I have reviewed many books which show how exercise both enhances our health and boosts our energy. ‘Delay the Disease’ describes and demonstrates specific exercises tailored for the Parkinson’s patient by David Zid, an outstanding professional fitness instructor who has made it his mission to make life better for people suffering from Parkinson’s.
One of David Zid’s patients, Dr. Thomas Mallory, an internationally renowned orthopedic surgeon wrote in the foreword that although the course of PD is unfortunately progressive, it can be greatly improved with an exercise routine.
Parkinson’s disease happens when certain brain cells stop producing a vital substance called dopamine. A lack of dopamine affects an individual’s movement, strength and balance. Parkinson’s disease or PD is inexorably progressive, however practicing a regular exercise routine is as important as taking medicine.
It appears that regular exercise may also impact the brain’s nervous system. An exciting study out of Pittsburgh has shown that forced exercise had a major impact on rats that were given a toxin that induced PD. Brain examination showed that in the exercised group there was only a six percent loss of brain cells containing dopamine, compared to an 87 percent loss of cells in the rested group.
A number of other published studies also show that daily exercise does indeed improve the ability to move in the individual with PD. Therefore all these findings prove that a program of physical therapy combined with appropriate medication has a positive effect on symptoms.
“The effect of depression and anxiety on movement ability is a vicious circle. When one is bad, the other gets worse. Improved emotional condition can subsequently improve coordination and motor ability. When your ability to move improves so does your feeling of accomplishment and sense of well being,” explains Jackie Russell, a nurse who has a dedicated interest in the treatment of Parkinson’s patients.
The exercises in the book have been divided into levels of difficulty so that no matter how severe your PD symptoms are, you will find a suitable workout that fits your needs.
One of the most important work out routine is what David Zid calls the Wake Up Call. It consists of a series of movements that you perform when you get up in the morning. This routine boosts joint mobility; it encourages synovial fluid which is a “lubricant” to move back into the joint. Therefore, basically, this Wake Up Call should increase your mobility by decreasing stiffness and rigidity.
“Remember, always work to your own tolerance. This means do not push your movements to the point of pain. Listen closely to your body. In other words, choose the time when your medications are working optimally for you, your most “mobile” time of the day.”
The book also includes balance drills. We get balance from three different places in our body: the ball-arch complex in the feet, our eyes and our inner ear. The lighting in the room, noise level, and contour of the ground all affect our balance. However, with some regular practice and patience you achieve better balance and improve your stability whether you’re standing still or walking.
Stretching has also many benefits for the PD patient such as improved mobility, less soreness, greater range of motion, better circulation, reduction of injuries, not to mention a sense of accomplishment and improved mental attitude.
The author recommends Night Time Stretching. But why?
“It has been proven that a muscle will obtain more benefit from stretching after it is warm. Therefore, the best time to stretch is after a workout, a warm shower or bath, or at night. After moving around all day your muscles are like a bowl of spaghetti. Pull a strand out when it’s still warm and it’s very pliable. Wait until the next morning and no way are you going to be able to pull a single strand out. Muscle fibers react in a similar way. After moving and exercising every day, a muscle fiber is ready to be stretched.”
Therefore, doing stretches every night before going to sleep promotes blood flow in and out of the muscle tissue. This means you will not only sleep better, but feel better when you wake up.
The positive responses to this exercise program specifically designed for people suffering from Parkinson’s disease has been overwhelming by both patients, doctors, medical professionals and physiotherapists.
“The development of this exercise program has been invaluable to my patients. I stress the multifactorial approach to PD and emphasize that staying active and exercising daily absolutely must go hand-in-hand with medicine treatment. This program allows a guide approach that focuses on the specific exercise needs of persons with PD,” says Dr. Karen Thomas, an Assistant Professor of Neurology and Director of the Movement Disorder Division of the Ohio State University Medical Center.
This exercise book tailored to the Parkinson’s patient is the first of its kind. It constitutes a veritable “wake-up call” giving a sense of purpose and direction to one’s life and as Dr. Thomas Mallory so truly said: “It helps you understand that you may have Parkinson’s disease, but it does not have you.”
