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

Exercise: Hip Extension

Purpose: Helps strengthen lower-back muscles and buttocks

1. Find a firm and steady table or chair that will not move. Stand 12-18 inches from this table or chair, with your feet slightly apart.
2. Face the steady object, hold onto it. Then, bend forward at your hips at about a 45-degree angle and hold on to the table or chair for balance.
3. Slowly lift one of your legs straight backwards without bending your knee, pointing your toes, or bending your upper body forward.
4. Hold position for 1-2 seconds.
5. Slowly lower your leg. Pause for 5-10 seconds to rest.
6. Repeat movement with your other leg.
7. Alternate exercising your legs until you have done 10 repetitions with each leg.
8. After a short rest period, do another set of 10 repetitions of this exercise.

For more information go to www.parkinsonresearchfoundation.org

Exercise: Knee Extension

Purpose: Helps strengthen thigh and shin muscles.
(Required item: A towel.)

1. Sit in a sturdy armless chair. The back of the chair should support you comfortably. Ensure that only your toes and the balls of your feet touch the ground. If required, put a rolled towel under your knees, to elevate your feet to the proper height. Next, place your hands on your thighs or on the sides of the chair.
2. Slowly extend one of your legs in front of you. Try to make this movement as straight as possible.
3. Next, flex your foot to point your toes towards your head.
4. Hold the position for 1-2 seconds.
5. Lower the leg back down to the floor. Pause for 5-10 seconds to rest.
6. Repeat movement with your other leg.
7. Alternate exercising your legs until you have done 10 repetitions with each leg.
8. After a short rest period, do another set of 10 repetitions of this exercise.

For more information go to www.parkinsonresearchfoundation.org

Exercise: Shoulder Flexion

Purpose: Helps strengthen shoulder muscles. (Required item: A set of 1 lb. hand weights.)


1. Sit in a sturdy armless chair. The back of the chair should support you comfortably. 2. Keep your feet firmly on floor in line with your shoulders. 3. Hold a set of hand weights (a recommended starting weight is 1lb. for each weight) straight down at your sides, with your palms facing inward. 4. Now, slowly raise both arms in front of you (keep your hands straight and rotate them so your palms face upward) to shoulder height. 5. Hold position for 1-2 seconds. 6. Slowly lower your arms to your sides. Pause for 5-10 seconds to rest. 7. Then, repeat the exercise about 10 additional times. 8. After a short rest period, do another set of 10 repetitions of this exercise. For more information go to www.parkinsonresearchfoundation.org

Exercise: Arm Raise

Purpose: Helps strengthen shoulder muscles.
(Required item: A set of 1 lb. hand weights.)

1. Sit in a sturdy armless chair. The back of the chair should support you comfortably.
2. Keep your feet flat on floor.
3. Hold a set of hand weights (a recommended starting weight is 1 lb. for each weight) straight down at your sides, with your palms facing inward.
4. Raise both arms at your side, to shoulder height.
5. Hold the position for 1-2 seconds.
6. Slowly lower your arms to your sides. Pause for 5-10 seconds to rest.
7. Then, repeat the exercise about 10 additional times.
8. After a short rest period, do another set of 10 repetitions of this exercise.

For more information go to www.parkinsonresearchfoundation.org

Stretching Exercises for Parkinson's Disease

By Sarena Ulibarri

Parkinson's disease is a degenerative muscle disorder that causes tremors, stiffness, trouble balancing and lack of mobility. The symptoms generally worsen over time, and there is no known cure. In addition to medication and close medical care, exercise is commonly recommended to improve functioning and quality of life in those with Parkinson's disease. Exercise classes that focus on stretching, such as yoga, tai chi and Pilates, may be especially beneficial.

Benefits
Few studies have tested long-term effectiveness of stretching exercises for Parkinson's disease, but according to a Cornell study, patients who took part in gentle yoga classes for Parkinson's disease reported an overall improvement in their sense of well-being, including decreased stiffness and tension, and increased mobility and energy. Stretching exercises can also help counteract the postural changes caused by Parkinson's disease, including rounding forward of the shoulders and spine. In addition to physical benefits, group exercise classes may provide emotional support that can help people cope with Parkinson's disease.

One cause of Parkinson's disease is an insufficient amount of dopamine in the brain; the cause of the decrease in dopamine is unknown and may be genetic. According to a 2002 study at the John F. Kennedy Institute, restorative or meditative yoga has been shown to increase dopamine levels, which may be one reason why Parkinson's disease patients report improvement after practicing yoga.
Types
If you have Parkinson's disease, take care when choosing an exercise program, and opt for a gentle and noncompetitive practice. Some hospitals or recovery centers have exercise classes for Parkinson's disease that focus specifically on stretching exercises as symptom management. Choose a yoga class for Parkinson's disease labeled as "gentle" or "restorative," and always talk to the instructor about your condition and particular concerns. Pilates is a system of exercise that focuses on small controlled movements and strengthening the core. Pilates classes for Parkinson's disease should be a gentler practice than those offered at many gyms and studios, but you can always ask the instructor for modifications. Tai chi and qigong classes also offer stretching exercises that are beneficial for those with Parkinson's disease.

Examples
The National Center on Physical Activity and Disability recommends gentle stretching exercises for Parkinson's that focus on the arms, legs and neck, as well as gentle twists, forward bends and side bends. Neck exercises include head tilts, chin tucks and head turns that decrease stiffness in the neck and shoulders. Yoga poses such Bound Angle Pose (baddha konasana), Head to Knee Pose (janu sirsasana), Standing Side Bend (Chandrasana), Wind Relieving Pose (pavanamuktasana) and Half Lord of the Fishes (ardha matsyendrasana) are beneficial stretching exercises for Parkinson's disease.

For more informations go to www.parkinsonresearchfoundation.org

Parkinson: Special Exercises To Improve Symptoms

With the help of an exercise you can take action against your complaints. The training also contribute to physical therapy to counteract poor posture around the back and neck and strengthen the muscles. On Parkinson’s disease sufferers are suffering), inter alia, poverty of movement (akinesia), and muscle stiffness (rigidity. Consequently, their movements are disturbed and the movement will be charged uniformly.
According to the dPV go for lack of exercises in the course of the disease, lost a lot of normal movement patterns, which stunted the unused muscles. Several studies have already provided evidence that exercise training helps many Parkinson’s patients in everyday life. For example, strength training can promote the ability to climb stairs, while Special Mobilisationsübungen help to preserve the balance.

Targeted training contributes to the increase in mobility, and also improves blood flow in the brain. Through the practice of more complex movements can be nerve cells activate and deactivate a wide area. Thus the distribution of the neurotransmitter dopamine and serotonin, whose metabolism in the brain in Parkinson’s syndrome is impaired, increased. Moreover, complex motions by the formation of nerve cells are stimulated.

For more information go to: www.parkinsonresearchfoundation.org