Movements Afoot’s Blog

by Lesley Powell

I had worked with Physical therapists Ruth Teitel and Nicola Weiner with their experience with clients who had Parkinsons. The workout should include mobility, stretching, strengthening the extensors, and improving one’s gait. With some clients with Parkinson, there is a bent spine.

From the website; www. Parkinson.org, the reasons for a stooped posture is unknown. Some think the rigidity of the muscles are the cause. This posture affects the movements of the hip, thigh and back muscles.

Try it: Stand up and bent at your waist with your spine in a “c” curve.

Now walk and see how it affects your walk.

Suggestions for Parkinson included the following;

• Work in seated and prone positions as supine often increases rigidity and flexed posturing
• Emphaze trunk, lower and upper extremity extension as well as rotation
• Encourage slow and rhythmic movement once moving has been initiated for a specific sequence.
• Use rhythmic and auditory cuing to help establish movement
• Avoid fatigue.

Especially with kyphotic postures work on mobilizing the spine, with emphasis on extension, rotation, and side bending. Also include exercises that include back and hip extension, improving hand-scapula relationship and hip mobility.