— [email protected]
One of David Zid’s patients, Dr. Thomas Mallory, an internationally renowned orthopedic surgeon wrote in the foreword that although the course of PD is unfortunately progressive, it can be greatly improved with an exercise routine.
Parkinson’s disease happens when certain brain cells stop producing a vital substance called dopamine. A lack of dopamine affects an individual’s movement, strength and balance. Parkinson’s disease or PD is inexorably progressive, however practicing a regular exercise routine is as important as taking medicine.
It appears that regular exercise may also impact the brain’s nervous system. An exciting study out of Pittsburgh has shown that forced exercise had a major impact on rats that were given a toxin that induced PD. Brain examination showed that in the exercised group there was only a six percent loss of brain cells containing dopamine, compared to an 87 percent loss of cells in the rested group.
A number of other published studies also show that daily exercise does indeed improve the ability to move in the individual with PD. Therefore all these findings prove that a program of physical therapy combined with appropriate medication has a positive effect on symptoms.
“The effect of depression and anxiety on movement ability is a vicious circle. When one is bad, the other gets worse. Improved emotional condition can subsequently improve coordination and motor ability. When your ability to move improves so does your feeling of accomplishment and sense of well being,” explains Jackie Russell, a nurse who has a dedicated interest in the treatment of Parkinson’s patients.
The exercises in the book have been divided into levels of difficulty so that no matter how severe your PD symptoms are, you will find a suitable workout that fits your needs.
One of the most important work out routine is what David Zid calls the Wake Up Call. It consists of a series of movements that you perform when you get up in the morning. This routine boosts joint mobility; it encourages synovial fluid which is a “lubricant” to move back into the joint. Therefore, basically, this Wake Up Call should increase your mobility by decreasing stiffness and rigidity.
“Remember, always work to your own tolerance. This means do not push your movements to the point of pain. Listen closely to your body. In other words, choose the time when your medications are working optimally for you, your most “mobile” time of the day.”
The book also includes balance drills. We get balance from three different places in our body: the ball-arch complex in the feet, our eyes and our inner ear. The lighting in the room, noise level, and contour of the ground all affect our balance. However, with some regular practice and patience you achieve better balance and improve your stability whether you’re standing still or walking.
Stretching has also many benefits for the PD patient such as improved mobility, less soreness, greater range of motion, better circulation, reduction of injuries, not to mention a sense of accomplishment and improved mental attitude.
The author recommends Night Time Stretching. But why?
“It has been proven that a muscle will obtain more benefit from stretching after it is warm. Therefore, the best time to stretch is after a workout, a warm shower or bath, or at night. After moving around all day your muscles are like a bowl of spaghetti. Pull a strand out when it’s still warm and it’s very pliable. Wait until the next morning and no way are you going to be able to pull a single strand out. Muscle fibers react in a similar way. After moving and exercising every day, a muscle fiber is ready to be stretched.”
Therefore, doing stretches every night before going to sleep promotes blood flow in and out of the muscle tissue. This means you will not only sleep better, but feel better when you wake up.
The positive responses to this exercise program specifically designed for people suffering from Parkinson’s disease has been overwhelming by both patients, doctors, medical professionals and physiotherapists.
“The development of this exercise program has been invaluable to my patients. I stress the multifactorial approach to PD and emphasize that staying active and exercising daily absolutely must go hand-in-hand with medicine treatment. This program allows a guide approach that focuses on the specific exercise needs of persons with PD,” says Dr. Karen Thomas, an Assistant Professor of Neurology and Director of the Movement Disorder Division of the Ohio State University Medical Center.
This exercise book tailored to the Parkinson’s patient is the first of its kind. It constitutes a veritable “wake-up call” giving a sense of purpose and direction to one’s life and as Dr. Thomas Mallory so truly said: “It helps you understand that you may have Parkinson’s disease, but it does not have you.”
— [email protected]
