Hi, my neuro told me if all his patients exercised they'd 99.9% symptom free. I have exercised all my life. I've had a clinical dx of Parkinson's for 11 years at 54 years old. I ran for 15 years until I lost my depth perception. The years since Parkinson's I have used a tread mill and a recumbent bike. I'm looking for a machine that is more diverse--one that works my upper body. Not sure what type. Does anyone have an exercise machine they prefer? Thank you.

Rancherwoman

I was diagnosed in early 2002.
i only use free weights and stretchy bands for my upper body along with pushups, curls, etc.
did have a "total gym" from chuck norris and it was ok, can't remember why i sold it. i think it was because i had joined a gym. a used one shouldn't be that expensive.

my stationary recumbent wore out, instead of fixing it bought a stationary trainer attachment for my road bike for about $175 and that does work out your upper body somewhat but obviously not as comfortable as a recumbent, easier to go faster on than a recumbent though.

i also use a xiser portable stair stepper, 5minutes "running" on that is exhausting. they're not cheap but worth a look. not in stores, can only buy on the internet. certainly easier on the joints than running on pavement or treadmill.


me thinks your dr, is exaggerating a bit but i agree exercise is essential with or without pd. i was an exercise junkie when i was diagnosed and played soccer 3 years after my diagnosis, took meds when i needed them rather than on a schedule the 3rd year after diagnosis. after a game my pd symptoms were greatly reduced for a few hrs, mostly mental improvement. a mistake i made was reducing my exercising rather than adding more meds, for some reason when i got charlie horses during a soccer game i stopped playing rather than add meds, dumb, i did start progressing faster after stopping the vigorous exercise, can't prove it was from cutting back on exercise.

waiting for exercise in a pill.

I am not into exercise but when I was a gym member I tried all the different machines. The only one I felt was best for me was a rowing machine. It's good for all your large muscles, very intense and quick (got me out of the gym faster) and not as stressful on joints. If I were to buy a home machine, it would be rowing.

Exercise is different for each case, I suppose. It seems to help but then I read about how hard exercise ages a person. Great! Parkinson's does that already. A double whammy.

Well, my search is ongoing. Tallyho...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_-nRQmO8ko

i suggest you browse youtube for equipment videos, don't limit yourself to pd.

That's a good idea. I think I'm narrowing down my choices to a rowing machine and an elliptical--2 machines for variety.

I have used machines and weights regularly since dx and I believe exercise is the only effective way to slow progression of PD.

Recently I bought the "Insanity 60 day exercise program" and I am at day 38. It is brilliant, makes me feel like I did during the honeymoon years following dx. Amongst other things, it focusses on stretches for flexibility and balance exercises and of course "digging deep". Where other programs have short bursts of high activity seperated by longer periods of low activity, Insanity has long periods of high activity and short bursts of low activity.

Definitely not for everyone, at the start you are lucky if you can make it through the warm up without stopping, and you know by the end you will end up a sweaty mess rolling around the floor but by heck it gets results (also lost 15 pounds in 5 weeks.

Avoid if you have an injury as well.

Guess you can tell, I just can't say enough positive things about it, Insanity and Shaun T for PD, you heard it here first.

Take care,
Neil.

http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercis...topic-overview

Apart from soccertese who thinks that the neuro is exaggerating a bit, I'm surprised that no-one else has questioned the comment made in post #1 that:

"my neuro told me if all his patients exercised they'd [be] 99.9% symptom free."

A 99.9% decrease in symptoms would, in effect, be a cure: your tremor reduced to a fraction of a millimetre or to less than a minute per day, your falls reduced to one every 10 years, your walking speed reduced from 4mph to not less than 3.996mph ...

Where are these people?

I don't want to deter people from exercising. I recommend it to all PwP who can do it safely, and even to some of those who can't - being sedentary comes with its own set of risks.

But, I think it is important to be realistic in our expectations of the benefits of exercise.

John

Exercise is critical for PWP

I've had a harder time with balance (walking around the neighborhood) or riding my two wheel recumbent bicycle. Both are doable, but best if I have someone with me for those times when I fall.

I've been using a "1932 vintage" Exercycle. Company is still in business but the old style motorized bicycle moves the handle bar, seat, and pedals. Slow (fine) and Fast (you have to be kidding!) speeds. Handle bar allows movement, so as it moves back and forth I can stretch like I am swimming. Often you see these machines from $100 to $300 on craiglist. Best is to find one with the option PEP meter (it shows power being generated).

I'm up to a 45 minute ride. Target heart rate in 5 minutes, then keep at it for forty minutes.

Between that, and a local Power for Parkinsons class, I actually feel great!