Home Patients Exercises Suggested Exercises

Suggested Exercises

Improve strength, balance, stability and peace of mind

Rhythm & Grace, a Dance for PD Class

In Rhythm and Grace dance classes, participants explore movement and music in ways that are enjoyable, stimulating and creative. Dance is appropriate for anyone with PD, no matter how advanced, although no dance experience is required. In chairs, at a barre or moving across the floor, you will explore elements of modern dance, ballet, tap, folk and social dancing in a non-pressured, social environment in which music energizes, enriches and empowers.

Dance for PD® is a unique collaboration between the Mark Morris Dance Group and the Brooklyn Parkinson Group. The program is built on one fundamental premise: professionally trained dancers are movement experts whose knowledge is useful to persons with PD. Dancers know all about stretching and strengthening muscles, and about balance and rhythm. Classes modeled after Dance for
PD now occur in more than 40 communities in the US, Canada, Italy, India, Israel, UK and Germany.

"Just think about it!  Exercising this aging body with dance movements accompanied by show music or ballet.  Opening my arms and heart to embrace the music pouring into my soul to smooth my muscles. I am enriched, delighted, and transformed." - Paul Browne

Yoga
The practice of yoga can help patients suffering from Parkinson’s to improve their strength, balance and stability. PAR offers yoga classes in 3 locations throughout Denver and Boulder, CO. (Link to class listing).

Check out these informative resources:

• Yoga Journal: Moving on with Parkinson’s
• Yoga for Those Living with Parkinson’s Disease
• Yoga in the News: FOX 31 Yoga PD News

Tai Chi
Tai Chi features movement with gentle balance-enhancing motions that can help the Parkinson’s patient by reducing the gradual loss of balance that Parkinson’s patients often experience. However, Tai Chi offers much more.

For example, Tai Chi movements rotate the human body in about 95% of the ways the body can move, when a long form is practiced. This is far beyond what other exercise offers, and the closest similar exercise would be several swimming strokes, which together only rotate the body in about 65% of the ways it can move. For Parkinson’s patients, or anyone for that matter, this indicates that by “using” 95% of the body’s possible motion several times a week, the possibility of “losing” the ability to do so diminishes accordingly. This isn’t rocket science, but simple common sense. Parkinson’s patients have even more to gain from Tai Chi.

Tai Chi in the News

• CBS News: Tai Chi May Help Parkinson’s

Other helpful exercises: Helpful Facial Exercises

• Sheet 1
• Sheet 2
• Sheet 3

Music therapy: Music therapy has been reported to improve symptoms in people with Parkinson's disease. Modest improvements were seen in symptoms including: motor coordination, speech intelligibility and vocal intensity, bradykinesia (slow movement), emotional functions, activities of daily living, and quality of life.

Find a free yoga or Tai Chi class in Colorado

Exercise Ideas for People Living with Parkinson’s Disease

Assisted Cycling Tours