Freezing of gait: exercises to imrove

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi...

"resistance training with instability modified brain regions associated with the physiological alterations typical of gait freezing, boosted neuron activation, and enhanced brain plasticity in the affected regions.

“In addition to positive reports from the patients who took the training, clinical trials also evidenced significant improvements, especially a 60% reduction in gait freezing and a 70% reduction in motor symptoms of the disease. Another important outcome concerned the restoration of brain regions directly linked to the problem. "

The exercises (including pictures) are available in the word doc attached on the Wiley site (click on 'Supporting Information'). You'll want someone there to prevent you from falling.

[JohnPepper]

I have been teaching patients how to take CONSCIOUS CONTROL of their movements for over 18 years. Everybody has been able to do it within minutes of being shown how,

The sad part of it is that not everybody carries on doing it but those that do are able, like me , to live a normal life again.

[Godiv in reply to JohnPepper]

John, I appreciate all your posts on the forum and your work with walking. I’m trying to figure out a place to start the walking program since I’m surrounded by fields full of ticks where we live and I’m having trouble driving at the moment to get somewhere else. But it sounds so intriguing and also I keep meaning to thank you for the information you always provide on here.

[JohnPepper in reply to Godiv]

Hi Godiv. THe best place, for us to get the most out of fast walking, is on uneven grass surfaces. If we fall, we don'thurt ourselves too much. Is there nothing you can do to protect yourself against ticks? Where do you live?

[Godiv in reply to JohnPepper]

That’s a good point John about uneven grass. I think I’m just probably going to go Around my yard. Who cares what the neighbors think. I think that would be more safe in terms of ticks because it’s mowed . The other areas are fields with super high grass. There are a lot of deer out there and I just had a thought “gosh getting Lyme disease would just be the icing on the cake.” Plus I hate to use chemicals, so yard walking it is! Thank you so much!

[JohnPepper in reply to Godiv]

I walk on the pavement, all around where I live. I have had a couple of falls, which did not cause me any problems because I had learned how to twist mt body around, as I was falling and I rolled over, uninjured. WE normally injure our arms, hands and/or shoulders when we fall if we don't learn to roll over.

[Godiv in reply to JohnPepper]

That’s wonderful. I think a lot of us need to learn how to fall. Is it difficult to do? It seems like when I fall it happens so fast it’s hard to imagine being able to do much about it, but I’m sure your falls are just as fast as mine LOL. I am afraid of falling of course and also of stepping wrong; I stepped in a hole a couple of years ago and really messed things up. Once something like that happens you begin to be afraid.

[JohnPepper in reply to Godiv]

When you fall, it is invariably caused by not concentrating on what we are doing. Having said that, nobody concentrates on what they are doing, ALL THE TIME!

If you have access to a grassy field that is spongy t the touch then be brave and practice falling and curling up at the same time.

You always have the time to put your hands out in front of you when you fall. So why not develop the habit, the moment you start to fall, to bring your arms into your body and bend your neck and turn sideways. You will not break anything and you will stop walking scared.

[Godiv in reply to JohnPepper]

Thank you so much. I think I can do that; goodness knows my pets have knocked me down enough times that I shouldn't be so scared :).

[Redginger in reply to Godiv]

Essential Oil of Rose geranium is used for repelling ticks.

[Godiv in reply to Redginger]

Okay, thank you! I'll try it.

[19SugarBear46 in reply to JohnPepper]

John, Is their some way you could share the exercises with me? I have a terrible problem with freezing and would do almost anything to improve it.

Do you have some videos that you could share with med? I have a personal trainer and she will help me with exercises, I just need to know what to do. Thanks.

[JohnPepper in reply to 19SugarBear46]

Hi SugarBear. I am unable to give you my email address on this site but Google my name and go to my website and I will help you.

[Hidden in reply to 19SugarBear46]

Did you try the exercises they outlined in the trial?

[19SugarBear46 in reply to Hidden]

I printed them but the photos are very small and I can't tell what I'm supposed to o.

[Godiv]

That sounds really interesting. Thank you! I’m always encouraged by methods that rewire the brain. If we can’t fix certain areas maybe we can work around them and get other areas to pick up the slack so to speak. Very simplified way of looking at it I know.

[kaypeeoh]

The abstract was interesting enough that I paid for the full article. Some of it was over my head but still intriguing. I saw there was supposed to be photos of exercises used but my computer couldn't find or download the pdf. Anyone out there perhaps able to send it to me?

TIA

[e-mail]

[Hidden in reply to kaypeeoh]

filebin.net/zyul8dyjt13quud2

[kaypeeoh]

Thanks, hard to believe 7 exercises will help but I'm giving them a try.

[Hidden in reply to kaypeeoh]

I actually think some of them will be quite challenging and consequently might do some good.

[19SugarBear46 in reply to Hidden]

I was not able yo view them. Can someone help me, please. Thanks

[Hidden in reply to 19SugarBear46]

Click on the filebin link (blue text, scroll up a bit) and download the MS word document.