Day 22: Parkinson's Disease and Exercise

So no surprise - all other things being equal, exercise is generally considered good for people. That holds true for people with Parkinson's disease as well.  Having said that, consult your doctor if you are new to exercise or have any questions about how much activity you can safely do.

I did a bit of research to see what the "experts" are saying about exercise for people with Parkinson's disease.  Not only is there an existing body of research, it supports the view that exercise yields positive benefits, both neurologically and in terms of quality of life.  See for yourself:

1. Does vigorous exercise have a neuroprotective effect in Parkinson disease?

          Ahlskog, J. E. (2011). Does vigorous exercise have a neuroprotective effect in Parkinson disease? Neurology, 77(3), 288–294. http://doi.org/10.1212/WNL.0b013e318225ab66

2. Effects of physical activity in Parkinson's disease: A new tool for rehabilitation
          Borrione, P., Tranchita, E., Sansone, P., & Parisi, A. (2014). Effects of physical activity in Parkinson’s disease: A new tool for rehabilitation. World Journal of Methodology, 4(3), 133–143. http://doi.org/10.5662/wjm.v4.i3.133

3. Abstracts supporting the benefits of exercise for Parkinson’s symptoms

          Information from Parkinson Canada

4. Handy Resource:  Physical Activity and Parkinson's Disease

          A great resource from Parkinson Canada to help you get active

5. The latest on research into Parkinson's and exercise

          Information from the National Parkinson Foundation (US)

6. Exercise Benefits People with Parkinson's Disease
          Information from WebMD