Why Exercise is So Important

Daily exercise therapy is one of the best things that you can do for yourself to counteract the negative effects of PD & other neurological & muscular disorders. A lack of physical activity reduces the amount of oxygen to the brain, contributes to further cell damage, loss of cognitive skills and muscle control.

Exercise brings additional oxygen & glucose to the brain, both of which are crucial to brain function. The body responds by forming new capillaries to bring the additional blood to nerve cells and by boosting brain chemicals that protect neurons and strengthen new neuronal connections. We have learned from stroke victims that the human brain has the ability to create new connections and bypass damaged areas to regain lost motor skills & muscle control. Remarkable results have been achieved, over time, with daily mental & physical exercise therapy. Mental concentration on repetitive physical movements can provide benefits to our muscles as well as our mental ability to control them.

When nerve cells are deprived of stimuli they atrophy, suggesting that stimulation of the central nervous system by physical activity may retard the loss of nerve cells in the brain and elsewhere. Exercise has been shown to enhance blood flow to various parts of the brain as well as to increase the speed with which nerve messages travel through the brain.

In addition to the effects of Parkinsons, most people diagnosed with this disease are over the age of 50 and therefore are also experiencing the normal effects of aging.

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons:

* As muscles age, they begin to shrink and take longer to respond
* Tendons become stiffer & less able to tolerate stress
* Handgrip strength decreases, making routine tasks more difficult
* The heart muscle becomes less capable, making us tire more quickly
* Joint motion becomes more restricted & flexibility decreases
* Joints become inflamed and arthritic as the cushioning cartilage begins to breakdown

However the good news is, that we now know that most of the changes in our musculoskeletal system that were attributed to normal aging are in fact the result of inactivity and or insufficient physical exercise. The less physical activity and exercise we do the less capable we become.
According to the Mayo Clinic, "Exercise has important benefits for everyone regardless of age or physical condition... When your condition threatens to immobilize you, Exercise keeps you moving... to retain your mobility & function, use it or lose it".