Movement

[Babygirl]

Are there any tips on enhancing mobility and gait? I frequently can't move my leg to move around in the bed. Any assistance and information is greatly appreciated. I've been diagnosed for two years. I just purchased a Theracycle, that is supposed to be good for patients with Parkinson's. I've only had it three days so I will give that a shot also..

[eh110575]

I have been biking for years, both stationary and regular bikes and they help a lot!

[rory3028 in reply to eh110575]

I'm sure you'll get a laugh out of this, but it really does work for me. It's not a panacea but it's fun and I do find it helps. When I find myself "frozen" in place or I am reduced to taking those scarey stutter steps, my daugthter walks with me and we sing (our song is 'I could have danced all night:" from "The King and I"), and just by singing it opens up my gait and I can go back to taking full strides, It also works when I'm alone, but it's a lot more fun with a dance partrner. My daughter and I discovered this just bybeing silly one day, but a few months later we saw a feature on one of the majer nerwoks which identified dancing and riding a starionary bike as being useful for rhis purpose. Good luck., I'd love to hear if it helped you at all.

[PatV in reply to rory3028]

I agree! I'm frequently marching to "Fly Me to the Moon" or something similar. Sung by me and whoever's walking with me.

[rory3028 in reply to PatV]

You have that right. We can't carry a tune in a bucket, as they say, but we keep belting out any tune that's catchy and upbeat. It's really great.

[JAYNIE]

I have a 3 wheeler with a battery, so if I do cramp up, I can get home. I for sure think it has helped me.

[cathi]

Moving around in bed does sometimes affect me as well and I have installed straps above the bed and a bar at the head of the bed to grab onto to assist in turning over and getting up and out.

[rory3028 in reply to cathi]

Sounds like a great idea. I find myself sleeping in the same position all night because I can't turn over.....and trying to get out of bed to use the bathroom often becomes a desperate race against the clock because it takes so long and hurts so much to move.

[shasha]

HAVE YOU GOT THE SATIN SHEETS AND JAMAS ? THEY REALLY HELP A LOT

[rory3028 in reply to shasha]

I have the satin PJ's but not the sheets. Makes sense if you think about it. That's the reason, in reverse, that I don't wear flannel PJ's nor sleep on flannel sheets. Makes me feel like I'm velcro'd to the bed. I'll buy some satin sheets asap. Thanks for the heads-up (no pun intended).

[Jose]

Diagnosed in 07. Owned a Theracycle for four years and recommended it.

[tlongmire in reply to Jose]

Why did you get rid of it?

[rory3028]

This feature is awesome. It really helps to talk to folks who are in rhe same boat, I'm 73 years old. and I've been battling this insidious disease for 25 years. I am determined never to allow it to steal my sense if humor or my smile, and I will never let it win, I have bad days just like everyone else, but I am not sick!!!

[PatV in reply to rory3028]

Right you are! That's why I prefer 'pwp', person with parkinson's, to parkinson's patient. I'm 72 and 11 years a pwp. Keep dancing!

[rory3028 in reply to PatV]

Gotta keep dancing. It's really great for the morale as well as the gait.

[fishinggirl in reply to rory3028]

Wow, 25 years! My 6 years seems so short compared to you. I don't consider myself sick either and just hate it when I read or someone says "suffer with Parkinson's". I feel that I live with Parkinsons and do the best that I can. Glad you can keep smiling! You give me hope for my future

[hunnypot]

Thanks everyone -AT least I know I'm not crazy. whenever I freeze up I start singing and it helps. It's good to know I have company

[sunnyr]

That is fascinating to use singing to get moving. Here is some other interesting research on singing: “For more than 100 years, it's been known that people who can't speak after injury to the speech centers on the left side of the brain can sing….In the 1970s, Boston researchers started to use a sort of "singing therapy" to help stroke survivors speak again….Dr. Schlaug reports good results working with people with Parkinson's disease who have trouble speaking.” npr.org/blogs/health/2011/1...

[Babygirl]

Thanks to all of you. This has been so helpful to me. Very enlightening and very encouraging.

[fishinggirl]

I use the kids song, The Hokey Pokey". Put your left foot in, put your left foot out, put your left foot in and shake it all about....gets me moving and it also adds exercise and some fun!

[maidar in reply to fishinggirl]

WoW what a great Idea!

[MagicMax]

Movement of any kind helps free up those tight muscles. Dancing, walking, swimming, cycling, or anything requiring movement done on a daily basis helps. Some times if I am frozen, I move my legs sideways, and that frees me up faster; especially useful when a bathroom run is the reason to move. Keep movin, keep livin...

