Get on the Climbing Wall?: thestar.com.my... - Cure Parkinson's
Get on the Climbing Wall?
Yep and it does not have to be a climbing wall. Scrambling up a rocky hillside will do.
I suggest being very careful and not necessarily following all the advice on what to do if you fall since our daughter fell from a climbing wall (young and no Parkinson's) and it resulted in a seriously broken foot that required a pin. The monitor suggested rolling yourself into a ball if you thought you were about to fall which she did but not being far off the ground this did not go well.
I was diagnosed with young onset PD 2.5 years ago, and my wife got me into climbing around that time. My major symptom is “mild” cervical dystonia, which is ever-present and painful, but the dystonia stops as soon as I get on the climbing wall.
There is something about having to balance and hold myself on the wall that interrupts whatever neuro pathway malfunction is triggering my dystonia, so I spend as much time on the wall as I can.
Anecdotally, I can say that climbing and training for climbing have helped me maintain my balance and flexibility, so I highly recommend it. In the past two years, I have made as much progress as my wife, who does not have PD.
If you’re concerned about falling, you can “top rope,” which means climbing with a rope and harness. Falling while being secured to the equipment prevents you from ever hitting the ground, so injuries are much less common as compared with “bouldering,” which is climbing no rope or harness. I only boulder, and it has been a blast. People at the climbing gym are very supportive, and it is a wonderful community.
Feel free to message me if you have any questions!
Thanks for the excellent reply AnaBB ! I actually do a fair bit of hill walking and love a rocky scramble. Similar to your experience….when I’m doing this and immediately afterwards, my balance and walking are excellent. Almost like muscle memory kicks in and I’m 25 years old again, climbing the mountains. I love it, and know it does me good. Nice to see articles that back this up. Keep climbing 🙌
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