Parkinson’s Disease is a progressive disorder, which results in gradually worsening disability, but there is hope. The cause of Parkinson’s disease is well known, and there are medicines and even brain stimulation that can be very effective to reduce symptoms. Further, recent innovations in exercise therapy can not only slow the disease, but they can also even improve function.

How Parkinson’s affects your sensory feedback

Parkinson’s Disease affects your mind’s information processing. When you move or speak, sensory feedback tells your brain whether you have moved with correct precision or spoken with the correct loudness. In Parkinson’s Disease, this feedback becomes exaggerated. So, when you move or speak normally, it feels like you have moved too much or spoken too loudly. As a result, you compensate by moving less or speaking more quietly because that is what now feels normal for you. The result is that your movements reduce in size, and you produce much less power and effort than is needed to do the movements properly.

Recalibrating the brain with exercise therapy

To correct this, modern exercise therapies aim to recalibrate your brain as the disease progresses. They do this by practicing exaggerated and powerful movements and shouting as loud as you can. By moving big or speaking loudly, you get to experience how it should feel when you move and speak, and this helps you function more normally again.

Remarkable results from a new approach

In my long experience working with Parkinson’s disease, this new approach produces remarkable results compared to the way we used to manage the disorder. Clients show improvements that we didn’t used to see in the past. Also, the fitness benefits of high effort exercise are thought to have a protective effect for your brain, which may explain the slowing of disease progression.

Why it’s important to start early

At Healthy Connections, we have several exercise classes for people with Parkinson’s disease that provide a safe place for you to learn and practice the right activities. If you want to benefit from exercise therapy however, you need to start early. It is much easier to maintain function than to get it back once it is gone.

Specialised Clinical Group

Pump it for Parkinson’s is a dedicated clinical exercise group led by our qualified health professionals at Healthy Connections and designed specifically for people with Parkinson’s.

• Improve movement, coordination and balance
• Slow disease progression through targeted, high-effort activity
• Enjoy a supportive, small-group environment

Take the first step toward a healthier, more active lifestyle.
Learn more about our Parkinson's program or call us on (07) 3624 2185