Let's get moving – new resource supports staying active with Parkinson's

A brand new set of resources has been developed by Moving Medicine to encourage more people to move more of their bodies, more of the time.

Alongside a mission to change society's culture - and that of the NHS - to prioritise physical activity in as many ways as possible, Moving Medicine has also produced a range of resources for clinicians.

One of their key resources are consultation guidelines to help healthcare practitioners have confident, meaningful conversations with their patients about how to move more, and the benefits it can bring them.

Each set of consultation guidelines is tailored to specific conditions and their own unique challenges, including ones for Parkinson's, dementia, falls and frailty, and depression.

We know that physical activity is so important for people's physical and mental wellbeing and overall health, with increasing evidence supporting movement as not only a form of treatment, but also management of a number of neurological symptoms, including fatigue, mood, and pain.

Infographic from UK Chief Medical Officers’ recommendations (2019) for physical activity in adults and older adults

Exercise in Parkinson's

As Prof Bas Bloem stated in a webinar on exercise in Parkinson's held last year:

• Anyone who exercises has better bone and mental health and lower risk of cognitive decline

• Specific benefits for those with Parkinson’s are that exercise suppresses motor symptoms much as a drug does, as well as helping address some non-motor symptoms like sleep, depression, cognitive difficulties and constipation (Speelman, 2011.)

The dosing effects of exercise in Parkinson's (Moore, 2013) have found that high intensity exercise can stabilise both motor and non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's, whilst moderate intensity exercise helped to stabilise motor function.

Additionally, studies like V-TIME have found significant benefits in cardiovascular exercise such as cycling, which can also be a beneficial form of exercise in those who experience freezing whilst walking.

For more information:

• Find the Moving Medicine resources via Homepage - Moving Medicine

• listen to our recent webinar on how to prevent physical deconditioning in people with Parkinson's,

• listen to last year's webinar where specialist physiotherapist Fiona Lindop and Prof Bas Bloem discussed exercise for people with Parkinson's during the pandemic

• Read more on health, wellness and lifestyle Health and wellness could revolutionise… | Neurology Academy