Move Your Body, Fight Parkinson’s: 5 Best Parkinson’s Exercises to Improve Strength & Balance

5 Best Parkinson’s Exercises for Strength & Balance

Are you ready to take charge of your Parkinson’s journey and enhance your physical well-being?

In this blog post, we will explore five of the Parkinson’s best exercises specifically designed to improve strength and balance for individuals living with Parkinson’s disease. To preface the term Parkinson’s best exercises, these are based on my personal experiences with these exercises from the perspective of someone who has been living with Parkinson’s disease for 14 years.

Whether you’re a newly diagnosed or have been living with Parkinson’s and are looking for effective ways to manage your symptoms, or simply seeking to enhance your overall fitness, these exercises are here to help.

So, let’s dive in and discover the power of movement in combating Parkinson’s. Let’s get started with the Parkinson’s best exercises.

Why Exercise is Important for People with Parkinson’s

Parkinson’s disease may bring on daily challenges, but regular exercise is a powerful tool to fight back. It’s not just about staying fit; exercises for Parkinsons disease can be a game-changer in managing symptoms.

Studies have shown it can improve balance and coordination, making daily activities easier and reducing the risk of falls.

Exercise can also boost strength and flexibility, allowing you to move with more confidence. But the benefits go beyond the physical.

The effects of exercise for Parkinsons disease have been linked to improved mood, better sleep, and even sharper thinking – all contributing to a higher quality of life.

Results from the Parkinson’s Outcome Research Projects showed:

“Research shows that exercise and physical activity can not only maintain and improve mobility, flexibility and balance but also ease non-motor PD symptoms such as depression or constipation.”

Reference: Parkinson’s Outcomes Project, Parkinsonsfoundation.org

So, lace up your shoes and get moving!

Benefits of Exercise for People with Parkinson’s

Let’s look at some of the benefits that exercise for people living with Parkinson’s. These are based on both my own personal experiences living with Parkinson’s for 14 years, and what has been reported in clinical studies.

1. Improved Mobility & Balance – Regular Exercise helps maintain and enhance your mobility, flexibility & balance, making it easier to participate in daily activities and not isolate because of poor balance or mobility. Spending 10 -15 minutes on daily balance exercises has help dramatically improve my balance.
2. Slowed Disease Progression
   • “The Parkinson’s Outcomes Project shows that people with PD who start exercising earlier in their disease course for a minimum of 2.5 hours per week experience a slowed decline in quality of life compared to those who start later. Establishing early exercise habits is essential to overall disease management.”, parkinsonsfoundation.org.
3. Non-motor Symptom Relief – Exercise can ease non-motor symptoms such as depression, sleep issues and constipation, which can be just as bothersome as motor symptoms.
4. Enhanced Cognitive Function – Physical Activity has been shown to help indiiduals with Parkinson’s maintain or improve their cognitive skills.
   • “According to the Article Exercise and PD, Physical Exercise supports cognitive acuity and mental clarity in people with PD.” Exercise and PD, parkinsonsfoundation.org.
5. Aerobic Conditioning – The aim of aerobic condition in to strengthen and improve your heart and lung function through activities such as cycling walking, swimming, and dance.
   • “Aerobic conditioning improves cardiovascular health and stamina”, Aerobic Exercise Positively Alter’s Parkinson Brain, parkinsonsfoundation.org, 6/8/22.
6. Strength & Flexibility –
   • “Exercise helps maintain muscle strength and flexibility allowing you to continue with your daily activities with greater ease.” Benefits of Exercise, Stanford’s Parkinson’s Community Outreach, med.stanford.edu.
7. Positive Mood – physical activity release endorphins which can alleviate stress, anxiety and mood swings associated with PD.

So, as you can see exercise has many benefits and should be included as a part of your daily routine. Remember , consistency is key in helping you achieve the benefits that exercise has to offer.

For more information on the benefits of exercises for people with Parkinsons, read my articles.

