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I see this exercise done incorrectly all the time! People with Parkinson’s that are stiff often need to modify traditional exercises, and that stiffness can sometimes make stretching exercises dangerous. Seems like a double standard!

If you are flexible or mildly stiff, this popular exercise is safe. But if you have PD, you are most likely really stiff in your upper and lower back, rib area, and neck. Unfortunately, that makes this traditional exercise dangerous for your shoulder and neck.

If you are stiff, it’s common to overcompensate in another joint. In this case, it’s the shoulder and neck.

This “Thread the Needle” exercise stretches and opens your shoulders, chest, arms, upper back, and neck. It releases the stiffness in your upper back and between the shoulder blades.

Watch this video to learn how to perform the “Thread the Needle” exercise properly:

Continue reading “How People with Parkinson’s Can Do the “Thread the Needle” Exercise Without Shoulder Pain”

Hand stiffness is a huge complaint for our fighters and dancers with Parkinson’s. It gets in the way of everything you want to do and makes the simplest task seem slow and almost impossible.

I use a simple exercise called the Pull-Push-Pull to help my clients and students improve the flexibility in their hands and fingers. I love this exercise because it has all sorts of Parkinson’s therapies rolled into one. You know me—I like to be efficient and multitask! I know you have things to do and don’t want a bunch of separate exercises when you can get the same benefits in less time.

Continue reading “Parkinson’s Hand Stiffness? Do this Daily: The Pull-Push-Pull”

It’s really frustrating trying to find shoes for someone with Parkinson’s disease. There are so many things to consider with an average foot, then layer neuromuscular issues on top of that, and it can become almost unbearable to shop for shoes.

When shopping for shoes, often a shoe store clerk will not understand the needs of someone with PD. These guidelines are for active people, but make sure you explore many shoes before deciding. Just because they are comfy doesn’t mean they are a good fit for your foot or your gait. Sloppy slippers are comfy, but that doesn’t make them good for you. Shoes should help correct your biomechanics, including gait. Shoes that are not fitted properly can cause you to trip or create faulty movement patterns.

Continue reading “Footwear Guidelines for Active People With Parkinson’s Who Need Stability”

A common scenario for freezing is getting up from a chair and starting to walk. Initiating the first step often brings on freezing. When you add getting up from a seated position, it’s a double whammy!

This Sit-Stand-Walk exercise is a great repetitive drill that has helped so many of my fighters with their freezing. We use it in our classes, even our online high-intensity boxing workouts. I love helping someone who is having difficulty find a practical solution. Overcoming something that previously made you fall improves your quality of life and feeling of empowerment!

Continue reading “Try This Sit-Stand-Walk Exercise To Treat Parkinson’s Gait Freezing”

Because of the quarantine and lack of exercise many people with Parkinson’s are falling more these days. I decided to do these quick beginner exercises to get you started improving your balance.

Your balance is a process of many systems working together to hold you upright. Your eyesight, ears, muscles, tendons, joints, and nervous system send messages to your brain. The basal ganglia is the balance center of the brain and also the part of the brain most affected by Parkinson’s.

Is it any wonder why people with PD fall so much? The body tries to compensate by using other parts of the brain for balance, and all that does is disrupt other systems, like thinking and executive functioning.

The only thing that significantly helps with balance is specialized coaching and exercise. Your medication will not help you with balance. Once again, it is movement (nature’s cure-all) to the rescue!

Continue reading “Want to Know How to Improve Your Balance If You Have Parkinson’s? It’s a Multisystem Process.”