Physical therapy can help people manage the symptoms of many different medical conditions and diseases, including Parkinson’s disease. Approximately 90,000 people in the U.S. are diagnosed each year with this chronic disorder that impacts the central nervous system. It’s known as a degenerative disease that develops over time and can lead to worsening symptoms that affect a person’s overall quality of life.

The most prevalent symptom of Parkinson’s disease is uncontrollable movements. These can include hand tremors, involuntary muscle contractions and balance issues. Unfortunately, there isn’t a cure for Parkinson’s disease yet; however, there are ways that people living with the disease can reduce and manage their symptoms on a day-to-day basis. One of those ways is with targeted exercises.

Exercises are a pillar of physical therapy treatments for patients with Parkinson’s disease. A physical therapist can guide you through safe and effective exercises during sessions that you can perform at home in between appointments. 

Read on to learn specific exercises that you may learn during physical therapy if you have Parkinson’s disease. We’ll also discuss what other treatments a physical therapist may use in tandem with the exercises.

7 physical therapy exercises for Parkinson’s disease 

The goals of physical therapy exercises for people with Parkinson’s disease include improving balance, posture stability, strength and motor coordination. Exercise can also help boost your cognitive processing speed and reduce the risk of injury. It may even slow the progression of the disease.

It’s important that people with Parkinson’s disease exercise in a safe yet effective manner. That’s why it’s best to turn to a physical therapist to guide you through targeted exercises that can improve your body’s overall function to reduce symptoms. Not only will they show you how to perform exercises during your sessions, they’ll also design an exercise program for you to follow at home.

Here are seven types of physical therapy exercises for those managing Parkinson’s disease:

• Walking — One of the most commonly recommended exercises for people with Parkinson’s disease is an activity you likely do every day: walking. It helps with balance and gait, which is the position of your body as you move. It can help reduce the risk of falling while improving your stride length, which may be affected by the disease. A physical therapist will likely use a treadmill for this type of gait training.
• Yoga — While often associated with relaxation and meditation, yoga can also provide a variety of benefits for those with Parkinson’s disease. It’s an effective exercise to improve balance and stability and can boost muscle strength and flexibility. A physical therapist can show you yoga poses that can help reduce symptoms. Effective poses include the mountain pose and the singing snake pose. 
• Tai chi — Similar to yoga, tai chi is a type of exercise that helps people reduce stress while improving balance and stability that has been impacted by Parkinson’s disease. Other benefits of the Chinese martial art include reducing tremors and back pain. A physical therapist can help you complete flowing movements that require deep, controlled breaths.
• Biking — There’s a long list of benefits that biking, or using a stationary bike, can provide for a person with Parkinson’s disease. Some of the main reasons that it’s recommended by physical therapists are that it can improve balance, walking speed and motor function. It can also help reduce tremors. A physical therapist can guide you through a routine using a stationary bike during sessions. Your routine, which can involve speed changes and postural adjustments, can translate to using a regular bike at home. 
• Stretching — To improve flexibility and motor functions, physical therapists often recommend that people with Parkinson’s disease incorporate stretching into their everyday home exercise routine. With the right stretches, you can reduce stiffness for improved mobility and range of motion. Stretches can also decrease the discomfort that can stem from muscle spasms. A physical therapist can guide you through safe stretches, which may include standing hamstring stretches, neck rotations and hip extensions. 
• Strength training — With safe and effective strength training, a physical therapist can help those with Parkinson’s disease learn exercises that will strengthen their impacted muscles for improved stability as well as cognitive functioning. The main goal of strength training for people with Parkinson’s disease is to help your body be able to carry out your everyday tasks. Common types of strength training used in physical therapy include using hand weights or weight machines.
• Aquatic therapy — A common fear of people with Parkinson’s disease is that they will fall and sustain an injury due to their muscle stiffness and instability. That’s why it’s often recommended that those with the disease try aquatic therapy as part of physical therapy. The water’s buoyancy enables you to do exercises that wouldn’t be safe on land. Meanwhile, you gain strength by pushing against the water. If you have access to a pool at home, you can continue your therapeutic exercises in between sessions.

Physical therapy treatments for Parkinson’s disease 

Exercises are an essential aspect of all physical therapy treatment plans for people with Parkinson’s disease. To get the best results possible, exercises should be completed alongside other treatments. A physical therapist can help improve the overall quality of your physical health and can also help address and alleviate your symptoms as much as possible.

There are a variety of ways that a physical therapist can help those with Parkinson’s disease. Two options are gait training and task-specific training.

Gait training is often used for those with Parkinson’s disease. It can help improve stride length and speed in order to reduce freezing. Freezing of gait is a common symptom of people with Parkinson’s disease. It refers to suddenly being unable to continue walking forward or turning while in motion. Along with targeted exercises, gait training with a physical therapist can include developing cueing strategies and learning how to walk to a beat.

Task-specific training can also be an effective physical therapy treatment for people with the disease. This refers to therapy that focuses on helping you complete daily tasks that may be impacted by your symptoms. A physical therapist can help you gain independence and confidence in your ability to carry out everyday tasks, which may include getting dressed and eating.

Lattimore PT can help New Yorkers with Parkinson’s disease learn effective exercises

If you’ve received a Parkinson’s disease diagnosis, physical therapy can help reduce the impact of the symptoms on your everyday life. Your physical therapist can guide you through a variety of exercises that can increase your body’s strength, flexibility and function. They can also help you improve your gait, balance and stability. Participating in physical therapy may even help to slow down the progression of the disease.

At Lattimore PT, we want to make sure that your treatment is as tailored to your symptoms, capabilities and goals as possible. We start every new patient with an evaluation during their first appointment with us in our New York offices. One of our expert physical therapists will assess your body’s mobility and function to determine which exercises and techniques will be the most safe and effective.

Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.