-
Were you an athlete before diagnosis?
I often wonder if the athletic life I led prior to diagnosis has impacted what symptoms I have now and/or helping me to progress slower. I used to weight train 2-3x/week, cardio (cycling, spinning, heavy bag classes,race walking) 3-5x/week plus, I used to dance and trained like a professional 15-20 hours per week for over 20 years.
Did you exercise/train a lot prior to PD? If so, do you think that was a factor in severity of your symptoms or disease progression?
-
35 Replies
-
I was extremely active pre-diagnosis and have tried to remain so after I was diagnosed in June 2014. I have found that muscle memory has been beneficial in continuing to exercise. For example, I found that it was easier to run/jog then to walk. Consequently I am running 3-4 days per week and on non running days I either walk or use an elliptical machine. This exercise routine has significantly slowed down the progression of the disease for me. In fact this year I have had an improvement in my symptoms such that I get comments all the time from friends and family that they notice an improvement.
The only activity that I no longer do is surfing and snowboarding. My hope is that someday I maybe able to do those activities again.
-
bob, i think muscle memory has helped me also. with PD’s lack of motivation symptom, i dont know how people who never exercised pre diagnosis can exercise to help their symptoms/slow progression. i find i need to go on autopilot to do my workouts, else they wont get done.
-
BOB YOU ARE AM INSPIRATION! I played tennis and went to the gym (worked out with weights and on various aerobic machines) most of my adult life. Since the advent of the “fit bit” , rarely have a day with less than 10K steps going back many years. Sometimes looking back I think I might have had this disease for years or even a decade or longer, based on various symptoms I had for years. If I am correct then exercise has really slowed it down. Now only time I actually feel close to completely normal is when I exercise while dopamine is kicking in on a day after I slept at least 5 hours the night before (unfortunately not a given). I probably average a solid 4 hours of varied exercise per day. Outwardly people do not know I have PD (balance actually has improved with my training, since started dopamine no gross outward tremor). My belief is exercise is medicine.
-
Andrew, Exercise is indeed medicine. One thing about being an athlete prior to pd diagnosis,I think it makes us more in tune with our bodies and we notice our symptoms more. My neuro says I was high level in the past and now I am closer to normal and I shouldn’t set the bar so high. LOL
-
I like that Jean. Normal is good. :)Plus we are getting older, so maybe it is not all Parkinson’s if we slow down a bit.
-
Good Morning Kids,
I began really training when I decided at 16 that rather than let the Army Draft me, I was going to follow my Cousin (who had taught me to rock climb and made me a better skier) into Special Forces, U.S. Army (Airborne). I joined a gym and began training to make and exceed the SF/PT test. A year later with the SF/PT requirements in my back pocket, I volunteered and passed that Pre-Induction test.
There is a saying that by the time they let you go, you were about “as lean and mean” as you were ever going to be.. I’ve since found out that most of us, decided to stay close to what I called “the line in the sand”. And, accordingly, I found myself back in that same gym and from then until now, I’ve maintained a MWF routine of basically the “Nose to Toes” routines that I began following in 1962 at 16.
Rather than the training, I believe what brought on my Parkinson’s were the many Concussions and Exposures to Hazardous Materials that I got during Active Duty, National Guard SF and the dangerous professions that I was involved in from age16 to 51 (when I retired (thank God for the GI Bill for College))and some of the same injuries that occurred after I retired. I am now 74 and was diagnosed at 70.
Something that the rest of you might want to know. I live in the West and I have moved all of my care to a local University Medical Program. I am there because I know that they are the “Tip of the Spear” when it comes to new medical advances and studies. Relative to their studies, I was recently asked to join a Federal Research Program because they have noticed that my Progression (despite my many more injuries than normal) is the slowest out of some roughly 2,000 patients that they see with Parkinson’s. Their observations are that those that are the most fit, have the slowest levels of progression. And they want to try to figure what it is that I am doing that is slowing down my progression…. Is it the Core Training, The Weight Training or the Cardiovascular Training, or is it ALL of those together?…
I’m beginning to believe that, because of these preliminary findings, more and more previously inactive Parkinson’s patients are going be begin doing some sort of PT that increases their fitness levels in an effort to slow the Parkinson’s progression.
