On Shaking, Exercise, Cycling and arresting PD
 

1. On Shaking and PD
French Dr. Jean Martin Charcot (11/29/1825-08/16/1893), considered "the father" of modern neurology, was told by some of his "shaking palsy" patients who came to see him from outside Paris, how they felt better after particularly "bumpy" train rides. He took the idea seriously enough as to build a "chaise trepidante" or "shaking chair" which was a wooden chair mounted on a wheel with a crank to simulate a bumpy train ride. He experimented with it for a while but later abandoned the idea.

2. From news wires:

" Doctor Embarks on Parkinson's Research
By Caryn Rousseau, The Washington Post
The Associated Press
May 17, 2004

LITTLE ROCK - Searching for a treatment for her Parkinson's disease, Anne James found it nearly 2,500 miles from her Vancouver home. Anne and her husband Ron James found Arkansas cardiologist Dr. Charles Fitzgerald, who inadvertently found a way to ease Parkinson's symptoms using an Enhanced External Counterpulsation (EECP) machine.

Anne, 67, couldn't comb her own hair. Now she can. She loved to play the piano. Now she taps away and sings along. Smelling a flower was difficult. Not anymore.

"When I went down there I was dragging my left foot," Anne said. "Not anymore. My sense of smell improved."

The progress began two years ago, and she says she is still benefiting from Fitzgerald's therapy without an increase in medication. Fitzgerald is on to something, her husband says.

"He has something with that machine," Ron James said. "There is something that that machine does and it needs to be researched immediately."

That's Fitzgerald's plan. He said he's talking with doctors across the country and hopes to set up a study on how a machine used to treat patients with angina and heart blockage could possibly help others with Parkinson's.

"We can say this improves the quality of life for people with Parkinson's," Fitzgerald said. "That's a definite. Does it cure Parkinson's? We don't know."

The beneficial efffects of EECP on PD was confirmed by more than 60 PD patients who underwent EECP treatments afterwards.
While the EECP machine's intended purpose is the improvement of blood flow, it involves as a side effect, a vigorous and otherwise not necessarily pleasant (but beneficial in the case of PD) whole body shaking.

3. Noted PD specialist, Dr. Abe Lieberman, who visited with Dr Fitzgerald to familiarize himself with EECP, submitted a group of his PD patients to a treatment of "back and forth alternating movement" on a "moving bed" designed by Dr. Marvin Sackner and obtained results comparable to those of EECP.
Dr. Lieberman provides a comprehensive analysis of the relationship between exercise. both active (as in walking, running, dancing, bycicling, swimming, etc., and "passive exercise" (as EECP, Moving Bed, Blood Pressure Modulation" (for bedridden or otherwise immobile patients), the biochemical processes at play in exercise, on several articles at: ParkinsonResearchFoundation.org

4. Recently, Ed Phillips, a heart patient (and inventor), not very fond of undergoing multiple by-pass surgery. only option he was being offered, devised a semi-active way of heart conditioning/recovery which he called "rhitmic limb elevation", which helped him and his wife.
Later, at the request of a couple of PD patients who had benefited from the EECP treatments provided by Dr. Fitzgerald, he modified the concept to a "deceivingly simpler" of "blood modulation". When tried on PD patients, Ed's blood modulation therapy's gravity recliner provided significant alleviation of symptoms.

5. As for energetic cycling, famous parkie Jim Wetherell, of INever give up.org reports how he has kept his PD at bay by taking up competitive tricicling.

6. In an analysis of data from the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort, including more than 143,000 men and women, has shown a reduced risk of Parkinson's disease (PD) associated with moderate to vigorous exercise. No protective effect was seen with light exercise such as walking, the researchers, with first author Evan L. Thacker, from the Harvard School of Public Health, in Boston, Massachusetts, noted.

So, there.....

More on exercise as PD prevention/stopper/reverser
 

1. From a presentation at the World Parkinson Congress 2006

http://www.neurologyreviews.com/apr06/parkinsons.html

Excerpt:

"Exercise, as well, is beneficial in reducing stress and maintaining one’s physical health, he said. Dr. Heydrick noted that accumulating evidence suggests that exercise can be neuroprotective and may even help "rewire" the brain to some extent. Examples of physical exercises that patients with Parkinson’s disease might want to consider include stretching such as yoga or Pilates, strength training such as weight lifting, and repetitive movement therapy—for example, walking on a treadmill, bicycling, and/ or swimming, or participating in exercise programs such as Think BIG (and LOUD), The Art of Moving, and Motivating Moves. Speech therapy is another example of repetitive movement therapy (of the vocal chords). Eastern therapies such as tai chi and qi gong may also be beneficial, he said.

"I’ve talked to many patients who have altered their environment ... through behavioral modification and decreased their stress, and the symptom relief—or at least improvement—was significant, and was in my life, too," concluded Dr. Heydrick."

2.
I have been in direct contact with two parkies who tried and proved the benefits of a very simple concept which the developer termed "blood presure modulation therapy", a form of repetitive movement therapy , which amounts to nothing more than laying on motorized see-saw for as long as one can, in order to get a gentle rocking action on the body with amazing alleviation of symptoms, initially temporary but soon longer lasting, including medication reduction, with the continued use of the "rocker".

and back to the original thought....here's a guy with PD who has peddled nearly 46,000 miles...he has a Rx attached to his bike. I think if you click it , it will expand so you can read it. If not you can find it in his website. He actually rides a trike.

Attachment 1507

http://www.inevergiveup.org/

Gayle

My cycling ambitions are far more modest - just a couple of short journeys a day, which sometimes start when I can barely walk to get the bike out. My balance seems to be fine once on the bike. I have only fallen off once -when I was doing 0 mph (!!), whilst negotiating crossing at pedestrian lights with a central reservation, and as I painfully discovered, sloping paving. I preserved what dignity I had left by remounting and carrying on as though it had been a perfectly natural manouevre!! I keep away from busy roads and have the benefit of a local park to cycle round. I certainly recommend it for the exercise and fresh air.

