by Daniel of Diodorus
A study of over 4,000 people with Parkinson’s disease has shown that regular physical activity and, in particular, certain types of sport helps to slow down the motor symptoms of the disease
A study of over four thousand people with Parkinson’s disease has shown that regularly practicing activities such as dance, yoga, multimodal training, Nordic walking, water training and Qigong, helps slow down the progression of the motor symptoms of the disease. Today sport is to be considered essential in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease says Michele Tinazzi, President of the Italian Society Parkinson and Movement Disorders (LIMPE – DISMOV). So much so that in our Society we have set up an Exercise and Sport Committee. This topic is at the center of the conference Sport, the importance of physical exercise in Parkinson’s disease, organized in Verona by the Italian Parkinson’s Society and LIMPE-DISMOV movement disorders, in collaboration with SISMES, the Italian Society of Motor and Sport Sciences.
Adapted physical activity
In the light of the research carried out so far, it is also possible to associate specific activities with specific moments in the evolution of the disease. A first important randomized and double-blind controlled study, carried out by Dutch researchers, compared two groups of people in the initial-intermediate phase of the disease who practiced aerobic exercise at home on spinning bikes for 45 minutes for six months, at least three times per week (aerobic intervention group), or stretching (active control group) explains Tinazzi. The data collected showed that motor symptoms were significantly improved in the aerobic intervention group compared to the other group. So aerobic exercise would allow people with Parkinson’s to obtain health benefits, with a reduced incidence of cardiovascular disease, lower mortality and better bone metabolism. It also seems that the improvements seen are greater after high-intensity training than after moderate-intensity training. This type of therapeutic action is now defined as adapted physical activity, physical exercise programs calibrated for the functional conditions of the people for whom they are intended, and which are performed in a group under the supervision of a professional with specific skills. The activity is carried out in non-medical structures, to improve not only the level of physical activity, but also the well-being and quality of life. For the more advanced stages of the disease, the activity must be adapted and differentiated even more from person to person, probably because some types of exercises begin to be more complex and difficult to perform.
The most suitable physical activities depending on the symptoms
Some physical activities are then specifically indicated to counteract the typical symptoms of the disease. For example, dancing is an optimal exercise for general motor symptoms, Nordic walking is more effective for mobility and balance, Qigong improves manual dexterity, says Tinazzi again. Also effective are dance, yoga, multimodal training, aquatic training and exergaming, a physical activity connected to video games. Swimming, cycling, boxing and Tai chi offer a combination of cardiovascular exercise, muscle strengthening, coordination training and mental engagement. Some practical examples of training: pedaling on a spinning bike or exercise bike for 30-45 minutes at least three times a week; practice Nordic walking for 60 minutes two or three times a week; attend dance lessons, especially Argentine tango, for one hour twice a week; do exercises in water, in sessions of 45-60 minutes, three times a week; perform passive and active trunk stabilization exercises for 30 minutes a day, five days a week.
Support from a specialist
Parkinson’s disease that many think is represented only by tremor is actually much more complex, and for this reason sporting activity, always agreed with your doctor, is an important tool in treatment management, with positive repercussions on the quality of life of the whole family. And an operation with a good safety profile and low cost. Unfortunately at the moment most of the patients are not involved in adapted physical activity programs or in sports activities concludes Tinazzi. The main causes of this lack are on the one hand the absence of a clear definition of adapted physical activity as a therapeutic intervention for the disease and of standardized exercise programmes, but also the lack of knowledge on how to prescribe and implement these programs to optimize effectiveness and adherence. Finally, healthcare professionals and patients are not fully aware of the therapeutic potential of sport in a clinical setting. In order for people with Parkinson’s disease to initiate and maintain daily physical activity and to engage in an adapted physical activity program, there must be a prescription from health professionals and programming and supervision by the specific figure of the Kinesiologist of the Preventive and adapted motor activities. It is a professional who already dialogues with the doctor today to establish the right amount of training and its progression on the basis of functional tests, and who also performs the function of supervisor and motivator. Since most people with Parkinson’s disease are elderly and lack exercise habits, it is important to motivate to ensure compliance by discussing both the goals and the rationale for prescribing exercise. For people who are more sedentary and resistant to physical exercise, healthcare professionals can still promote all possible forms of physical activity, such as walking daily for short distances, carrying out manual housework, as well as, of course, recommending an adapted physical activity programme. .
June 23, 2023 (change June 23, 2023 | 14:01)
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