Propel Physiotherapy offers weekly Parkinson’s exercise classes virtually. PWR!Moves® is a Parkinson’s Disease-specific skill training program aimed at slowing and stopping the progression of Parkinson’s. The PWR!Moves® program is one more important tool to help Propel Physiotherapy meet our goal of helping our clients maintain or restore skills that help them live life optimally.
The evidence-based program developed by Dr. Becky Farley, PhD, MS, PT, that focuses on functional skill training that is most affected by bradykinesia. The program also incorporates various exercises to target symptoms of rigidity, and incoordination to help improve postural stability and reduce the risk of falls.
Virtual Parkinson’s Exercise Classes
The hour-long Parkinson’s exercise class will be taught by PWR!Moves® Certified Therapist Shriya Maharaj (certified exercise physiologist) once a week on Thursdays at 4 p.m. online.
Related story: Movement-Based Therapies and Exercises for Parkinson’s Disease
Make Function Exercise
Studies show that exercise slows the progression of Parkinson’s Disease. The exercises in this program mimic every day movements such as dressing, walking, getting in and out of bed and sit-to-stand. PWR!Moves train function as “big” and “as fast as possible” to allow the recruitment of basal ganglia circuits in the brain.
Because the motor cortex is more affected in people with Parkinson’s, they rely more on their executive function to move and walk around. This leaves very little to spare in their cognitive reserve when it comes to multi-tasking, which can be exhausting for someone in a busy environment or performing simple tasks such as “walking and talking”.
This program allows us to reinforce the basal ganglia circuits to allow individuals to move more freely and to have more cognitive function left over when doing so, thereby improving overall quality of life.
This Parkinson’s exercise class is suitable for all individuals with PD and allows individuals to improve their overall function by incorporating dual-task and cognitive exercises to allow individuals to be more confident with multi-tasking in the real world.
Call or email the clinic to register or learn more about the PWR!Moves® Parkinson’s Exercise Class at Propel Physiotherapy Etobicoke.
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