Powered bicycle
 

I spotted an advertisment for a powered bicycle, described as "Automatic mini walker" in the newspaper, but as "EZY Rider mini exercise bike" in their website. The pictures of it are identical. It is a set of pedals attached to a motor, with 4 speed settings and 5 time settings. I have ordered one, it is £80 ($160).
It is described on
www.coopersofstortford.co.uk
Just realised, it will be 240volts, not USA voltage
Ron

EZY RIDER MINI EXERCISE BIKE This Electric Mini Walker will help improve strength, fitness and circulation in your arms and legs, providing essential benefits from the comfort of your own home. Ideal for convalescents, the elderly or as a gentle exercise programme, it is extremely easy to use. Just sit in your favourite chair, put your hands or feet in the stirrups and pedal as you would a bike. A few moments every day gives you the same level of workout for your upper and lower body as a daily walk or cycle ride, yet you don't even have to step outside. Its built-in computer continually displays the elapsed time, pedal revolutions and estimated calories burnt. Features include: four speed settings, five time settings, LCD display and easy touch controls. Measures H29cm x W41cm x D45cm (10 1/2ins x 16ins x 17 3/4ins). Just a few minutes a day of gentle exercise and you will soon feel the benefit. Mains powered with a 1.9m (6ft 3ins) cable. Tell A Friend Price: £79.99 Qty: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

In the newspaper advert, it says, "it will automatically pedal like a bike, alternatively, use in manual mode for a more strenuous workout."

Oh gosh...
 

If anyone can get me on a bicycle seat..let alone have me ride it..I will be well pleased. I could never ride a bike before PD so I am sure as hell not going to be able to ride one now.Well...I tell a lie.I could kind of ride one...just had to get off round corners. and then climb back up on the "straight." :confused: Yep...I would go off for a half hour bike ride,and 5 hours later I would be back....walking the bike down the road as we lived on a bend.:(

I can bounce though :) ...on a trampoline. When my friend double bounces with me I feel like I have been shot out of a canon.She is twice my size so when she lands....well..you`ve guessed it...I end up in the gods.:confused:
It`s a heck of a long way down but my flappy arms and legs help to slow me down a bit. :p Oh boy...I am so graceful with my ascending and descending...NOT !

But this exercise stuff is spot on.Joking aside [if I can be serious for a minute] I have discovered that I`m quite a whizz at table tennis .Don`t all roll about laughing. Seriously,when I get a bat in my hand my legs seem to take on a new lease of life and off I go....whizzing about the table like I`m at Wimbledon and firing back those cutesy little puffy ping pong balls like there`s no tomorrow. I remain unbeaten at my youth club. So there...lol
Well...almost.

Try a recumbent tricycle
 

I ride a recumbent tricycle. It is wonderful - comfortable and no balance problems - the only downside is the cost. :( But with a script from your doctor, part or all of the cost of the trike MAY covered by insurance (or as a medical expense on taxes - which was true for me here in Arizona).

The link below shows me on my trike...
http://www.pdplan4life.com/exer-trike.htm

I have found my symptoms are less troublesome after riding my trike for an hour a day.

good luck!

Has anyone had any experience of using EMS to exercise with???
I am unable to move very well at all due to stiffness and freezing.

I wondered if electric stimulation of muscles could in anyway benefit. Obviously the are being stimulate is not the root problem, but could it help?

I purchased the machine 3 yrs ago when I was mis-diagnosed with a MND, an the neuros and physios advised me not to use it to preserve muscle power.
Now with my PD diagnosis ,it seems the key is exercise.........so maybe this could be a starting point for me and should get it out of the drawer and hook myself up !!! aaghhhh!!! oops to high!!

I tried some more light PT last week with my arms that are stronger now than they have been for 2 yrs, since my sinemet regime! But I just got so tired , all over!!

I am only 43 yrs and lifted weights reguarly prior to getting sick nearly 4 yrs ago and have always been muscular.........but not anymore.

Anyone any ideas ?? on a workout for a basically wheelchair bound guy , whos mind wants to get fit! but the old bod ain't none to keen!

I have lost about 70 pounds in the past 1yr as I was only eating small , pudding type consitencey type meals, due to the swallowing probs. pre sinemet!!!! yippee!!
Now thats improved , but unable to take in protein, because of the Sinemet, which as you know builds muscle fibres and their strength.
Any ideas on how much protein ,can be taken in the periods between Sinemet as to not affect the drug??


thanks for listening........so many Questions!
PS I am not trying to get into physical shape , just so I can work out and gain some strength back and help eleviate the stiffness?

You should ask PT about EMS. It may or may not work for you. I used it after having my back surgeries to help keep my legs from atrophying. But even with EMS, you still need to do physical exercises. A good thing to look into before jumping into weights are those long elastic bands. They come in varying strengths and you can get them from PT as well. Great way to start retraining and reactivating your muscles.

As for protein, I take Sinemet as well but don't have the absorption problems or interference issues that some people do. I just take my meds 45-60 minutes before I eat anything, then I'm fine. I eat a very healthy diet with lean meat, chicken, fish, veggies and fruits, plus take protein powder every day, and I've had no issues. As long as I take my meds before eating, and time my meals so that I don't eat anything 2 hours before taking my meds, I've had no problems.

boomer,
Here is a link to an exercise program that is execellent for PD.
My support group had David Zid as a speaker not too long ago. His program is top notch.
http://www.delaythedisease.com/books/default.asp
GregD