Proven Uplifting Benefits of Exercise on Cognitive Function

Parkinson’s and Balance Training – 10 Proven Exercises for Better Balance

5 Parkinson’s Best Exercises & Their Benefits

Now, let’s turn our attention to the 5 Parkinson’s best exercises to help you improve & maintain better balance, strength & flexibility.

Again, I want to note that these 5 Parkinson’s best exercises and their benefits are based on my participation with each type of exercise and how they have had a profound impact on helping me stay active and mobile after 14 years with Parkinson’s.

Yoga

Yoga is an ancient practice that originated in India. Yoga is a holistic body practice meant to incorporate physical, mental and physical aspects into your life.

Modern Yoga is often associated with the physical postures of Yoga, which are meant to build strength, improve flexibility, balance and coordination while helping to calm your body.

I’ve personally participated in Hatha Yoga classes which are the foundation for most other types of Yoga. Hatha Yoga primarily focuses on the basic yoga postures and includes breathing exercises and relaxation.

Common poses you may be familiar with include Up Dog, Down Dog, Plank, Warrior and Reverse Warrior.

As a person living with Parkinson’s for 14 years, I’ll be perfectly honest and admit that these Yoga moves are challenging the first few classes. The moves challenged my balance and some of the moves are hard to maintain because of stiffness from Parkinson’s your muscles become fatigued and may start to burn or ache.

One of the benefits of all of the yoga moves is there are modifications that can be done to help you do the exercise based on your specific needs and so that you can do the moves in a safe manner.

I’ve personally found that the key to improving my balance, strength and flexibility is to be consistent in practicing Yoga. I would recommend participating in Yoga at a minimum of once a week and ideally twice a week to achieve the maximum benefit.

So, how has Yoga benefited me in my daily life and what affects has it had on my Parkinson’s symptoms and why do I consider it one of the 5 Parkinson’s best exercises? Yoga has helped me to:

Benefits of Yoga for people with Parkinson’s

1. Improve my Balance & Stability – Due to my participation in Yoga, I have seen dramatic improvements in my Balance and coordination. I remain more upright when I walk, I am able to “catch myself” and regain my balance if I lose my balance or center of gravity. Finally, I do not have a fear of falling because of the confidence in my balance.
2. Improve My Flexibility and Range of Motion – Prior to starting Yoga, when asked to bend over and touch my toes with straight legs, I could reach below my knees at best. After participating in Yoga for three months, 2 times per week, I am now able to bend over and touch my toes, with straight legs. If I spread my legs, I am able to bend over and place my palms on the ground. In addition, I’ve had shoulder problems that had limited my range of motion, making it difficult to reach behind my back and touch my fingers. After, Yoga, I am able to successfully do this exercise.
3. Increased muscle Strength – Many of the Yoga moves require the use and engagement of large muscle groups in your legs, arms, shoulders and back. Holding the Yoga poses for an extended time has increased my strength in all of these large muscle groups. Consistently practicing Yoga has allowed me to do these moves without muscle fatigue and burning.
4. Reduced Stress & Anxiety – The breathing techniques and the mindfulness practices I learned participating in Yoga have helped me manage stress and anxiety that are common for people living with Parkinson’s. I am able to relax and keep anxiety at bay because of the relaxation and meditative techniques I learned in yoga, making my life more enjoyable.

What are some of the potential watchouts for a person living with Parkinsons participating in Yoga

• It can be intimidating to learn some of the Yoga moves
• Soreness and stiffness may be experienced after the first few days of participating in yoga because you are using muscle groups that may not have been challenged for a while.

The benefits I have achieved from participating in Yoga are main reason I rate Yoga as one of the Parkinson’s best exercises for balance, strength & flexibility. Yoga can have a profound positive impact on your daily life with Parkinson’s.

For more information on Yoga, visit the Yoga Alliance which is the largest non-profit association representing the yoga community

Tai Chi

What is Tai Chi and why is it one of the Parkinson’s best exercises?

Tai Chi is an ancient practice developed in China over 1000 years ago. Tai Chi (also describes as “meditation in motion”) is a practice that uses three core components working together: movements, meditation and deep breathing to provide overall physical and mental health.

