PD Warrior exercise regime has been around for a number of years now and it has finally reached Herefordshire as well. You may or may not have heard about it, but the number of success stories associated with it speak for themselves. People are reporting improved mobility, a more positive mental state, and even a reduction of common symptoms associated with Parkinson's disease.
So what is it all about?
The programme was developed by specialist neurological physiotherapists in Sydney, Australia, and due to its numerous successes, it has been spreading to other countries quickly.
Sorry to disappoint those not so keen on exercise, but that is exactly what this programme is all about. Sedentary lifestyle is meant to be one of the fastest ways to increase your Parkinson's symptoms, therefore this programme encourages you to do a lot less sitting. It is a combination of physical and cognitive activities which should drive your brain to re-wire itself - something that Parkinson's disease has made it forget how to do.
People who have tried it say it's not easy. You have to work very hard to see results, twice a day for 20 minutes, for 10 weeks to start with. You will have to push yourself to achieve your goals, and if you are further along on your Parkinson's journey, then you might have to work harder and start with smaller goals. An enormous amount of motivation is required, but if it helps reduce the symptoms, we think it is worth it.
According to the developers of the programme, it should help you get:
- stronger and fitter
- better at doing more than one thing at the same time
- better at maintaining balance and preventing falls
- better at little things that you may find fiddly
Where can I find out more about it?
The head of the local physiotherapy team for Parkinson's, Marcus Cottrell, has completed his PD Warrior training and is now actively incorporating the exercises into courses for people newly diagnosed with Parkinson's. If you wish to speak to Marcus about this, you can contact him on 01432 347662 or marcus.cottrell@wvt.nhs.uk.
Sources:
https://shakeitup.org.au/pd-warrior-exercise-program-shows-promising-results-parkinsons/
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