Question

Write an exercise prescription for a 65-year-old male who is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He is classified as stage 3 on the Hoehn and Yahr scale. Include mode, frequency, intensity, and duration of exercise. Include two alternative modes of exercise (e.g., hippotherapy, vibration therapy, or dance therapy) in your prescription. Should these exercises replace or supplement traditional exercise

Answer 1

Certain exercises may be helpful for specific motor symptoms of Parkinson's:

For balance, consider tai chi and yoga.

To improve coordination and agility, look into dancing or boxing.

For significant balance problems or limited mobility, seated aerobic exercises can give a challenging workout that raise the heart rate.

To target freezing of gait (sudden, temporary inability to move) or falls, find a Parkinson's-specific physical therapy program that emphasizes bigger movements with walking and activities and can help with fall prevention strategies.

For dystonia -- muscle cramping that often affects the calves, feet or toes -- try lower impact exercises (water aerobics or walking, for example) that don't bring on symptoms. Stretching overactive muscles and strengthening the opposing muscles also may help. (A physical therapist can show you proper exercises.)