Report on another Cleveland Clinic study involving the Pedaling for Parkinsons program (Jay Alberts et al.)

[jeffreyn]

"Consistent attendance and pedalling at a relatively high cadence may be key variables to PD symptom mitigation."

After all this time (approx. 15 years), it is still only a "maybe"!!!

Community-based high-intensity cycling improves disease symptoms in individuals with Parkinson's disease: A six-month pragmatic observational study (October 2022):

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi...

See also this thread about an earlier Cleveland Clinic study covering other aspects of the Pedalling for Parkinsons program:

healthunlocked.com/cure-par....

[Astra7]

150 mins a week sounds possible and worthwhile if it results in fewer symptoms. Do you cycle??

[jeffreyn in reply to Astra7]

Yes (as per my profile).

[Astra7 in reply to jeffreyn]

Seems like you cycle 150 minutes per week. How well are you doing? Have you been able to maintain or reduce meds?

[jeffreyn in reply to Astra7]

I've been on the same meds for about 6 or 7 years.

[jeffreyn in reply to jeffreyn]

Oops! I remembered wrongly. My diaries tell me that my meds have been stable for a little over 4 years.

[Astra7]

That’s pretty good. I’m in a similar situation but after 7 years on meds they are not as effective. I’ve started spin classes just to get some cardio excercise, but hopefully I will get even more out of them if these articles are correct.

Where in Australia are you?

[jeffreyn in reply to Astra7]

I'm in Melbourne.

[Hidden]

I peddle at least an hour a day, sometimes 2 and have been doing this for the past 12 years, ever since my dx, and I definitely believe that that along with the other exercises and things I have been doing proactively to fight the PD have made a huge difference in my symptoms and my need for much medication. I’ve had pd for a long time, close to 27 years and I’m just on 3-4 sinemet pills a day, nothing else and the tremor that once was so bad is almost nonexistent today. I feel that the exercises, but especially the peddling, which I do faithfully every day, even when I can’t do the other exercises, has been a valuable tool in my life. The PD isn’t gone, but my quality of life is good so I can’t emphasize enough how important exercise is with this disease. I know it can be hard and it does require a commitment with yourself but it’s worth it. You’ll feel better, trust me. I do understand that not everyone can do certain exercises because of one thing or another but there’s a lot online to help. YouTube has many different kinds of exercises that can be done in your own home, using a chair if you can’t stand and doing qigong and tai chi exercises can be very beneficial and healing to the body, using hand weights, using a WII game system, which I love, especially the WII fit where moving is fun and WII has bowling and walking in place games which are great too and there are many other ways to get your body moving. There’s even a class just for Parkinson’s . Just go to YouTube and search Parkinson’s exercises and go from there. If you have a dog and you can walk well, then walk your dog wherever you can. Walking is another great thing to do. I personally walk every day and on those days I can’t get outside to walk, I use a treadmill. Movement is key, if you don’t move it, you’ll lose it!

Blessings to you all

[jaybar]

This is great reading and motivating. I’ve been doing 30-40 minutes of high intensity indoor Peloton biking at 80% -85% of max heart rate. I was diagnosed in March. I have no way to test any improvement but I will continue to do this every other day for the foreseeable future.