Frequently patients with Parkinson’s disease have one limb or one side that is more involved. It is easy to stop using the more involved side because it is too difficult. This leads to overuse of the lesser affected side and neglect of the more affected side. This disuse of the affected limb can lead to a worsening of the signs and symptoms. There is evidence that constraining the least affected side, and forcing the use of the more affected side can lead to improved function and increased “mindfulness” of the limb.
Makes sense, especially if the affected side isn’t dominant, as in my case. It’s too easy to let the dominant hand do almost everything. In the lsvtBIG program they taught me to force the use of my left hand, even if tasks took longer and were more difficult. Otherwise the non dominant hand becomes useless over time.
I am not a great scholar, but did not know that we had to be in order to take part in these discussions.
I recall that I have read at least two articles in the past where stroke patients have had the good side of their body temporarily disabled, forcing them to use the bad side. Within six weeks the bad side had recovered and was able to be used as normal.
With Pd, I have been able to consciously take over the control of my bad side and as long as I Maintain the concentration levels I am able to function normally. The moment I lose concentration I revert to the limping and shuffling, when walking and spilling my food when eating and writing absolutely unreadable rubbish when writing.
Maintaining conscious control of movement takes a while to get right, . but it does come right. I walk for one hour every second day and am able to maintain the concentration levels for that hour without any problems. The only trouble I have is being tempted to look at what is going on around me.
Somewhere I read about a technique to eliminate involuntary ticks simply by reproducing them voluntarily. With this exercise you were able after a while to reproduce the tick voluntarily , or not, by putting it under our conscious control. This is something that matters little, but the foundation involved here is interesting, that the conscious will of the person imposes a function of movement to the body that normally does not because of the injuries suffered, and who knows if this will lead to long-term to the repair of the damaged structure? for me it is probable, the opposite has never been seen.
The only tweak I would recommend is that when I sense that my left (weak) fingers are easing back towards the tremor state, I resume a nightly practice while watching TV of simultaneously flexing both hands with stout hand springs. Usually sets of 50 flexes per set. After two or three evenings of this my left hand usually calms down.
I have also noticed occasional left hand movement when I begin my fast walks, but which calm down after the first eighth of a mile or so.
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PD + EXERCISE = MOBILITY
exercise, 10% not 100% improvement / symptoms
