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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”

If you have Parkinson’s disease and live in one of the areas currently being hit by wildfires you are probably having problems breathing due to poor air quality. I have been evacuated from my home and am living in the Rebel Fit Club gym. Luckily, I had a place to go to. Unfortunately, many around us have lost their homes.

As we were packing up our house the fire was only a mile away. You can imagine how hard it was to breathe. We couldn’t see across our property because the smoke was so bad. Even though I was wearing a surgical mask and bandana, I felt like I was being suffocated. My husband was able to find a N95 mask he had bought years ago for wood working. As soon as I put it on, I instantly felt a difference. There was no difference in the air quality, but the particles weren’t getting in my lungs.

Continue reading “Do You Have Parkinson’s Disease and Can’t Breathe Because of Wildfire Smoke Pollution? Do This.”