This is from the article. It looked at high, medium and low-intensity exercise's effect on PD. I copied this: "High-intensity treadmill exercise (4 days per week, 80%-85% maximum heart rate". But how long??? All I could find was the abstract. Should it be done for 10 minutes, half hour, hour or longer? SPARX was in the article title.
Anyone know?
TIA,
kevin
Treadmill exercise was prescribed for 4 days per week for 26 weeks with an a priori hypothesized adherence of 3 days per week. Included were 5 to 10 minutes of warm-up, 30 minutes of treadmill exercise at the target heart rate, and 5 to 10 minutes of cool down. Exercise frequency and intensity were in- creased during weeks 1 to 8 to reach target levels. Thereafter, target heart rate was maintained by adjusting treadmill speed and/or incline. Rating of perceived exertion was used to monitor exercise intensity for participants who initiated use of chronotropic medications during the intervention.
Yes, time details seem to be lacking in articles. My neurologist worries about the safety of PD patients using treadmills. Here is an article on stationary bicycles from 2012. It doesn't give times, but does give details of brain changes, saying they are equivalent to DBS.
Quote: Research from the Parkinson's Outcomes Project, the largest-ever clinical study of Parkinson’s, found that people with PD who engaged in at least 2.5 hours of exercise a week had a better quality of life than those who didn't exercise at all or started exercising later. Establishing early exercise habits is an essential part of overall disease management, which is why neurologists now recommend exercise as part of most PD treatment plans.
I fast walk 30 minutes 5 or 6 times a week. I'm not sure if this is exactly the best, but it works for me and also fits with what's been recommended by my friend who's a trainer. I do have to break it into shorter sessions (like 10 min 3 times a day). My dx was nearly 12 years ago and I've been doing this (or more) for the last 4 years. Before that, I did a lot of bicycle riding, but I can't safely do that anymore and I find outside fast walks and treadmill workouts to be better these days.
I also incorporate the treadmill into my exercise routine. On a good week, 3-4 times per week, about 32 minutes, which is 2 miles for me. Diagnosed 8 years ago and have been following this routine pretty much the whole 8 years. I also walk outside in nice weather, but what I like about the treadmill is it forces your body to be balanced in its movements on each side. My treadmill has a 'kill' switch, for lack of a better term. I clip one end to the top of my yoga pants and the other to the treadmill. If I don't keep up, it disconnects and turns the treadmill off, rather abruptly but better than falling off the back. Like JerMan22 I've also had to give up biking outside because of balance issues; same with running. On an excellent day, when all the physical stars align and I'm feeling great, I carefully run about 1/4-1/2 mile outside, but those days are rare.
I love days like the one you describe. That happens for me about once a week. I am constantly doing a "gut check" to be sure I'm not overdoing it, but the feeling can't be beat. Fast-walking outside in nature improves my mood so much! I've put my wife's old iPad on the treadmill's book reader and I watch virtual treadmill videos on Youtube while I walk. It's good but not quite the same. 
Parkinson's disease progression can be slowed with vigorous exercise
The trials of Winnie the poo
Heart rate monitors or app
Report on a Cleveland Clinic study involving the Pedaling for Parkinson's program (Jay Alberts et al.)Report on another Cleveland Clinic study involving the Pedaling for Parkinsons program (Jay Alberts et al.)
