You have to keep your glutes and back muscles strong to maintain your balance and prevent falls. Here is another great way to workout in your home with the safety of using a wall. We all have access to a wall! Just make sure it doesn’t have any windows or pictures to hit your head on.
Statistics show most falls happen sideways, and in your own home. This is a great way to practice walking sideways safely and work the muscles that help with balance… your glutes!
See video below:
One of my followers reached out to me saying her hamstrings have been tight due to Parkinson’s. Working in the garden bent over has made them worse, and now her back hurts too. Another fighter said that they’re having issues with plantar fasciitis. Luckily, I have an answer to help them both… ADDRESS YOUR FEET!
Fascia is a band or layer of connective tissue (primarily collagen) under the skin that attaches and separates muscles and encases internal organs. Fascia can get very tight and knotted up, causing pain and stiffness. People with Parkinson’s disease get even more tight. This tightness compounds every day if it’s not addressed. Therefore, it’s very important to release it so the underlying muscles can glide and function properly.
This myofascial release technique is great for treating tight hamstrings, back aches, foot and calf pain.
Continue reading “Are Your Hamstrings Tight Due to Parkinson’s Disease? Address Your Feet!”
After last week’s blog post and video on upper body stretches to off-set stiffness (it often happens to people with Parkinson’s from too much sitting) I decided I wanted provide you with a lower body routine too.
Everyone, regardless of Parkinson’s or not, needs to take frequent stretch breaks. Too much computer, T.V., or seated projects puts your body in a forward flexed position. Your hip flexors get overly tight when you sit, and because tightness in this area is a huge problem with Parkinson’s, too much sitting adds to pain and stiffness. You must take a movement break every 20 minutes. This is an easy, quick lower body stretch routine that is great for combating too much sitting.
Continue reading “I Need A Quick Lower Body Stretch Routine for Someone with Parkinson’s”
I had a reader ask me for a quick seated stretch routine that she could do because she is getting stiff from sitting during this in-home quarantine.
Everyone (regardless of Parkinson’s or not) needs to take frequent stretch breaks. Too much computer, T.V., or seated projects put your body in a forward flexed position. It is important to take movement breaks every 20 minutes. Keep in mind that you don’t have to do all of these exercises each time; you can divide them up.
Be sure to get up every 30 minutes. Stand up and walk around. It’s surprising how fast the hours fly by when you are entranced in a seated activity. Sitting is the undoing of your body, and it makes your symptoms worse.
This quick seated stretch routine will help you combat the stiffness that comes with sitting too much:
Continue reading “I Need a Quick Seated Stretch Routine for Someone with Parkinson’s”I have received several emails from people that are urgently writing me and asking, “I have Parkinson’s disease, and I need to work on my balance while I’m stuck at home, but how do I do this safely?”. I am going to answer the call for more balance exercises. This balance exercise is great for anyone, from a professional athlete to frailer individual in a wheelchair. I love this so much and incorporate it into my boxing bootcamp classes.
As discussed before, you are at higher risk for falling in your own home. We need to really work on balance to prevent falls now, especially because we are spending more time in our houses.
All you need for this exercise is a mat (or blanket) and maybe a chair.
Continue reading “I Have Parkinson’s Disease and Need to Work on My Balance While I’m Stuck at Home”