Here is another great exercise to do while you are sitting in a car, on a plane, or just in front of the TV.  Often, people with Parkinson’s have a hard time picking up their toes and feet while walking. Instead, they shuffle along, which leads to falls. This is a neurological symptom, but the result of not picking up your toes is the weakening of the anterior tibialis muscle (located on your shin). If you don’t use it, you start to lose it.

The anterior tibialis helps you flex your ankle and lift your foot off the ground, which is critical to having proper gait. When this muscle gets weak due to Parkinson’s, it’s known as “foot drop,” and this can lead to catching your toes or falling.

When you think of things that might threaten your life, you probably don’t think, “sitting.” However, research shows that sitting too much is one of the biggest potential threats to our health.

“We are sitting ourselves to death. We weren’t designed to sit as much as we do,” says James Levine, a professor of medicine at the Mayo Clinic. “The chair is out to kill us.”

One hour of exercise doesn’t negate long periods of sitting, especially with poor posture. Exercise is vital, but it doesn’t undo the damage done by extended periods of sitting.