People often ask me what they can do about their stooped posture due to Parkinson’s. I used a mental concept from a deadlift exercise to engage your upper back muscles.

The pool noodle is great because there are so many uses for it, especially a noodle cut in half.

We have a few basic movement rules at the Rebel Fit Club, one being that you don’t use your legs to get yourself up from a lying position. Many people have never learned how to safely get up from lying down. The default is to use your legs as giant levers and heave yourself up with force. You might not think you’re hurting your back, but every time you do this, it’s like a ticking time bomb just waiting to go off.

This is one of my favorite topics, and it was brought up by one of my favorite people. He is a fighter in our Parkinson’s boxing class and a personal training client at the Rebel Fit Club. He was diagnosed in 2012 with Parkinson’s and is a retired Physical Therapist. Because of his prior career experience, he is especially great at giving me feedback on what he’s feeling and his frustrations.  

This picture was taken before a personal training session with me a few days ago. Even after our boxing class filled with specific exercises to offset the symptoms of PD, he still couldn’t stand up straight and complained of heavy legs. Anyone who has taken a class from me knows I’m a stickler on form, and constantly drive home that “bad form creates new issues and exacerbates current ones”. 

If the muscles are tight and bound up, the fascia is also. His anterior flexion muscles and other tissues were tight, making it very difficult for him to stand up straight. The posterior extension muscles were weak and in a state that makes it hard to activate them. My client said, “I’m trying to straighten up, but I can’t.” Because of this, his back hurts and he is at risk of falling forward. The before picture might look like he’s exaggerating and rounding forward on purpose, but this is how he started and could not straighten up. You may think, he’s stuck like that permanently, just watch.

My fighters and dancers with Parkinson’s asked me to create a myofascial release video specifically for feet. Your feet take a beating and are often neglected. With Parkinson’s cramping, neuropathy and a host of other painful ailments are often present.

I get asked a lot about what I recommend. I know with my own feet I have abused them over the years from dancing and wearing high heels. They need a lot of love!