Parkinson's Boot Camp highlights the benefits of exercise in managing the disease

Copied from The Northwest Parkinson’s Foundation Weekly News Update

Sandra Livingston

Cleveland.com - Al Valaitis and his wife Irena haven't torn up a dance floor with their tango moves in years.

But on Saturday Valaitis rose from a wheelchair and joined dozens of others with Parkinson's disease as they carefully tried to do tango steps during a program put on by University Hospitals Movement Disorders Center and two partners.

The nearly day-long "Parkinson's Boot Camp" focused on exercise techniques and wellness practices to manage the disease.

Out on the meeting-room floor, Valaitis found that his legs were too weak to recapture a glimpse of the decades when he and Irena danced the tango. Yet the 71-year-old Eastlake man felt inspired by the day -- not defeated by the moment.


"This makes me feel like I've got a chance yet,"

said Valaitis, who switches between the wheelchair and a walker to help him get around.

"I look around and see what people can do with a little bit of exercise."

And that was the point: to show Parkinson's patients and their caregivers the benefits of exercise. Sessions highlighted both research and hands-on activities ranging from dancing to Tai Chi.

"From what we've seen, our patients find it transformative," said Dr. Benjamin Walter, medical director of the deep brain stimulation program at the Movement Disorders Center and an event organizer.

In patients who exercise regularly, Walter has seen improvements in their symptoms and overall sense of well-being. And some have been able to reduce their medications. "But they have to maintain the exercise", he said.

The first boot camp was held in May. It was such a success -- with a capacity crowd of about 320 and a waiting list of 100 -- that organizers arranged for Saturday's session at the LaCentre Conference & Banquet Facility in Westlake. It drew about 400 people.

The other two partners in the program were the local non-profit Courageous Steps for Parkinson's and the Ohio Parkinson Foundation Northeast Region.

Parkinson's is a chronic and progressive disease without a cure that among other things can give people tremors, stiffen their limbs, slow their movement, impair their balance and soften their voices.

Research studies on exercise and the disease have involved only small samples of people but the results are encouraging, said Christina Whitney, a clinical nurse specialist at the Movement Disorders Center.

They indicate that exercise can restore some functions -- particularly in people forced to exercise beyond their preferred level. That can mean walking on a treadmill set at a speed that makes a person walk faster than he would on pavement.

Whitney also said tango dancing appears to help with balance and in restoring the movement of legs, while Tai Chi is believed to help improve posture, balance, flexibility and strength.


"Exercise should be started at the time of diagnosis," Whitney said, but noted "it's never too late to become active."

The key is to do it regularly or the benefits will wane.

During one session, attendees learned a series of exercise that can be done anywhere -- such as making large circular motions with their arms outstretched, pumping their knees or blowing up and tying a balloon.


"If you don't feel like you're in control, start exercising every day and you will,"

said David Zid, who ran the session and is president of a Columbus-based company called Delay the Disease, which is focused on Parkinson's and exercise.

Zid also explained a method to get out of a chair more easily (slide to the edge, place your feet wide but still underneath you, and put your nose over your toes, then stand.)

That strategy helped Dianne Menefee of Macedonia, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's about 19 years ago.

"It was real easy to get up that way," she said. "Losing my independence is a big fear of mine, so those things are very helpful."