Exercises for Individuals with Parkinson’s Disease: Warm-Up

Parkinson's disease is a central nervous disorder with symptoms including resting tremor, movement slowness, muscle rigidity/stiffness, and balance problems. Other possible symptoms include cramped handwriting, decreased facial expression, decreased voice volume/hoarseness, stooped posture, decreased arm swing on the affected side, and changes in gait. The disease affects close to 2 million persons in the United States. Though incidence is higher in the over-50 age group, there has been an increase in the number of persons younger than 50 with the disorder.

The potential benefits of exercise for person with Parkinson's disease include:

• Maintain and increase endurance
• Balance improvement
• Decreased stress
• Elevated mood
• Prevention of osteoporosis
• Control of high blood pressure and high cholesterol

This video-enabled factsheet provides exercises appropriate for persons with Parkinson's disease. The video-clips show participants from the Integrated Exercise for Parkinson's class from the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC). This program is specifically designed to help benefit persons diagnosed with Parkinson's disease to use exercise for symptom management. This class provides a safe environment for participants to work on ambulation, range of motion and strengthening exercise with an emphasis on postural awareness, breathing, balance, and rhythmical movement.

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Click here to watch the RIC Parkinson's Fitness Class Instructor explain the benefits of the program.	Click here to watch the RIC Parkinson's Fitness Class Instructor talk about using NCPAD as a resource for the class participants.

The following video-clips constitute the warm-up session which is an important component of any exercise routine. The warm-up typically constitutes approximately five minutes of light aerobic activity and stretching. The muscles get warmed up due to an increase in temperature and blood flow.

Disclaimer:

Please consult your physician before starting any fitness program. The National Center on Physical Activity and Disability (NCPAD) is not engaged in rendering medical advice or professional services. Any medical decisions should be made in consultation with your physician. We will not be liable for any complications, injuries, loss or other medical problems arising from or in connection with the use of this video or the reliance upon any information provided in the video.

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Exercise Program for Persons with Parkinson's Disease: Warm-Up Session

SET 1

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Click here to watch class participants do exercises to warm up the shoulders and stretch the chest.	Click here to watch the class exercise their shoulders and elevate their heart rates by performing large arm circles.

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SET 2

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Click here to see exercisers with Parkinson’s perform stretches for the neck, tilting the head from side to side	Click here to watch the class performing arm raises, stretching high and holding for isometric resistance.

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SET 3

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Click here to watch the class demonstrate a move in which they twist the body over their shoulders, stretching the back, torso and hips.	Click here to watch as the class reaches their arms high above their head, alternating sides and working the heart as well as the muscles of the arms and torso.

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SET 4

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Click here to watch as the class works their core and arms by twisting and reaching from side to side and up and down.	Click here to watch participants work various muscles of the arms and hands as they reach their arms up, squeeze the fists and pull down.

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SET 5

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Click here to see the class perform shoulder shrugs, exercising their shoulders and back.	Click here to see the class perform a forward bend in which they reach down towards their toes, followed by a chest stretch.

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SET 6

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Click here to watch a class member demonstrate an exercise for the neck in which the head is rotated in a circle.	Click here to see the class exercise their abdominals by performing a modified form of sit-up while seated upright.

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SET 7

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Click here to watch as participants exercise the sides of their core by raising their arms up into a “diving” pose and then bending from side to side.	Click here to watch as the instructor leads the class in a series of rotation and flexion exercises for the hands and wrists .

This fact sheet was last updated on 02-13-2008.

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