Exercise for people with Parkinson's: a practical approach.

Ramaswamy, Bhanu; Jones, Julie; Carroll, Camille

Abstract

Exercise is key to a healthy and productive life. For people with Parkinson's, exercise has reported benefits for controlling motor and non-motor symptoms alongside the use of pharmacological intervention. For example, exercise prolongs independent mobility and improves sleep, mood, memory and quality of life, all further enhanced through socialisation and multidisciplinary team support. Recent research suggests that optimally prescribed exercise programmes following diagnosis may alter neurophysiological processes, possibly slowing symptom progression. Given its benefits, professionals should encourage and motivate people with Parkinson's to exercise regularly from the time of diagnosis and provide guidance on what exercise to do. We provide examples of how the growing body of evidence on exercise for people with Parkinson's is revolutionising the services they are provided. We also highlight new resources available to help the wider support network (people such as volunteers, partners and friends of people with Parkinson's) with an interest in exercise promote a consistent message on the benefits of exercise.

Citation

RAMASWAMY, B., JONES, J. and CARROLL, C. 2018. Exercise for people with Parkinson's: a practical approach. Practical neurology [online], 18(5), pages 399-406. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1136/practneurol-2018-001930

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 23, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Jun 1, 2018
• Publication Date: Oct 31, 2018
• Deposit Date: Jun 26, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 26, 2018
• Journal: Practical neurology
• Print ISSN: 1474-7758
• Electronic ISSN: 1474-7766
• Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 18
• Issue: 5
• Pages: 399-406
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/practneurol-2018-001930
• Keywords: Exercise; Parkinson's; Health professionals; Lifestyle; Motivation
• Public URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10059/2965
• Contract Date: Jun 26, 2018