April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month

From the Team here at Lifepro, we want to spread a little awareness your way! Many of our members and friends are dealing with or know someone who has Parkinson’s Disease (PD), so here is some information and health tips in honor of Parkinson’s Awareness Month and maybe some solutions for you or someone you may be caring for.

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative condition that develops through the loss of dopamine-producing neurons in the brain, which can develop into various neurological and mobility-related issues.

Some statistical highlights from The Parkinson’s Foundation

- 1 million people living with Parkinson’s in the United States

- Estimated 60,000 new diagnosis every year

- There are over 10 million cases worldwide

- Men are 1.5 times more likely to have Parkinson's disease than women

A 2019 collaborative study of Parkinson’s organizations including the Michael J. Fox Foundation and other industry partners revealed that the financial burden of Parkinson’s disease (PD) in the U.S. is $51.9 billion – nearly double previous estimates.

Parkinson’s Disease often requires medications, physical therapy or other medical interventions to manage symptoms but there is a lot that can be attributed to keeping yourself healthy and active. In fact, for people living with Parkinson’s disease, exercise is a critical factor to maintaining balance, mobility, and day to day living. Exercise and physical activity have been shown to improve many symptoms and can even help slow progression.

Your exercise program should include a few key elements. Lifepro has a few innovative tools that will help compliment these critical components: 

Aerobic activity – Lifepro members of all ages are loving our new VeloCycle Folding Exercise Bike. No power required for this unique stationary bike offering a full-body workout that feels like riding a galloping horse. Start out set on a traditional ride, then build up to more challenge and progress to both lower and upper body at the same time!

Strength training – Cleverly engineered to save space without loosing variety with our PowerUp Adjustable Dumbbells make it simple and straightforward to add or remove weight. 4 weight sizes to choose from.

Balance, Flexibility & Agility – If you have never used a vibration plate you are missing out of one of the most well rounded tools for almost any user. The use of the oscillating platforms is very inexpensive and positive clinical findings have been noticed with the use of whole body vibration in patients with Parkinson’s Disease (1)

There is no cookie cutter “exercise prescription” ideally suited for every person with Parkinson’s Disease. The type of activities you should do will vary based on severity of symptoms and individual needs. Talk to your doctor about the best plan for your self care.