Understanding Parkinson’s Disease and Empowering Movement

May 8, 2024
parkinson explanation
Treatment for PD empowers individuals with Parkinson’s Disease through intensive exercises built on seven core principles, improving movement and quality of life.

Clinical Explanation

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by a Dopamine deficiency. Symptoms include limb rigidity, gait and balance problems, tremors, dyskinesia, and bradykinesia. Non-motor symptoms like apathy and depression can also impact quality of life. Although progression varies, there’s no known cure. Treatment includes medication, deep brain stimulation, and physical therapy.

Have you been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease?

If you have recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s, you are not alone – thirty-two people are diagnosed with Parkinson’s every day in Australia and the number is rising by about four per cent each year.

Parkinson’s diagnosis relies on symptoms, medication response, and exclusion of other conditions. It’s characterized by stiffness, resting tremors, and slow movements. Bradykinesia, stiffness, and dexterity issues stem from Dopamine deficiency. Emotional symptoms like apathy and anxiety are common.

Treatment Frameworks

Recent evidence highlights exercise’s role in protecting the brain and stimulating efficient movement pathways. Effective treatment combines intensive physical and mental exercises, leveraging neuroplasticity to improve movement. It’s structured around seven core principles: specificity, high effort, frequency, power, complexity, saliency, and fun.

Treatment is structured around a framework of seven core principles:

Specificity

Specific exercises to target your needs and goals.

High Effort

Your exercises need to be effortful, strenuous and should challenge you – 80% effort.

Frequency

Essential to drive the neuroplastic changes in your brain.

Power

To emphasise strength and amplitude in your movements and to teach you how to recruit and contract your muscles as efficiently as you can.

Complexity

Challenging your brain to problem solve which helps to improve your every day tasks.

Saliency

Movements that are meaningful to your goals and your life.

Fun

To keep you engaged and interested in your progress.

How can we help patients who have Parkinson's disease?

At The Physiology Collective, we understand the challenges individuals with Parkinson’s disease face and are dedicated to providing tailored support to manage symptoms and improve quality of life. Our experienced team has extensive expertise in working with individuals living with Parkinson’s disease, allowing us to design personalized programs to address specific needs and goals. 

We recognize that Parkinson’s disease symptoms vary from person to person, and our approach is focused on developing customized exercise and rehabilitation programs to manage these symptoms effectively. Through evidence-based interventions and a comprehensive understanding of Parkinson’s disease pathology, we can structure programs aimed at improving mobility, balance, dexterity, and overall function.

We believe in the power of exercise as medicine for Parkinson’s management. Our programs are designed to incorporate the principles of neuroplasticity, leveraging the brain’s ability to adapt and reorganize in response to targeted physical and mental exercises. By focusing on specificity, high effort, frequency, power, complexity, saliency, and fun, our programs aim to optimize movement patterns and enhance overall well-being.

Moreover, our team provides ongoing support, guidance, and encouragement throughout the journey, ensuring that individuals with PD feel empowered and motivated to achieve their goals. Whether it’s managing motor symptoms, addressing non-motor symptoms, or improving overall quality of life, we are committed to helping individuals with Parkinson’s disease live their best lives.

If you or a loved one is living with Parkinson’s disease, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Together, we can create a tailored program to help manage symptoms, improve function, and enhance overall quality of life.

Contact us today at:

To learn more and start your journey towards improved movement and well-being.