Let’s look at the 3 components of Tai Chi in more detail.

• Movements – Tai Chi uses gentle postures and slow deliberate moves that flow smoothly from one to the other. The movements are intended to be slow and deliberate to emphasize grace and balance.
• Meditation – Tai Chi is intended to help you enter a meditative state of mind. Tai Chi uses rhythmic choreography, focused attention and slow breathing to help you slow down your mind and body.
• Deep Breathing – Deep Breathing exercises are a key part of Tai Chi. It is incorporated into the practice to aid in relaxation and enhance energy flow. Deep breathing is intended to improve our overall well-being.

Benefits of Tai Chi for People Living with Parkinson’s

I wanted to share the benefits I have realized from participating in Tai Chi and how it can befit others living with Parkinson’s.

1. Improved Balance & Stability – I’ve found this to be one of the most important benefits for why I personally include Tai Chi into my exercise routine. PD causes our shoulders to slump and which leads to postural instability and the potential to fall. Tai chi has helped me to improve my balance & stability because the moves are slow and gentle and have taught me to focus on having good posture and a strong base.
2. Enhanced Flexibility – Because the movements in Tai Chi are slow and deliberate, they have helped me with joint mobility and flexibility. Tai Chi has helped to reduce my stiffness & rigidity. Including Tai Chi in my exercise program has helped me recover from stiffness much faster.
3. Reduced PD Symptoms – Participating in Tai Chi has helped me improve my gait and walking be helping me to focus and be more consistent in my stride, and focusing on maintaining an upright posture. This has helped me alleviate my fear of falling.
4. Improved Quality of Life – The meditation and deep breathing techniques used in the practice of Tai Chi have helped me to reduce my stress and anxiety. As part of practicing Tai Chi, remembering the sequences of moves challenges your cognition and helps to improve your memory & concentration.

Potential drawbacks to participating in Tai Chi with Parkinson’s based on my personal experiences:

• Pace of Movements – If you are like me, I like to stay active and moving. When I first participated in a Tai Chi class, I found the slow deliberate movements frustrating, because I was used to moving a more rapid pace. However, after a few classes, I got accustomed to the slow deliberate movements and found they helped me to slow down and relax.

Remember the key to all of these Parkinson’s best exercises is consistency. In order to achieve the benefits of these exercises, they need to be done on a consistent basis.

Tai Chi should be considered as one of your top 5 Parkinson’s best exercises, because of the multiple benefits it can provide improving your daily life with Parkinson’s.

For additional information on Tai Chi, visit the Tai Chi Foundation.

Boxing

Boxing as one of the 5 Parkinson’s best exercises. You’re kidding right? Boxing?

Non-contact boxing for people living with Parkinson’s is a great way to improve your balance, strength & Flexibility.

Your probably, scratching your head and saying how is Boxing going to help me with my balance? Well, when you are boxing you want to remain upright with your weight directly over your feet so that you have a strong base. This allows you to take a step from a point where your balance is centered.

Boxing improves your strength because you are utilizing large muscle groups in the legs, shoulders, back and arms. The punches and leg movements involved in common boxing punches: jabs, crosses, uppercuts and hooks are going to help firm and tone your muscles. Boxing is a great cardio workout as well helping with strengthen you heart and lungs.

Benefits of Boxing for People with Parkinsons

The following benefits are based on my personal experience from participating in a group fitness boxing class and doing “shadow:’ boxing routines on my own.

• Improved Eye and Hand Coordination – This is one of my personal favorites because you are using a lot of precise movements when jabbing, undercutting, hooking and blocking. These help to develop and strengthen good eye and hand coordination all essential in your daily life for people living with Parkinson’s.
• Enhanced Posture – Boxing encourages proper body alignment and engaging your core. Moving with better focus on your posture and core help provide better stability and reduce the risk of falls.
• Better Cognitive Processing – The mental focus you need to use in boxing challenges your mental cognition. Whether is be doing offensive moves with punches and jabs requires you to think and plan quickly to make your moves as well as reacting defensively to block of flurry of punches. Boxing has definitely helped me improve my decision-making skills.

