Parkinson's Disease (PD)
Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, affecting the dopamine-producing cells within the basal ganglia of the brain. When healthy, these specialized brain cells make dopamine and the nervous system uses dopamine to send messages between nerve cells, helping to coordinate movement.
In PD, brain cells that make dopamine stop working or die. Symptoms may include tremors, rigidity or stiffness, slowness of movement (called bradykinesia) and reduced movement amplitude (called hypokinesia), and postural instability. Parkinson’s Disease affects walking, often resulting in slower speed, smaller steps, and difficulty turning. Parkinson’s also affects balance, which may contribute to falling.
Did you know that Parkinson’s Disease affects the vestibular system?
The vestibular system includes the pathways from the inner ears to the brain and is responsible for spatial orientation and balance. Ninety percent of people with PD have signs of vestibular dysfunction on laboratory examinations. Vestibular dysfunction is associated with an increased risk for falling.
AVORA Physical Therapists are highly skilled in assessing and treating the vestibular system and have all the right equipment necessary to perform a thorough and individualized assessment. Even the best trained vestibular providers are limited without the use of sophisticated equipment. Fortunately, AVORA has such sophisticated equipment for vestibular testing and treatment not found anywhere else in Western North Carolina.
How can a Physical Therapist (PT) help?
Exercise is strongly recognized as a key element to improving and maintaining health, mobility and symptoms related to Parkinson’s Disease. Physical Therapy practice guidelines strongly recommend aerobic, strengthening, and balance exercises.
Your Physical Therapist may incorporate vestibular exercises (when diagnosed properly) balance training, gait training, strengthening, functional training, and components of 2 specific Parkinson’s programs called LSVT BIG® and PWR!® into your sessions.
LSVT stands for ‘Lee Silverman Voice Treatment’ and BIG refers to the part of the program working to increase limb and body movement, that is “Get Big”. The LSVT BIG® exercise program recalibrates movement perception and improves movement speed and amplitude in order to improve functional activities such as walking, getting up from chairs, and getting out of bed. Research has shown that LSVT BIG® results in improvements in walking speed, stride length, balance, and trunk rotation. AVORA has LSVT BIG® certified therapists, and are ready to help you or your loved-one meet your goals!
Parkinson Wellness Recovery (PWR!®) is a disease-specific neuroplasticity-principled exercise program that aims to slow disease progression, improve symptoms, restore function, and increase longevity and quality of life. PWR!® certified therapists, also at AVORA, have received specialized training to personalize these exercises to any stage of PD severity.
Physical therapists are a valuable resource for anyone with Parkinson Disease. Connecting with the right physical therapist with specialized training and equipment can make an even bigger positive impact! Early and consistent access to a PT, provided at regular intervals, like a “dental model” of care, can help prevent a decline in mobility and quickly address any problems as they arise. The majority of insurances cover preventative and restorative therapy services under these circumstances.
It is recommended to consult with a PT on an annual or biannual basis to adjust exercise routines. Prevention strategies and targeted exercises have been shown to improve movements and symptoms at every stage. It is never too early or too late to start!
Resources:
https://www.parkinson.org
https://www.lsvtglobal.com
https://www.pwr4life.org
https://www.parkinsonsavl.org
https://www.ashneuro.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/PD-Support-Groups.pdf
https://neuropt.org
In PD, brain cells that make dopamine stop working or die. Symptoms may include tremors, rigidity or stiffness, slowness of movement (called bradykinesia) and reduced movement amplitude (called hypokinesia), and postural instability. Parkinson’s Disease affects walking, often resulting in slower speed, smaller steps, and difficulty turning. Parkinson’s also affects balance, which may contribute to falling.
Did you know that Parkinson’s Disease affects the vestibular system?
The vestibular system includes the pathways from the inner ears to the brain and is responsible for spatial orientation and balance. Ninety percent of people with PD have signs of vestibular dysfunction on laboratory examinations. Vestibular dysfunction is associated with an increased risk for falling.
AVORA Physical Therapists are highly skilled in assessing and treating the vestibular system and have all the right equipment necessary to perform a thorough and individualized assessment. Even the best trained vestibular providers are limited without the use of sophisticated equipment. Fortunately, AVORA has such sophisticated equipment for vestibular testing and treatment not found anywhere else in Western North Carolina.
How can a Physical Therapist (PT) help?
Exercise is strongly recognized as a key element to improving and maintaining health, mobility and symptoms related to Parkinson’s Disease. Physical Therapy practice guidelines strongly recommend aerobic, strengthening, and balance exercises.
Your Physical Therapist may incorporate vestibular exercises (when diagnosed properly) balance training, gait training, strengthening, functional training, and components of 2 specific Parkinson’s programs called LSVT BIG® and PWR!® into your sessions.
LSVT stands for ‘Lee Silverman Voice Treatment’ and BIG refers to the part of the program working to increase limb and body movement, that is “Get Big”. The LSVT BIG® exercise program recalibrates movement perception and improves movement speed and amplitude in order to improve functional activities such as walking, getting up from chairs, and getting out of bed. Research has shown that LSVT BIG® results in improvements in walking speed, stride length, balance, and trunk rotation. AVORA has LSVT BIG® certified therapists, and are ready to help you or your loved-one meet your goals!
Parkinson Wellness Recovery (PWR!®) is a disease-specific neuroplasticity-principled exercise program that aims to slow disease progression, improve symptoms, restore function, and increase longevity and quality of life. PWR!® certified therapists, also at AVORA, have received specialized training to personalize these exercises to any stage of PD severity.
Physical therapists are a valuable resource for anyone with Parkinson Disease. Connecting with the right physical therapist with specialized training and equipment can make an even bigger positive impact! Early and consistent access to a PT, provided at regular intervals, like a “dental model” of care, can help prevent a decline in mobility and quickly address any problems as they arise. The majority of insurances cover preventative and restorative therapy services under these circumstances.
It is recommended to consult with a PT on an annual or biannual basis to adjust exercise routines. Prevention strategies and targeted exercises have been shown to improve movements and symptoms at every stage. It is never too early or too late to start!
Resources:
https://www.parkinson.org
https://www.lsvtglobal.com
https://www.pwr4life.org
https://www.parkinsonsavl.org
https://www.ashneuro.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/PD-Support-Groups.pdf
https://neuropt.org