"What Exercise Should I Do?" A Step-by-Step Guide for Parkinson’s

Written By Andrea Malsom

“I know I should exercise, but how do I choose the right one?”

One way to answer that question is to review the Parkinson’s Foundation's Exercise Recommendations. They include four types of exercise:

✅ Aerobic Activity
✅ Strength Training
✅ Balance, Agility, & Multitasking
✅ Stretching

Beyond these four types, their recommended frequency and duration, there are other challenges: Where do you start? How do you fulfill the Parkinson's Foundation's recommendations? Are they right for you? How do you stay consistent?

The following is a is a non-medical guide on how you can approach choosing the right exercise for Parkinson’s.

Step 1: Are the Parkinson’s exercises right for you?

Please be aware that the Parkinson’s Foundation’s PDF recommends for you to speak with your medical team prior to starting a new exercise routine. Additionally, it is best practice to work first with a Physical Therapist. This therapist should have experience in neurological diseases and would help you choose the right exercise for you and your symptoms. Consider bringing the Parkinson’s Exercise recommendation PDF to your appointment so they can help you establish a safe, research-based plan.

An in-depth, research-based guide for exercise to improve both motor and non-motor Parkinson's symptoms created by the Parkinson's Foundation

Parkinson’s Foundation Image

Step 2: Rethink the Question – What one little change can I make?

Now that safety and physical exercise considerations are addressed by medical professionals in your life, let’s dive into problem-solving the exercises that may be best for you.

What is one thing that I can implement right away?

Similar to my stance on simply adding good oral brushing throughout the day, you can add something to your daily routine and, even though it doesn’t take a long time to complete, it can make a large, positive impact.

What can you add to your routine tomorrow morning?

How about deep-breathing stretches that the Parkinson’s Foundation recommends everyday? What a great way to wake up (and do just before brushing your teeth!). Reach out to your Physical Therapist or watch a yoga based exercise geared to those with Parkinson’s here:

From there, perhaps, you can add one more thing to your daily/weekly routine. Let’s address the Parkinson’s Foundation’s Balance, Agility, & Multitasking exercise recommendations.

As you plan out your weekly exercise schedule for inserting time to complete the "Balance, Agility, & Multitasking" recommendation, you could pick a time, say 10am, and designate that time to address balance, agility and/or multitasking. I imagine that taking a small step towards the exercise goal will play out in your favor.

For example, during that designated time, say 10am, you can pick from one of the three following video-based exercises:

  • A 21 Minute Standing Parkinson's Workout for Range of Motion, Gait, Balance & Cognition from Power for Parkinson’s:
  • A Dance-Based Exercise video from Michigan Parkinson Foundation:
  • Tai Chi for Parkinson’s from Parkinson’s UK:
 

Did you notice something? Some of those exercises had the potential to be an aerobic exercise! That's great news! You would already be fulfilling time towards your 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise!

Keep that in mind. You can integrate a lot of these recommendations into the same workout.

Also, if you chose to join at least one in-person class each week that is either geared towards Parkinson's - or not - the class could help fulfill the requirements for: Aerobic Activity, Strength Training, Stretching and Balance, Agility & Multitasking recommendations. Talk about multitasking! One hour in-person class could help you on your way to reaching the weekly recommendations from the Parkinson's Foundation.

Speaking of in-person classes, there are Parkinson's-specific exercises that are available for free, via paid subscriptions, online, and in-person: Rock Steady Boxing and PWR! Moves. These programs require the trainer to be trained in a certain set of exercises and hold specific educational backgrounds. Therefore, each exercise has the same theory and set-up but differ in the style, personality of the coach, and accessibility for you as a attendee. You could seek out the exercise that best suits you!

Step 3: Give Me Sweat!

If you are just simply looking for amazing resources for online Aerobic Activity and Strength Training videos, let's go!

Remember, the Parkinson's Foundation's exercise recommendations include 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous exercise per week. That is two two-hour long classes and one half an hour. The recommendations have other requirements (how often, ect.) please review them here: https://www.parkinson.org/library/fact-sheets/exercise-recommendations

First up, Aerobic Activity.

You can find a list of exercises by searching, "cardio for PD" on YouTube but here are a few curated options:

Starting a new routine for Strength Training for Parkinson's can be intimidating and require equipment. Be inspried by checking out the following video from the Parkinson's Foundation where they complete seated, high-energy, simple weight-based exercises:

Step 4: Pick One & Try It

Instead of overthinking, just pick one thing to try this week. If it doesn’t work, you can adjust.

To review, here are the exercise videos that can help give you a leg up towards the Parkinson’s Foundation recommendations:

Aerobic Video → A fun way to get your heart rate up.
Strength Training Video → A simple way to build strength at home.
Balance & Agility Video → Exercises that challenge coordination.
Boxing for Parkinson’s Video → A structured class that builds strength & endurance through Rock Steady Boxing with little to no equipment. Of note, this offering is through a paid subscription due to the complexity of this offering.
Stretching & Mobility → A relaxing way to improve flexibility.
Dance-Based Exercise Video → A rhythmic workout that doesn’t feel like exercise.

Final Thoughts: The Right Exercise is the One You’ll Stick With

There’s no single “perfect” exercise for Parkinson’s. What matters most is finding something you enjoy and making it part of your routine.

Need any more guidance? Looking for Cognitive Workshops or Speech Classes? Sign up or request a consult call or email Andrea at Andrea@MyVoiceTherapy.com to help you problem solve your exercise routines.

-Andrea

Let's connect! Instagram | Facebook | TikTok | YouTube

Andrea Malsom
Next

It’s Much More Than Just SPEECH - Educational Event