Angela Sipes
[ad_1]
- By Nicola Haseler and Rachael McMenemy
- BBC News, Hertfordshire
Image source, Dawid Wojtowicz/BBC
Christina Walden says she exercises every day of the week and likes to think that has helped slow the progression of her symptoms.
Exercise is a form of medicine for people living with Parkinson’s, said a woman who helped organize exercise classes for those with the condition.
Christina Walden, 68, from Harpenden, Hertfordshire, credits exercise with stopping the progression of symptoms.
A researcher at the University of Hertfordshire said studies showed a link between exercise and slowing the progression of Parkinson’s disease.
Researchers believe that exercise leads to “better connections in the brain.”
Walden, who was diagnosed in 2016 and whose main symptom is weakness on the right side of her body, said: “Basically, exercise is medicine.
“I would like to think that [exercise] Is the reason [symptoms haven’t progressed] because I do a lot.”
Image source, Dawid Wojtowicz/BBC
Matthew Hignell says he always feels better when he exercises
Parkinson’s disease can cause tremors, balance problems, and slow movements.
These symptoms arise after a substantial loss of dopamine-producing cells in an area of the brain known as the substantia nigra.
Matthew Hignell, 62, was diagnosed at age 49 after noticing a tremor in his right arm.
“Overall, I found that my right arm didn’t work the same as my left arm, brushing my teeth became difficult and there were a lot of little things,” he said.
“One thing these classes are pretty good at is coordination, just putting everything together that way.
“For Parkinson’s, exercise is very important. I feel much better when I exercise than when I don’t. It really makes a difference for me.”
Image source, Dawid Wojtowicz/BBC
John Molyneux said he had noticed an improvement in some of his clients’ symptoms after they started taking classes.
John Molyneux, a fitness trainer who runs exercise classes for people living with Parkinson’s in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, said it can help reduce a range of symptoms.
“Parkinson’s is very varied and everyone you meet will have a unique set of symptoms, but these can change from day to day,” he said.
“So exercise can reverse Parkinson’s, reduce symptoms and simply improve people’s lives.
“Exercise is like a magic pill and [it is] “It has been shown that proper exercise can be as beneficial as medication.”
Image source, Dawid Wojtowicz/BBC
Research is being done into exactly why exercise slows the progression of Parkinson’s, Dr. Annett said.
Dr. Lucy Annett of the University of Hertfordshire has researched the impact of exercise on those living with Parkinson’s and said studies have shown a link between exercise and slowing the progression of the disease.
“Symptoms can start very slowly and gradually and appear over many years, and we need something to slow them down,” he said.
“There is growing evidence that exercise may be a good way to achieve this.”
It’s not completely understood why, but a study in the Netherlands showed “better connections in the brain” after regular exercise, he said.
“The message is do everything you can, do what you enjoy,” he said.
[ad_2]
News Source
