Originally Posted by Nan Cyclist

This time next week I'll be on my way to Iowa to ride in my fifth RAGBRAI, from the Missouri to the Mississippi in a week. The ride starts in Sioux City on Sunday, July 19. Happily, I'll be riding stoker on a tandem this time. I've been working out on a daily basis, generally alternating distance with hill climbs. Yesterday was 41.6 miles and my computer registered 88.4 degrees when I got home. 3 liters of water and I still drank all afternoon. A couple of days ago it was 41 miles and over 90 degrees. I'm constantly surprised at how well I feel during these rides. I stop at one point to take my pill and about 15 or 20 minutes later as I'm riding along, I realize that I feel fine again.

My drink of ginger tea is proving to be a godsend. No more IBS problems. No more constipation, for now at least.

It sounds like the YMCA in Marquette, MI is going to start a PFP class. News like that makes my day.

Originally Posted by Conductor71

I know this is nothing really new and have searched the archives here, I just wondered if there is any further research substantiating these claims?

There seems to be yet another poster child for bicycling and symptom control/progression, at 23andMe:

"When I was first diagnosed, I felt like I was on an icy slope with no axe to arrest the progression of the disease. Through a series of happy coincidences, I learned about the work of neuroscientist Jay Alberts at the Cleveland Clinic , pedalingforparkinsons.org. I began cycling at 80-90 rpms 4-5 times/week for at least an hour, generally 1.5-4 hours. Within less than a month nearly all of my symptoms disappeared, so much so that my doctor told me that if he didn't know I had PD, he wouldn't know. I still take 6 mg of ReQuip XL (down from 8) and 1 mg of Azilect, but the changes happened when I started the forced pace cycling. It is MOST important to pedal at 80-90 rpms. We don't know why, but it is working for me."


This clearly supports the original claim that patients must go into a "zone" where they nearly double the normal PD cycling pace. I have some questions I'm hoping some will be able to answer:

-Is there a "program" devised based on this research? Something that was designed by the doctors involved in the research that we can all use as a basis?

-How do we know what kind of bike to use? Upright or recumbent? Can it be stationary?

-It may not be proven to slow progression, but even by improving meds in us...that is a huge benefit! It counteracts the notion that we have to layer more and more meds on to get extension, avoid dyskinesias, etc.

-Why don't insurance companies either cover expense of bicycles just as they would our meds each month?

-Why don't more doctors publicize this? I am outraged that I have never had one doctor suggest that exercise is of paramount importance for us.

-Finally, how does one exercise regularly like this when the foot cramps up...primarily during exercise.....!!!! This was my first inkling that I had more than just Essential Tremor; my foot would cramp during exercise. I find that Sinemet helps some but has never been foolproof. I could just scream that I can't really do much sustained exercise any more. My doctor's response is to just offer Baclofen! Yeah, I want to go on muscle relaxers in order to exercise...like meds don't makes us sleepy enough. Is anyone else having this problem?

I get so furious when I realize how little our insurance companies do to either keep us well or to improve our health! They want to keep us sick and dependent on meds because it keeps their little industry cycle humming with profit payoffs for all involved. Ugh!

Thanks! Any further info is appreciated, but I would especially like to know how to get past the foot dystonia during exercise.

Laura

Originally Posted by Nan Cyclist

Forced pace cycling does not refer to the Theracycle. It can be done on a regular bike as long as the PwP keeps the rpm at 80-90 three hours per week.

Originally Posted by jeffreyn

TexasTom,

Are you still doing those 45 minute cycling sessions with your Exercycle 3 times per week (30s/30s duty cycle)? Do you still experience 4 hours without tremor after each session? (post #325 by TexasTom on 06-26-2015)