During the chaos of the demise of BT1, I briefly posted info on a discovery I had made quite by accident. This was the phenomenon that resulted from wrapping a PD afflicted limb with a restricting band of one sort or another. I dropped the subject and began working with a French researcher, Anne Frobert, MD (as well as PWP).

Anne, in particular, and I have put a lot of time in exploring this and have some theories, but for now I would rather ask you to view the films and experiment a little yourself and share your reactions.

Briefly, about a dozen or so have tried this and almost all have been surprised and some outright shocked. Something happens that current views of Parkinson's do not explain. Some examples:

1) I can normally stand to fish at my favorite lake for about thirty minutes before needing a chair. If I put two elastic bands (Ace type) around my thighs like garters when I start, that time increases to three to four hours! It doesn't work as well if I wait until feeling weak, so the effect is preventative more than restorative.

2) If I stand and balance on my strong leg, the time before my other foot touches the floor averaged three to five seconds. Placing the same bands in the same position immediately incresed this to eight to fifteen seconds (the spread over ten touchdowns). Removing the bands immediately put me back to baseline.

3) Anne and I both noted a strong effect on dyskinesias. In my case, while experiencing DK of neck and face, I put on a headband and the neck portion quickly ceased. You can see Anne experience a similar result in the videos.

4) But the really interesting part is more subtle but you can see it in the films as well. While observing Anne's videos testing different wrappings of different limbs, I noticed something not obvious to her at the time. Her Parkinson's mask came and went as well! Her face lost its wooden nature at the same time as her arm began to function as well. She noticed too that her English came easier.

We have been forced to conclude that rather than being limited to a particular group of muscles the true effect is happening in the brain itself, probably in the areas that integrate the signals and feedback loops involved. Anne is preparing a thorough report of her findings and we will post that as it becomes available.

In the meantime, I invite you to see the films and start to rethink your view of PD.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87PZ-L7emnw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nING3HTwr0o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuvvskQoBCU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-rHnlRubnY

-Rick