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Physical Therapy Helps Parkinson’s Patients Stay Healthy (VIDEO)
October 14, 2014Jim and Roberta Rush have been married for 55 years.
They’ve worked through a lot – including Jim’s diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease in 2002.
About 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s every year. It can cause tremors and muscle rigidity and tightness. Complications, which include falling, make it the 14th leading cause of death in the U.S.
Jim says he was falling about four times a day until he started physical therapy with Cindy Mather.
They focus on exercises that increase the speed of his movements, correct postural imbalances, extend his reach, and improve his balance and reciprocal movements. “Exercise is absolutely important throughout the course of the disease,” Mather explains, “the earlier we can start exercise the better chance we have it slowing down the progression of the disease.”
Roberta says she sees a difference in how Jim moves. “He stays more active. He gets around better. He still takes his falls now and again, but say a prayer everyday he gets up and bounces and doesn’t break.”
(Source: whotv.com)