The Impact of Exercise Rehabilitation and Physical Activity on the Management of Parkinson's Disease

Authors and Disclosures

A.M. Johnson, PhD,¹ Q.J. Almeida, PhD,<sup>2

1</sup>University of Western Ontario, London, ON
²Movement Disorders Research & Rehabilitation Centre, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON

Sidebar: Key Points

• Although Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a neurological disorder,many of its primary physical symptoms (bradykinesia,postural instability,and rigidity) are motor sequelae frequently found among otherwise healthy older adults.
  
  

• The most frequently targeted symptoms of PD (in both musculoskeletal and neurological rehabilitation paradigms) are gait dysfunction and postural instability,and physical therapy programs typically emphasize strength training,balance training,and a range of techniques aimed at improving flexibility.
  
  

• Physical therapy programs focusing on trunk strength in individuals with PD have been demonstrated to produce significant improvements in weakness and stiffness.
  
  

• One of the most promising avenues of neurological rehabilitation research involves the use of sensory enhancement to cue movement,and both visual and auditory cues have been used successfully.
  
  

• Research has demonstrated that physically active patients with PD had a lower mortality rate,better quality of life,and increased function in activities of daily living than did the less active patients.