Parkinson’s Specialized Physiotherapy

It’s well-known that exercise of all kinds is beneficial for patients with Parkinson’s disease. But physical therapy is key. Why? Doctors of Physical Therapy with expertise in Parkinson’s disease are movement experts who can guide you through the right moves to increase mobility, strength, balance, and help you remain independent.

Parkinson’s specialized physical therapy can improve motor skills like getting up from a chair, climbing stairs, and getting into and out of a car. It can help with other health issues that impair mobility, like joint pain and back pain.

Parkinson’s specialized physical therapy can also improve other symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease, such as pain, depression, anxiety and fatigue. 

Doctors recommend beginning an evidence-based physical therapy program as soon as possible. Exercise can induce neuroplasticity, or the brain's ability to change in response to behavioral changes. When you begin Parkinson’s specific physical therapy, your brain learns new ways to move and think. Exercise also helps brain cells stay healthy. In other words, Parkinson’s specific physical therapy may slow the progression of Parkinson's disease.

Even if you are at a later stage of the disease, it is still worth starting a Parkinson’s specific physical therapy program. Parkinson’s specific physical therapy can improve symptoms for patients at any stage of Parkinson's disease.

Pinecone Physio emphasizes a neurobiomechanical approach and movement analysis. This means we focus on you as a whole person, combining our expertise of how each aspect of you works together to create movement. We optimize your movement and your experience during activities that mean the most to you. We believe in transforming society, one patient at a time, by using our expertise in mobility.

Meet with our Doctors of Physical Therapy specializing in Parkinson’s disease, offering two unique, intense, effective movement programs designed to help patients with Parkinson’s disease address walking, balancing, and other activities. 

The type of therapy you receive for Parkinson's disease depends on your symptoms, needs and what you wish to achieve. Common therapy options for Parkinson's disease management include:

LSVT BIG® is an intensive one month program of four sessions per week with daily exercise homework. 

PWR!Moves® has more flexibility in scheduling. Both programs are well researched and designed to help you move better and live better!

LSVT BIG® and PWR!Moves® are both specific forms of physical therapy to help patients with Parkinson’s increase what we call ‘amplitude of movement.’ 

In both programs, you make overexaggerated physical movements, like high steps and arm swings. It’s a way to retrain the muscles and slow down the progression of hypokinesia and bradykinesia. 

Hypokinesia are the increasingly smaller, more shuffling movements that happen with Parkinson’s. Bradykinesia is a slowness of movement and one of the main symptoms of Parkinson's disease. 

This therapy form helps retrain your muscles and prevent you from taking small, slow movements.

Reciprocal movements are side-to-side and left-to-right patterns, such as swinging your arms while taking steps as you walk. Parkinson's disease may impair a person's ability to make reciprocal movements which can cause balance issues, but physical therapy can help. 

On your own, you can also practice these movements by swinging your arms when you walk, or practice coordinated movement like boxing, dance, or tai chi. It may help to chant or sing to keep the rhythm.

Normal balance is an relationship between what you see (visual feedback), your inner ear (your vestibular system, which helps you orient yourself) and how the joints of your feet sense the ground beneath them (proprioception). Your brain uses input from your eyes, ears, muscles and joints to keep your body balanced. Parkinson’s disease can affect this balance system, making your gait (how you walk) unstable, which in turn may make you fearful to be in public or crowded spaces. 

If you are struggling with balance, your physical therapist can incorporate balance training in your exercise plan and teach you techniques you can use at home. Balance training is typically an essential part of Parkinson's disease treatment because it improves gait and helps prevent falls.

It’s common for patients with Parkinson’s disease to develop rigid muscles that need to be flexible to properly move joints, such as chest wall, lower back, hip flexor, hamstring, and calf muscles. To counteract that stiffness, it’s best to stretch frequently throughout the day rather than just once. 

Being flexible is essential for everyday movements like walking, bending and lifting. When you increase flexibility through stretching exercises, you may have an easier time getting out of bed, putting on clothes, picking items off the floor and completing various other tasks.

Muscles naturally weaken with age, so strength training is important for everyone. But research suggests that muscle weakness is a bigger problem for patients with Parkinson’s disease. 

Depending on what stage of the disease you are in, a therapist might have you do resistance exercises with light dumbbells or a resistance band (a kind of thick rubber band). Pool-based classes, using the water’s resistance to strengthen muscles, can also be a good fit. 

Parkinson's disease can make it challenging to multitask or switch from one task to the next, increasing fall risk and making everyday activities more difficult. 

If you have trouble doing more than one task at a time, your physical therapist might have you practice two activities simultaneously to help with this symptom. For example, they might ask you to try walking while counting, bouncing a ball or naming objects. The point is to retrain your brain to do two things at once. Dual-task practice can also enhance balance skills.

Physical therapy will teach you the right exercises to target the symptoms you want to make better. Exercise is crucial for improving Parkinson's disease symptoms and maintaining general health. Even if you do not have mobility or pain issues, start an exercise program as soon as possible to delay the disease's progression.

Write down the goals you want to accomplish before you meet with your Doctor of Physical Therapy specializing in Parkinson’s disease.

Ask your Doctors of Physical Therapy questions! We are here to help!

Make the commitment to attend each of your appointments, especially during the 4 day per week, 4 week long intensive programs for Parkinson's disease.

Treat your exercises like medicine and don't miss a dose!

For example, if you enjoy walking in nature, make that part of your exercise routine. It is important to enjoy appointments with your physical therapist, too. If your physical therapy program is not working for you, talk with your physical therapist so they can change your routine. If you choose activities you like, you are more likely to stick to your plan and reach your goals.

Make sure you stay hydrated so you can be safe and feel good as you exercise. In general, aim to drink at least eight cups of water each day in addition to any other beverages you might have. If you are concerned about using the bathroom too much, try to consume most of your day's fluids in the morning and afternoon so that you can rest better at night. It may also help to plan bathroom breaks at specific times so you can go before it becomes urgent.

The International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society recommends patients exercise during "on" periods whenever possible. Your "on" time is when your medications are most effective. Exercising when your medicine works best can help prevent falls.

It can be challenging living with Parkinson's disease, but you do not have to manage the symptoms alone. The Parkinson Support Center of Northern Nevada (PSCNN) is an excellent local resource that provides information for Parkinson patients, their caregivers and family. If you find yourself feeling discouraged or frustrated, share your feelings with others. Spend time with supportive friends and family members or consider joining a support group. You might also speak with a counselor to address depression, anxiety, or any other mental health issues you experience. By taking care of your mental and emotional health, you will be better positioned to reach your physical health goals.

Exercise is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle for all individuals. For physical activity to have the most significant impact, you need to exercise consistently long-term. By doing so, you will feel stronger, healthier and happier. If you choose activities you love, you will be glad exercise is a part of your life.

Please discuss any exercise program with your physician/neurologist and coordinate your care with a physical therapist with expertise in Parkinson’s disease before starting any specific program.

Pinecone Physio provides compassionate and timely treatment to patients with movement disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease. Our overarching mission is simple, to be good humans. Our professional mission is to transform society, one patient at a time, by using our expertise in mobility. Our internal mission is to treat everyone we encounter with dignity and respect. 

By partnering with the Parkinson Support Center of Northern Nevada (PSCNN) and other local providers who have expertise with Parkinson’s disease, we empower patients and caregivers to become better partners in their health.