Jedidiah Weires, SPT
The Mayo clinic describes Parkinson’s disease as a progressive disorder of the nervous system, with the nervous system playing many roles in the body including controlling movement. Symptoms of Parkinson’s disease can be different for everyone and will usually start off being mild, the most common symptoms are: tremor, slowed movement or bradykinesia, rigid muscles, poor posture and balance, speech changes and writing changes, and a variety of non-motor symptoms like depression, anxiety, constipation, anosmia or loss of smell, and thinking or memory problems.1
How Exercise Affects Parkinson’s Disease
In a clinical practice guideline or CPG Osborne et al2 goes over the various different kinds of exercise that patients with Parkinson’s disease should be doing. A CPG is a systematically developed statement that aims at promoting higher quality care that can be consistent across providers. The strongest evidence in the CPG are aerobic exercise, resistance training, balance training, external cueing, community based exercise, gait training and task specific training.
Aerobic exercise should be performed at modest to high levels of intensity being 70-85% or max HR and can improve functional activity and quality of life. External cueing includes rhythmic auditory cues, visual cues, verbal cues and attentional cues, these can improve gait speed, stride length, freezing of gait, decrease motor disease severity. These other modes of activity will improve quality of life, functional activities, strength, balance, decreasing odds of falls.
These recommendations can be completed by a physical therapist, or personal trainer, or in group classes offered to patients with Parkinson’s disease.
Physical Therapy for Parkinson’s Disease in Queensbury, Saratoga & Malta
With a customized exercise plan and proper guidance, people living with PD can move more confidently and maintain a higher level of independence and quality of life. If you are experiencing difficulties with Parkinson’s disease, Capital Area Physical Therapy can help. Our physical therapists provide targeted, individualized exercise plans designed to prevent stiffness and muscle atrophy, reduce the risk of falls, and help individuals maintain independence.
To schedule a consultation in Queensbury, Saratoga Springs, Malta or Delmar, call Capital Area Physical Therapy at 518-289-5242.
References
- Parkinson’s disease. Mayo Clinic. September 27, 2024. Accessed November 27, 2025. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/parkinsons-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20376055.
- Osborne JA, Botkin R, Colon-Semenza C, et al. Physical therapist management of Parkinson disease: a clinical practice guideline from the American Physical Therapy Association. Phys Ther. 2022;102(4):pzab302. doi:10.1093/ptj/pzab302
