Bob and Brad’s Most Famous Parkinson’s Exercises on the Internet

When it comes to exercise and Parkinson’s disease, a plethora of programs are available to help us move better and live more fully.

Everyone is different, and there isn’t a single exercise or program that meets everyone’s needs. Some people love to swim, while others don’t. Some like to walk, while others like to run. Just doing something is the most important part.

For those of us who need an activity that is a little less jarring than boxing, and a little more accessible and affordable, I found “the most famous physical therapists on the internet.”

Bob Schrupp and Brad Heineck offer humor, therapy experience (over 40 years combined), expertise, and more at their YouTube channel appropriately titled “Bob & Brad.” I found them one day while searching for exercises to help lessen my sciatic nerve pain.

One exercise they recommend for this type of pain, an exercise Bob and Brad humorously call “roadkill,” worked wonders for me. As I perused their YouTube channel for additional exercises, I discovered that they had made a few videos specifically for people with Parkinson’s.

Their “LARGE 10 Parkinson’s program” consists of 10 exercises that mimic some of those found in “LSVT BIG,” a movement training program that is popular among some Parkinson’s patients. 

Other videos address freezing episodes and how we can work our way out of them, as well as improving balance and regaining fluidity of movement.

What are some things that might inhibit our balance and send us off guard and tumbling to the ground? One of the most common things is aging. The older we get, the more we risk falling at some point. What causes it, whether we have Parkinson’s or not, is muscle degeneration, a deterioration of vision, or the loss of proper posture, which can creep up on us as well.

We’ve all most likely seen people, especially seniors, hunched over in such a way that if you gave them a tiny push on their back, it would send them falling to the floor. Proper posture is extremely important in Parkinson’s. Bob and Brad can help you work on that, too.

Preventing a fall is more desirable than having to recover from one. The American Academy of Family Physicians offers a nice checklist of things you can do to make your surroundings safer. 

As you can see, there are many online resources to help those of us with Parkinson’s disease address the multiple challenges we face. What are some of the resources you’ve found helpful? Please share in the comments below.

***

Note: Parkinson’s News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Parkinson’s News Today or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to Parkinson’s disease.