Home Exercise & Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder that affects the central nervous system and can lead to impairment of speech and motor skills, among other serious problems. Exercising at home can help the condition.

Significance

• Although there is no cure for Parkinson's disease, there are treatments that can help you function better, and one of them is exercise to keep muscles strong and limber.

Types

• The kinds of exercise you can do at home for Parkinson's Disease include singing, reading aloud and chewing vigorously to keep your jar muscles strong, as well as full-body exercises such as swimming, walking, yoga, tai chi or gardening.

Time Frame

• Each person is different when it comes to how quickly Parkinson's disease progresses, so doing all you reasonably can to slow down the progression of it may give you a lot of benefit or only a limited, short-term benefit.

Considerations

• If you're planning on starting a home exercise program for Parkinson's disease, be sure to talk with your doctor and get clearance, along with an opinion of what you can safely do, so you can reduce your risk of injury.

Warning

• If you start to feel sick while doing a home exercise routine or you're finding that you're in pain, you should stop and consult your doctor. The benefits of exercise should outweigh the risks in order for you to continue.