Parkinsons
Physical Therapy
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a disorder of the brain that causes involuntary and uncontrollable movement all over the body. These movements include but are not limited to, shaking, stiffness, and trouble with balance/coordination. These symptoms start mild at first, but as time goes on, these symptoms progress and get worse over time. In most cases this impacts the ability to walk and talk.
Possible Symptoms
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Tremors
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Muscle stiffness
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Involuntary movement
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Difficulty standing and walking
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Problems with coordination
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Poor balance
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Difficulty speaking
How does Physical Therapy help?
If you have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease this means you have seen your neurologist and started to develop a plan for your future. Whether you have started on medication or not there are a lot of actions you can take with your physical activity that has been clinically proven to help slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease. We like to call this physical medicine, while it is a lot more work than taking a pill, it actually has been scientifically proven that specific exercise can help to slow the progression of Parkinson’s disease vs. just masking the symptoms with medication.
It is important for people diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease to begin exercise as soon as possible. Implementing movement exercises early on are vital for improving movement and function. The quicker that we can get to work, the more beneficial the results will be
Our approach is to help make everyday life more comfortable and easier. At WPT, we have therapists trained in the LSVT BIG technique. This is a high intensity amplitude based program that was specifically developed for people living with Parkinson’s disease. The program is 4 times a week for 4 weeks, not only do you perform high intensity exercises at the clinic but you repeat these exercises at home and continue them even when your journey with us is complete. PD can leave you with difficulty moving around and everyday functions can become slower and more challenging. LSVT BIG will recalibrate how you see your movements to help you do everyday things from small motor tasks like putting on a shirt to large motor tasks like getting out of bed.
What Are My Next Steps?
If your PD is causing disruptions in your life, please click the button below and contact us. You will be put in contact with a physical therapist who can discuss your issue and help build a plan tailored to your specific needs that will help you get better, stay better, and regain your freedom to do the things you love to do.