Slide Leg Raise

Purpose: Helps strengthen muscles of the hips and thighs


1. Find a firm and steady table or chair that will not move. Hold onto the steady surface (such as a chair or table) firmly for balance, with your feet positioned shoulder-width apart.
2. Slowly lift your leg out to your side. Try moving it about 6-10 inches from where your leg is at rest. Try keeping your back and legs straight, and your toes facing forward.
3. Hold position for 1-2 seconds.
4. Slowly lower your leg. Pause for 5-10 seconds to rest.
5. Repeat movement with your other leg.
6. Alternate exercising your legs until you have done 10 repetitions with each leg.
7. After a short rest period, do another set of 10 repetitions of this exercise.

For more information go to www.parkinsonresearchfoundation.org

Theracycle the new exercise solution!

At last, there is a home medical device that allows people who have Parkinson's disease to get more physical activity! If you no longer have the strength, coordination or stamina to get the meaningful physical activity you need, a Theracycle is the perfect medical device for you.

The Theracycle is a motor powered, computer monitored medical device designed to guide the user through a programmed workout. The unique motorized Theracycle delivers an efficient full range-of-motion workout that can help you:

■develop strength, mobility and flexibility
■increase energy, endurance and general well-being
■improve muscle tone and cardiovascular fitness
■provide safe in-home exercise and movement therapy

A testimonial from Dr. David Heydrick, a well known neurologist living with Parkinson's disease:
"I have a Theracycle at home and use it in the evenings. As a neurologist and person with Parkinson's, I am impressed with the passive and voluntary cycling and the empowerment the Theracycle offers in fighting back against the disease."

Theracycle users with Parkinson's disease find that they have:

Reduced rigidity and tremor

Reduced bradykinesia

Improved flexibility and balance

Improved bladder and bowel function

For more information go to www.parkinsonresearchfoundation.org

Parkinson’s patients test gum to help swallowing

Researchers in southwestern Ontario are trying to determine if chewing gum will ease swallowing problems among people with Parkinson's disease.
Parkinson's is a degenerative nerve disease that affects more than 100,000 Canadians, and can cause swallowing difficulty as the disease progresses, according to the Parkinson Society Canada.
That's because Parkinson's symptoms such as tremor, stiffness and slow movements can affect the mechanisms used in speaking and swallowing, said neurologist and researcher Dr. Mandar Jog of the London Health Sciences Centre.
Early research points to improved swallowing among Parkinson's patients who chew gum several hours a day. Chewing is a form of exercise for the mouth. The researchers think that having gum in the mouth and chewing it may help to train Parkinson's patients to also move their tongues while eating and swallowing.
"Gum acts like sensory cue to train the system," said Jog, who is also director of the Movement Disorders Centre. Other types of training have helped people with Parkinson's. For example, when lights are placed in front of patients, the visual cue seems to help them improve their gait, Jog said. Now the team is investigating how long the benefits of gum chewing last.

For more information go to www.parkinsonresearchfoundation.org