Are Intensive Exercises for Parkinson’s Disease Really Effective?
When Sage Bennet was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2016, she and her partner were already preparing for the worst. Simple tasks like turning over in bed or getting up from a chair were becoming increasingly difficult for her back then and they knew that with the nature of the disease, it was only going to get more challenging with time.
However, the trajectory of Sage’s life changed when she started taking medications and doing Parkinson’s disease exercises. In fact, she was so dedicated to this new lifestyle that she even enrolled in a gym so she could be consistent with her classes.
According to Sage, one of the programs that really helped her was intensive PD exercises. She started doing these routines at the start of the year in 2023 when she’d go to the gym and exercise for two hours a day, five days a week. At the end of the month, she’d already finish 44 classes which increased her energy and stamina even more!
Now when it comes to managing the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, a bit of activity is better than none. This is what most experts say and it’s become common knowledge even for those who are newly diagnosed. But while doing “just enough” daily exercises does benefit the body, studies also suggest that more is always better than less. This means that if you really want to see more results in your body, you need to challenge yourself to intense PD exercises. Why is this the case? Well, let’s find out.
What can be considered intensive PD exercises?
Intensive PD exercises are those routines that require higher levels of exertion and effort compared to regular workouts. Moderate physical activities can include walking, swimming, and gentle stretching.
Intense workouts, on the other hand, involve programs like high-intensity interval training (HIIT), intense treadmill or cycling, and even boxing routines. They are much more vigorous and can hurt if not done properly.
Is there a science behind the effectiveness of intensive exercises for PD?
Have you heard of alpha-synucleins? Well, they are proteins that are mostly seen in dopamine-producing nerve cells. They are naturally present in the brain and some parts of the body but in some abnormal cases, they can form into clumps called Lewy Bodies. These clumps negatively affect the neurons and ultimately, the levels of dopamine in the body.
Now dopamine is a much-needed neurotransmitter that sends messages from the brain to the body. A lack of these “messengers” can cause difficulty in controlling movements and rigidity. This is exactly what happens to people with Parkinson's disease.
However, one research was done to examine if the effects of an abnormal number of alpha-synuclein proteins can be reversed by rigorous exercises. They did this by training lab rodents that are injected with alpha-synuclein protein on treadmills that increased speeds over a 30-minute period.
And guess what happened? At the end of the tests, the lab rats that were subjected to treadmill exercises showed improvements in motor and cognitive performance compared to non-exercising rodents.
The overall findings of the research suggest that treadmill exercise has the potential to lessen the effects of PD by reducing the spread of alpha-synuclein in certain brain areas and preventing the reduction of dopamine.
How about the practical effects of intensive exercises?
Well, the potential of intense PD exercises isn’t entirely theoretical because it also shows in people like Sage who have tried these routines. For example, Sage wasn’t allowed to drive for a while because she was so slow on the road that it wasn’t safe for her. But now that she’s exercising and keeps challenging herself with higher levels of exercise, she can drive with no problem.
She also stopped swimming because she couldn’t coordinate her swimming strokes. But her coordination has improved and so has her stamina. She can even go camping now!
Here’s Sage telling us about her experience with exercise.
Should you do intensive PD exercises even if you can’t?
Now as much as research and testimonies show that doing intensive exercises can help manage the symptoms of PD better, you also shouldn’t pressure yourself to level up if you can’t. If you haven't exercised for a while or you haven’t tried exercising before, it’s good to take things slow and practice simple routines first.
You need to consult a healthcare professional or a physical therapist to create a personalized exercise plan tailored to your abilities. You can also try visiting your PD nearest wellness center and ask if they offer in-person classes like what we have here at Rogue. Or if there are no gyms near you, you can also try online classes like this one.
You see, all kinds of Parkinson’s disease exercises can improve your mobility, strength, and control. All you need to do is be consistent with them and find a community to push you to do your exercises, intense or not intense.