Here’s yet another online article about the importance of physical exercise for people with Parkinson’s disease. This time the article promotes weight training.
The perks:
– Better Balance. “A 2003 study found that including strength training in patients’ existing balance training can improve their stability when compared to balance training alone.”
– Improved Gait. “[S]low gait was improved with the addition of strength training twice weekly over the course of eight weeks. Patients were able to walk faster, take longer strides, and stand straighter than they could before beginning the exercise regimen.”
– Increased Mobility. “A 2006 study showed that patients who added high-force quadriceps contractions three times a week over a 12-week period had more muscle volume and force—which aided them in being better able to climb stairs and move around with ease—in comparison to those who followed a standard Parkinson’s exercise routine.”
Bottom line? Pump that iron!
