Physical Therapy For Parkinson's Disease

By Vibhakar Karambelkar, MScPT, DPT

Body Kinetics Rehab

. http://bodykineticsrehab.com/

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Physical Therapy For Parkinson's Disease

The American Parkinson Disease Association reports that, “people with chronic conditions like Parkinson's disease often find physical therapy can improve strength and flexibility, and decrease pain and stiffness.”

Most of us are referred to a physical therapist at one time or another. Whether you are experiencing disability as a result of pain, injury, or illness, physical therapists provide physical therapeutic intervention with the goal of preventing or minimizing disability.

As we learn more about how beneficial exercise is to people with Parkinson's disease, physical therapy is becoming an essential part of many treatment plans. A physical therapist can help you develop an exercise routine that is right for you. Physical therapy can also help address certain symptoms of Parkinson's disease such as dystonia, freezing and gait. If possible, it is best to see a physical therapist who has experience treating people with Parkinson's.

Occupational Therapy For Parkinson's Disease

Occupational therapists are similar to physical therapists, but they focus on more specific goals related to functioning. In other words, occupational therapists help us “function” (i.e., accomplish the tasks of daily living) to the best of our ability. For people with Parkinson's disease, routine tasks such as walking, running, standing up from a chair or moving into and out of bed can become difficult. Occupational therapists are trained to evaluate these kinds of difficulties and help the person and/or the environment adapt as needs and abilities change.

Speech Therapy For Parkinson's Disease

Most of us, when we think of Parkinson's disease, think of symptoms such as tremor and slowness of movement. Perhaps less well known are the speech, swallowing, and communication difficulties many people with Parkinson's experience.

People with Parkinson's sometimes do not even realize their speech has changed, but may notice that others are asking them to repeat themselves much more frequently than in the past. They may find that they are less able to move their facial muscles, which can compromise their ability to communicate effectively with others.

Swallowing can also become difficult because the muscles that help perform this activity can experience tremor, stiffness, and slowness just as the other parts of the body do.

Speech and language pathologists (SLPs) are trained to evaluate and treat these very difficulties. An SLP can help by developing a program to help you stretch and strengthen the muscles involved in speech, expression, and/or swallowing or by teaching coping strategies.

Should You Be Seeing a Rehab Therapist?

Therapy has been proven to help Parkinson's patients who experience these symptoms

Balance problems

Lack of coordination

Fatigue

Pain

Gait

Immobility

Weakness

Difficulty in function or activities of daily living

Speech/swallowing

If you (or a loved one) has Parkinson's and are experiencing difficulty with any of the symptoms mentioned above, it is essential to seek the help of a rehabilitation therapist who has a background in treating your condition. You'll be glad you did.