5 Ways Physical Therapy Can Help Parkinson’s Disease

​Approximately 500,000 people in the US have Parkinson’s so it is definitely something that is worth addressing. One of the ways to help with slowing the functional losses as a result of the disease is physical therapy. Here we will highlight 5 of the benefits of PT in Parkinson’s Disease patients.

1. We teach patients to take bigger steps and this allows them to speed up their walking. There are a series of exercises that are taught in the PT sessions that help patients learn how to take bigger steps.
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2. The prescribed home program helps instill an exercise regiment that the patient can do and use to decrease functional losses on their own.

3. The BIG movements help the patients improve core strength, which will help with balance and decreasing incidence of falls.

4. Many Parkinson’s patients suffer from spine stiffness. The home exercises require patients to stretch the spine and thus decrease the stiffness effects caused by the disease.
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5. Successful completion of a physical therapy plan of care, which for Parkinson’s is approximately 4 weeks), builds confidence in the patients that they can improve their function and quality of life.

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