Focus on Parkinson’s Disease - Exercises of Peto Pilates
Living with PD can be challenging, but one step towards maintaining your independence is to keep moving.
There is currently no cure for PD, but we know that being social, exercising and up to date with medical appointments and assessments are the key elements of managing symptoms and keeping independent.
These problems like:
Walking difficulties/gait chnages
Slowness/difficulty in initiating movement/rigidity
Tremor
Not able to swing the arm whilst walking
Slurd speech
Difficulty in handwriting
In the Peto Pilates program, we focus on the elements that people with PD face. We look at the person holistically, not only focusing on the issues, but also offering ideas, solutions, and practical movements that can be challenging. Being positive, encouraging and offering achievable goals will bring a positive outcome. And breaking down the movements can highlight the main issues in balance and coordination.
We still do not know the exact reason for the loss of dopamine in PD. While we know that these nerve cells are responsible for coordinating muscle movements, we see that their impairment affects motor function.
Working on movements, postures, and alignments will increase awareness, a critical point. Relearning and creating new neural pathways can offer some solutions/improvements/overcome difficulties.
Some examples:
Exercises that cross the midline not only challenge physical strength and endurance but also enhance neuroconnections between the cerebral hemispheres. This can facilitate improved communication and coordination, thereby benefiting fine motor skills, multitasking, memory, and additional cognitive functions.
Handwriting, brain connection, and hand-eye coordination are excellent skills - do not lose them. The brain has to do a lot of complex work while you write. If you have issues with your dominant hand, try using both hands; you never know, they may even begin to take over from your non-dominant hand. Try joint-letter writing! Moving the elbow and initiating movements from the joint can also help.
Moving with rhythm. Initiate movement & rhythmic intention. Rhythm is everything in PD. Automated movements are not signalling well. So walking when we see the most when it gets disturbed, becomes arrhythmic, uncoordinated,
Alignment and Biomechanics. How to use your body, your posture, to reduce tremor, feel stronger and steadier. Focus on ankle and foot mobility, heel-to-toe walk, and weight transfer.
Reciprocal Movement, swinging. Include exercises that gradually become more complex—changing timings and rhythms, which challenge awareness/require follow-up.
Engaging in regular exercise, especially for individuals with neurological conditions that affect mobility, is non-negotiable. Find an exercise that lightens you up, and find a company that supports you.
There is often a lack of fitness/wellbeing professionals who understand the key elements and challenges associated with Parkinson's disease; however, such professionals do exist, and it is upon you to locate them. We are here :-)
Noemi x