[Babygirl in reply to MagicMax]

Thanks. Sometimes my legs feel very weak and shaky while walking. I always wonder if my legs will stop moving and this frightens me. But I will keep living and keep moving just as you suggested.

[Babygirl]

Thanks to all of you for your comments. Sometimes my legs feel very weak and shaky while walking. I always wonder if my legs will stop moving and this frightens me. But I will keep living and keep moving just as MagicMax suggested.

[magib]

I have trouble walking and recently lost my confidence in going out of the house on my own but I am going great guns now, I have left my pride behind and bought myself a three wheel walker and can't believe how much easier it is to walk. Mind you in the past I have tried all sorts of ways to overcome the freeze, my nephew and niece remind me regularly of the time I froze in the toilets at a petrol station and walked out backwards. Hopefully it will be best step forward from now on.

[maidar]

My gait and balance is so ooff too! i walk like someone with MS!

[JohnPepper in reply to maidar]

Hi Maida

Your book is on its way!

Take a good look at yourself. You will probably find that you are not standing upright! If not, then put your shoulders back and sytraighten your spine. You may not get it all right to start with, but keep practicing it.

I keep on repeating that I am not a medically trained person, but am a Pd patient who has managed to overcome most of my movement problems.

If you are quite stooped then try lying flat on the carpet, on your stomach. Place your arms next to your body and then try to lift your head up off the carpet. If you are unable to do this, to start with, then don't worry! As you keep practicing doing this so your muscles will get stronger and your head will soon start to lift off the carpet.

When you are capable of lifing it up then hold it there for a count of five. Then lower it slowly. Do this about ten times and then have a rest. then try and do it ten more times. As you get stronger then you will find it is easier to stand straight upright.

If you are a medically trained person and you don't agree with what I have said, then please tell us all what we must do!

Balance is another problem, most of us face! To begin with, there are two problems involved in balance.

Problem 1 is that our inner ear is probably working properly, but it does not get the message out properly to the other parts of the brain, that we are going off-balance. This means that our muscles are not activated in time to correct our balance in time to stop us from falling.

Problem 2 is that our muscles are probably too weak to respond properly to the instructions to correct our posture. So we fall!

The way to overcome a lot of this problem is to exercise all the muscles that are involved in maintaining ballance. Get a professional person to tell you what to exercise.

I practice standing in the arch of a doorway, with my arms raised to shoulder level and the palms of my hands rest against the door frame. Then I take my arms slightly away from the door frame, while standing on one leg. In this way, I can practice balancing on one leg at a time, thereby strengthening the muscles and creating new pathways in my brain to help me to balance properly.

Try it!

John

[rory3028 in reply to maidar]

Me, too. I walk bent over at the waist and looking at the floor. I have had three spinal fusions and cannot straighten up for more than a few seconds at a time.......but I can sing and "dance" after a fashion, and that's enough to make me happy.l My granddaughter is getting married in September, and I can hardly wait. I'm going to be the only 74 year old belle of the ball. I may be dancing wiith ny walker for a partner, but I will be dancing!!!

[JohnPepper]

I have found that any movements, which I have previously been able to do, which I don;t have to think about, like walking, writing, feeding my face etc. all give me problems!

I have found that I can CONSCIOUSLY CONTROL MY WALKING, instead of leaving it to my subsonscious brain.

How do I do this? By concentrating on lifting my knee up and straightening the leg and then planting the heel of the foot on the ground in front of me. Then doing the same with the other leg. In this way I can walk, without problems. I have not come actross anyone who cannot do this!

If you freeze! Don't stand there trying to will your legs to walk. Consciously lift up the one knee, while standing on the other leg. Then straighten the leg with the bent knee out in front of you, and plant the heel on the ground. You are now walking!

CONSCIOUSLY LIFT A GLASS TO YOUR MOUTH, WHILE GRIPPING IT TIGHTLY.

[Babygirl in reply to JohnPepper]

Awesome! Thank you. This is a great help!

[JohnPepper in reply to Babygirl]

Hi Babygirl

I pressed the wrong key, when writing my answer to your response. I am not very good at typing!

I meant to say, "Bring the glass up to your mouth, slowly, while concentrating hard on what you are doing. Then, when the glass reaches your lips, then place the glass on your lower lip and then slowly tip the contents into your mouth" In that way you will overcome the effects of your tremours.

When I write I write in block letters. In that way, I am able to write clearly and others are able to read it. Although the writing still tends to get small, I don't freeze up while doing it.

John

[Babygirl in reply to JohnPepper]

Thank you so very very much.