Often people with Parkinson’s will ask me to help them strengthen their hands or to help them be able to grip better. The problem isn’t strength. The problem is that Parkinson’s is causing too much flexion (gripping position) and tightness making it harder to extend (straighten). If you can’t extend your fingers, you can’t bring them around items and hold them. It’s a common problem, so I created a series of videos to really help Parkinson’s stiff hands.

The tools in this article are everyday household items, so you can do these exercises daily. You will certainly notice a difference!

Here are the 4 Great Extension Exercises Using Everyday Household Items to Really Help Parkinson’s Stiff Hands:

1. Place your hand flat, palm down on a table and extend fingers. Try to lift the fingers off the table together, then one at a time.

2. Drape your hand, palm-down over a softball. Try to extend your fingers out and up.

3. With your elbow on the table, drape your wrist (facing downward) over a can or water bottle and extend the hand upward. Do this both with the fingers extended and curled in a loose fist.

4. Using a large roll of electrical or packaging tape (roll should be big enough to allow only the first knuckle of your finger to extend round it) place your hand over the roll. Curl fingers around it, and them extend them open.

Do each of these exercises 10 – 20 times on each hand daily. You can do these while you watch TV or anytime you are sitting at a table. Keep your hands moving, you need them!

• 💜 Kimberly

Many People with Parkinson’s Disease complain of stiffness and pain in their hands. This stiffness affects your everyday life, and the simplest tasks become difficult.

Years ago, I fell off a high ledge while hiking and snapped ligaments in my thumb. I hiked out a long way with a cold, wet bandana wrapped around it. I had to wear an immobilizing brace for 3 months, which resulted in my thumb being unable to move at all! Hand therapy and daily myofascial release enabled it to move again.

As you will see in the video below (scroll down), I have full range and function again. I never neglect my hand exercises, and neither should you!

All you will need to perform these 4 easy myofascial techniques to relieve your hand stiffness is a ball, a dowel, and a tabletop.

Continue reading “4 Easy Techniques for People with Parkinson’s to Relieve Hand Stiffness”

With Parkinson’s disease, the rib cage gets stiff and flexes forward. This causes a lack of rotation in the spine and makes twisting nearly impossible. When you fail to rotate in the upper back (thoracic spine), your body will compensate. This almost always results in shoulder or low back pain.

This easy, seated exercise is a great way to practice your rotation at home! It incorporates both slow and fast movements, plus it encourages extension in several joints, making it an important upper body exercise for people with PD. The best part is, it is seated, so everyone can do it and it takes no equipment!

Continue reading “Is Parkinson’s Making Twisting Impossible for You? Do This Easy Seated Exercise – No Equipment Required!”

With Parkinson’s disease, the rib cage becomes stiff and flexes forward. This causes a lack of rotation in the spine. When you fail to rotate in the upper back (thoracic spine), your body will start to compensate by rotating parts of your body that are not meant to rotate, like the lumbar spine (low back). Unfortunately, this almost always results in shoulder or back pain.

I wanted to share this exercise with you because it is a great way to practice your rotation at home. The best part is that it’s seated! Everyone can do this, and the only equipment you’ll need is a pillow/rolled up towel and a pizza pan.

Continue reading “Do You Have Parkinson’s Stiff Upper Back Making Rotation Impossible? Do This Easy Seated Exercise!”

Last week I showed you how to do a simple back extension exercise over a handmade bolster to strengthen your back to treat Parkinson’s stooped posture and tight shoulders. This week I’m going to show you how to make a simple homemade bolster that, along with the help of gravity, will relax and stretch your chest. It’s a simple exercise, and will help treat your Parkinson’s stooped posture by getting you standing up straight.

All you need is a bath towel, some duct tape, and an additional pillow to pad your hips.

Try this exercise today! You’re going to enjoy to added benefit of how this helps to relax the painful tight muscles in your back and chest.

Continue reading “How to Use a Homemade Bolster to Treat Parkinson’s Stooped Posture”