June 29, 2022
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An Intermediate Exercise Program for Parkinson’s and 10 Physical Therapy Tips for Increased Mobility
Presented by: Douglas Schrift, Physical Therapist and Owner of ElderGym YouTube Channel
These are the topics the speaker shared with the group.
Physical Therapy
Three ways Parkinson’s gait presents
- Freezing of gait: patients intermittently feel that their feet are “stuck to the floor as if held by magnets” when trying to walk. For some, there is brief trembling of the feet in place, followed by short, small steps, while others experience total immobility and are unable to move at all for a few moments.
- Shuffling gait: shuffling gait presents as short steps, narrow-based with flexed knees and stooped posture
- Festinating gait: is described as rapid small steps taken in an attempt to keep the center of gravity in between the feet while the trunk is leaning forward involuntarily
Break the Gait Pattern
Center of gravity
Basal ganglia
Types of falls
Timber fall
I’m melting fall
Tips for Mobility
- Slow down
- Take big steps
- Pay attention to feet, especially in doorways
- Smooth bottom shoes
Demonstration and Participation of Exercises
Start: quickly up from chair
Big step to start
Freeze
Get on your heels
Slap your legs
Step backwards
Ten Exercises:
- Missing
- John Travolta
- Rug cleaning
- Back stroke
- Hitch Hike
- Irish Dancers
- Missing
- Russian Cossack
- X-country
- Bowling
Demonstration of proper usage of a cane for balance, walking, getting in and out of car
No multi-tasking while walking
Advice – Accommodate to the changes
