Has any heard of using a stationary bike to help in slowing down PD ?

A young medical student indicated that this was talked about in a simposium she attended at the Cleveland Clinic!!! Or is this old knowledge?

[Jerebet]

see my blog parkinsonsmovement.healthun...

[compucure]

Yes I find this helps a great deal. I try to go to the gym three times per week for an hour. I have had PD for 18 years now. Out of the mist. Tony

[NanCyclist]

My longer answer is on Jerebet's blog. Quickly though, check out pedalingforparkinsons.org. Dr. Alberts has published two papers on his research, both confirming that pedaling according to his protocols, 3/week, 1 hour each time, 80-90rpm, reduces PD symptoms an average of 35%. I ride nearly every day for an hour or more and my symptoms have nearly disappeared.

[Hidden in reply to NanCyclist]

Hi Nan. I remember you on RAGBRAI two years ago. I want to thank you again for spending time with me. It helped me get on the right track while dealing with all this. Hope to see you this year on RAGBRAI. Rumor is that it's going thru my hometown in Winterset. If it does, count on me to find your group a great place to overnight. Maybe I will get a chance to introduce you to Mary Ann Fons. (Quilting gal for those who wonder)

[ram927]

i bike every day it is one of the better forms of eercise and is suggested to all PD patients

[FrankBerson]

I use a recumbant stationary bike 1/2 hour aday and find my symptoms are not advancing.

Frank

[Hidden]

I am a 58 year old avid cyclist. I was diagnosed with PD 2 years ago. I have taken a couple of 1300 mile trips on a bicycle since then and credit riding a bike to how well I've held up.

I am from Iowa and road With Jay Alberts' group a bit 2 years ago on RAGBAI. I was a new bee to PD at the time. It was great talking to people that have been down that road (excuse the pun) and are bike nuts to boot.

Now I have a burning desire to travel across the US next spring on a solo, self supported bicycle trip from CA to Washington DC and dedicate my effort to PD awareness and fundraising.

Winter is coming so I have set up my trainer up and ride 2-3 hours a day. It sure makes me feel better and meeting some great people is a plus.

[Therese]

Yes. I have a physical therapist who specializes in PD patients and that's the first thing he has me do before the gait and balancing exercises. I wish I could get one at my home but can't afford one. Therese

[Hidden in reply to Therese]

Therese would you be so kind to explain these exercises if it is not to much bother - gait and balancing exercises - My special person is having this issue - with the balancing

[Therese]

No problem. Do you mind if I explain them tommorrow? I just took some pain med and feel very sleepy.

[Therese]

I am so sorry......I didn't get back to this until now. For balancing they had me stand on a balance board and hold onto railing. The balance board is a board that has a plastic ball looking thingy. I would stand on it hold onto the railing and rock it side to side and back to front and gradually loosen my hold on the railing. They had a belt around my waist incase I would start to fall. Then they had me hold the railing and raise up on my tiptoes, hold it for 5 sec. and go back to flat feet on the floor. I did these balancing exercises 10 reps. each. Also if you have a Wii Fit, there are alot of good balancing exercises you can choose from that you can do but if your special person is having balancing problems, they shouldn't do it unless someone is with them. The gait exercises were just walking around the room with my walker and the physical therapist. He would have me make sharp turns to help with my freezing. That's about it. Now it seems I'm having other symptoms and I have back and hip issues so now I have a power chair but I still try to do whatever exercises I can.