Society looks to stretch the smile muscles in the south

Copied from The Northwest Parkinson’s Foundation Weekly News Update

The Herald - The curriculum of Karen Gilmour’s exercise class seems a bit unusual at first glance.

Beyond the regular stretches you might find in an aerobics class,

Gilmour leads her students through exercises that practice voice projection, and even stretch the muscles needed to smile and yawn.

That’s because Gilmour’s course is specifically for people with Parkinson’s disease, and she says every muscle in the body needs to be stretched to prolong the ability to use it.

"I believe exercise can slow (the disease’s) progression," Gilmour said.

And she would know. The North Kildonan resident was diagnosed with Parkinson’s about eight years ago.

It was at that time she joined Parkinson Society Manitoba’s Movers and Shakers program, the official name for the exercise course.
A few years down the road, Gilmour took over as the instructor.

The society currently operates the program in North Kildonan and Transcona, and is hoping to expand it to St. Boniface .

This October, the society will host an open house for the community that will help them assess whether there’s a need for it in southeast Winnipeg.

Parkinson’s disease is a neurological disorder that can cause tremors or shaking, slowness in movement, muscle stiffness and problems with balance.

Symptoms appear when the brain stops producing dopamine, a chemical that helps control movement.

Gilmour says that for many Parkinson’s patients, the automatic nature of movements like picking up a pen or brushing one’s teeth is lost.

"We have to consciously think of things now, because that part of the brain that reminds us is not working," she said.

That’s where exercise can make a huge difference, she added.

It stretches muscles that may not be getting the daily workout they did before a person acquired Parkinson’s, she explained.

And while exercising may not stop the disease’s progress completely, there’s evidence it can slow it down, she said.

"It only makes sense to me. If I use a muscle that is not being automatically used — that used to be — I won’t lose it," she said. "Maybe down the road, but not next year."

Howard Koks, CEO of Parkinson Society Manitoba, said most Parkinson’s patients have some level of awareness that exercise can help them — but like everyone else in the world when it comes to working out, there’s sometimes a gap between theory and practice.

"Everyone knows you should do it, but you don’t," he chuckled.

Gilmour said some people living in the St. Boniface area have been in touch to request their own exercise program, and Koks said the open house will help evaluate just how popular it may be.

Joan Ranick, for one, would be delighted to see a Movers And Shakers program start closer to home.

The Island Lakes resident drives to North Kildonan each week to take part in their class.

And while the drive isn’t too long, she said the class is also a good way to meet other people going through the same challenges with Parkinson’s.

At this point, Ranick said she doesn’t know anyone else in her area with the disease, but having the exercise class could change that.

Ranick, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s five years ago, added that exercise has become a crucial part of her weekly routine.

"Like anything else, if you don’t use it, you lose it. But I think for Parkinson’s patients it’s especially important.

She said even with the exercise course, she struggles with things like projecting her voice.

"My husband is constantly reminding me to speak up," she said.

But Ranick added that with a disease like Parkinson’s that has no cure, knowing she is doing something to maintain her health is a good feeling.

"It’s kind of empowering to know you can still do some of these things," she said.

Gilmour said that’s the attitude she likes to see.

"We have a responsibility to do our best, no matter what life does to us," she said. "I’m not giving up."