As you grow older, you become more fragile and often, the elderly will stick away from excessive exercise due to fear of heart complications. But now research suggests individuals experiencing early-stage Parkinson’s disease could benefit from high-intensity training.
According to a new study led by Northwestern Medicine and the University of Denver, high-intensity exercise three times a week is safe for early-stage Parkinson’s sufferers.
Common symptoms of Parkinson’s disease include trembling, stiffness, impaired balance and progressive loss of muscle control. Many basic motor skills become more difficult. One in every 340 people in Australia lives with Parkinson’s according to Parkinsons.org.au
The results so far have been promising, findings suggest it could delay the progression of the disease.
“If you have Parkinson’s disease and you want to delay the progression of your symptoms, you should exercise three times a week with your heart rate between 80 to 85 per cent maximum. It is that simple,” says co-lead author and professor Daniel Corcus from the Northwestern University of Feinberg School of Medicine.
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The clinical trial rallied 128 participants between the ages of 40 and 80 years who experience early-stage Parkinson’s. Individuals were taken off their medication.
“The earlier in the disease you intervene, the more likely it is you can prevent the progression of the disease,” says Corcos. ” We delayed worsening symptoms for six months; whether we can prevent progression any longer than six months will require further study.”
“We gave them a proper workout. This is not a mild stretching. This is high intensity. It’s part of the idea that exercise is medicine.”
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