. Second and third appointments check the progress of your treatment and review as well as expansion of the home programs. Most of the hospitals provide additional sessions associated with outpatient therapy in case of requirement.
Other Services related to Physical Therapy
Physical therapy and treatment may provide various other services for good health of the Parkinson’s disease patients. These are:
Recommendations
Physical therapists give recommendations to undergo for physical therapy at home, at a nursing center, at an outpatient facility or at a rehabilitation facility for Parkinson’s disease patients.
Evaluations of Work Ability/Capacity
Most of the physical therapists evaluate functional capacity of Parkinson’s disease patients to provide detailed information associated with disability claims according to specific physical performance. This ability evaluation is helpful when any office associated with social security denies disability of any person who is not able to work for 8-hours in one day.
Also Read:
- What Happens To Someone With Parkinson’s Disease?
- Why do People With Parkinson’s Lose Weight?
- Which Foods Are Good For Parkinson’s Disease?
- Is Parkinson’s a Disability Under the ADA?
- Is Parkinson’s a Deadly Disease?
- Can You Get Disability for Parkinson’s Disease?
- What Drugs Can Cause Parkinson’s Disease?
