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Trunk Exercises for Parkinson's Disease

Parkinson's disease is a degenerative condition that affects the central nervous system. People suffering from Parkinson's disease will have impaired motor skills and speech. They will often begin shaking uncontrollably as the disease worsens. Trunk exercises can help you better control your body as your Parkinson's worsens.

  1. Crunches and Sit-Ups

    • Crunches and sit-ups will strengthen the muscles in your chest and belly and help you retain control of your trunk. Both of these exercises require you to lie flat on the ground. Bend your knees by pulling your feet toward your body. Your feet should be positioned where your knees would have been if your legs were straight. Put your toes underneath a sturdy piece of furniture to support your legs, or have a friend hold your ankles. Put your hands behind your head. For crunches, curl your upper body toward your knees, but stop before you reach a full sitting position. Lie back on the ground. Do 20 of these crunches. Crunches work your belly, while sit-ups work your belly and chest. For sit-ups, instead of stopping halfway, pull yourself all the way to your knees, and then lower yourself back to the ground. Sit-ups should be done slowly so you don't injure your back. Do about 20 a day.

    Shoulder Raises

    • Shoulder raises help control your upper arms. This exercise should be done while sitting. With your eyes closed, start by breathing slowly. Raise your shoulders up to your ears and hold for 10 seconds. Lower them to a relaxed position and hold for five. Raise them to your ears for another 10 seconds. Repeat this process up to 20 times, but no more than that. Once you've done those reps, roll your shoulders behind you and bring them back to their original position. Do this 10 times. Then roll your shoulders to the front 10 times. This exercise can be repeated throughout the day to help increase the control and strength in your shoulders and upper arms.

    Trunk Twists

    • Trunk twists can strengthen your waist and chest and improve your control of these areas. Stand upright with your hands on your hips. Slowly twist your body to the left using your waist muscles. As you twist, bend your waist to bring your left elbow perpendicular to your body. Go as far as your body will comfortably allow you to. Hold the twist for five seconds. Twist to the right at the same speed without stopping in the middle. Hold this for five seconds. Do five reps at a slow speed, but increase your speed for another five reps. Increase your speed with every five reps. Try to do 20 of these trunk twists every day.

    Trunk Bends

    • Trunk bends help you retain control of the front part of the trunk of your body. This exercise is another that requires you to stand upright. Keep your arms next to your body. Slowly bend forward. Move your head toward the ground as far as you can go. Hold this pose for five seconds. Then try to touch the ground with your hands. If you can't touch the ground, go as far as you can. Hold this pose for five seconds. Put your hands on your hips, carefully pulling yourself back to a standing position, and rest for five seconds. With your hands still on your hips, bend backward slightly and hold for five seconds. Return to your starting position. Repeat this exercise 10 times a day.

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