Potential drawbacks to Boxing are some people are intimidated by participating in a group fitness class because it’s a new skill. Try it and make a commitment of 30 days and I believe you will come to enjoy Boxing. Secondly, learning the boxing terminology and moves can be intimidating. While they seem complex at first, they are relatively easy to learn.

Because Boxing can help you build a solid stable core and sense of balance and improve your cognition, I am including Boxing as a must try as part of my 5 top Parkinson’s best exercises.

For additional information on how Boxing can help Parkinson’s people with Parkinson’s, visit Rock Steady Boxing

Aquatic Therapy

I’ve included Aquatic Therapy as part of my Top 5 Parkinson’s best exercises because it is a program that anyone with Parkinson’s can participate in regardless of the stage of the disease.

There are many different types of aquatic therapy classes ranging from easy, gentle tone and stretch classes to high intensity water aerobics, an aerobic exercise designed to get your heart rate up and strengthen your heart and lungs.

Aquatic therapy is a great option for people with Parkinson’s who have balance problems because the water provides buoyancy which helps keep you upright and prevents you from falling. Another benefit of Aquatics Therapy is it is beneficial for stiff, rigid muscles and joint. Spending extended amounts of time in the warm water helps to keep your muscles loose and flexible.

It’s important to select and Aquatic class that meet your individual needs. Based on my personal experience with Aquatic Therapy., I highly recommend including it as part of your exercise program because of the benefits it provides for people living with Parkinson’s.

Moving on to the final of our Parkinson’s best exercises, let’s look at another exercise that anyone can participate in Dance.

Dance

Dance, a top 5 in Parkinson’s best exercises, you can’t be serious. Yes, I am completely serious, Dance actually offers multiple benefits, including improved Balance & Flexibility, cognitive benefits and improved mobility.

That’s right, Dance requires you to move in an upright position while keeping your weight center underneath you while concentrating and focusing on your steps. This allows you to improve you balance and gait making it a perfect exercise for people with Parkinson’s.

Dancing also allows you to work on your cognitive skills by remembering dance steps and sequences which can be beneficial in helping to improve your executive function.

Finally, dance combined with music provides music therapy which can help people with Parkinson’s with their symptoms of anxiety & depression.

Check out my article below for more information on music therapy for Parkinson’s.

5 Proven Benefits of Music Therapy on Most Common Parkinson’s Symptoms

Dance comes in many forms – Ball Room Dancing, Line Dancing, Zumba, Square Dancing, Interpretive Dance as examples.

Pick a dance you enjoy and “jump in with both feet” and enjoy a great workout exercise while at the same time having a fun experience.

If you haven’t considered dance as an exercise option, you should because of the myriad of benefits it can provide. Dance is both fun, challenging and beneficial to people with Parkinson’s and I highly recommend incorporating it into your exercise program. I enjoy dance, even though I have two left feet.

I am including dance in my top 5 Parkinson’s best exercises because of it being a holistic total body workout with a host of positive benefits.

Parkinson’s Best Exercises – Conclusion

In conclusion, incorporating exercises for balance, strength, and flexibility into your routine can greatly benefit individuals living with Parkinson’s. After 14 years of firsthand experience and involvement with each exercise, I highly recommend the following top 5 exercises:

Yoga: Enhances flexibility, balance, and mental well-being.
Tai Chi: Cultivates balance, coordination, and relaxation.
Boxing: Boosts strength, agility, and cognitive function.
Aquatic Therapy: Supports low-impact, full-body exercise for improved mobility.
Dance: Promotes coordination, rhythm, and social engagement.

Each exercise brings its own set of benefits and potential drawbacks, so it’s essential to find the right fit for your individual needs. We encourage you to explore these exercises and find what works best for you. Don’t forget to share this blog post on social media to spread the word about these fantastic exercises for individuals with Parkinson’s. Keep moving and stay strong!