Mike S
-
I was a two-letter athlete every year in school. Then was a full time army ROTC cadet in college academy (Va Tech), then nine years in the army including airborne school. I was always in good running shape. About age 35 I started having serious episodic progressive trouble with my back every couple years. I live on an old fashioned farm and did all that hands on, strenuous, he man work without benefit of much modern machinery, and loved the challenge, “I can do/lift it!” I thus let go of deliberate, non-chore type exercise for years until I had my corrective back surgery in Jan 2018, then during recovery in May I was dx with PD. I had planned to get in shape anyway after my back repair, but then PD dx really got me going, to survive at all! I’ve faithfully been doing my power walking for an hour three times per week since then. Retired early at 57 last month and am getting back into weight training too. I’m thankful I know how to train and learned the self discipline early in life though it was always a team thing back then. Now, out in rural America I’m on my own to exercise, but feel I have the background to make myself persevere and not quit. So far my physical symptoms are not bad but the ED and MCI and other subtle things are progressing that o can perceive inside. I hope to delay the wolf at the door. My kids are still in public school.
-
I’d like to think I’m still a bit of an athlete, or at least a committed exercise fiend, though I don’t quite have the ‘go for it’ attitude that I once did when younger. My primary care physician delights in reviewing the results of my annual physical exams as the numbers remain very good, so I’ve at least got that going for me.
Going on 8 years since tremor symptoms started I’m happy to report continued stabilization and little, if any, disease progression (my neurologist told me during September’s appointment that progression appears to be flat). My take on this is that it is at least partially due to my lifelong devotion to exercise as it appears to be a key factor for a favorable prognosis (I sure hope so!). I’m still getting several hours of cardio each week, which is even more important now, and overall feel much healthier than not despite living with PD and another chronic condition. I feel blessed that I can keep on keeping on with my favorite activity—mountain biking—and hope that I can continue riding with confidence for many years to come and avoid what I call ‘premature dismounts’ though I don’t bomb down the hills like I used to. I believe that my lifelong commitment to exercise may have actually delayed disease onset until my early 60s.
-
Andrew, yes, one of our challenges is trying to determine if a symptom is age related or if it is due to PD. Personally, I like to blame PD LOL
Mike, More and more I am beginning to think if we were athletes prior to diagnosis, our progression will be slower. A good friend of mine is an Airborne veteran; he started a triathlon team to help veterans dealing with PTSD and depression. http://www.airbornetriteam.org/. Thank you for your service.
Joe, thank you for your service. I too, feel like I have the background to make myself persevere and not quit. Like you, I hope to delay the wolf at the door by continuing to push myself to exercise.
Skip, your story is a testament to the importance of exercise. I hope you continue to see positive results.
-
Classification as an “athlete” might be too optimistic, but I was consistently active before Parkinson’s diagnosis and I believe that has really helped me continue to be able to do most of the things I used to do. I bowl, go to Jazzercise class 3 times a week, walk, and do a number of active things. Am able to physically do more than the typical woman my age(74) plus live in a two story home which requires multiple trips up and down stairs.
-
Yes, this forum is very helpful & inspiring. We all need motivation and reminders to keep going, and this says we’re not alone on this epic journey(marathon, not sprint).
Thank you Jean, and all others.
-
I was a reasonably committed athlete from high school through my 40’s (running, x-country skiing, weight training etc). Unfortunately I allowed work to become my priority in my later years, and slowly gained weight and lost my conditioning. My PD diagnosis shocked me into action. Work stress was completely incompatible with PD, and the literature on the “exercise as medicine” was intriguing. Something had to give, so I decided to retire at 60 and throw myself hard into exercise. I now work out 2 hours a day, 5 days a week. I tell my friends it’s like going back to school, where the only course is Phys-ed. I’m having a blast and feeling better.
-
What impresses me the most is the results from regular exercise of which you have all have experienced, the slowing down or even reversing the symptoms from PD. That’s incredible! Keep up the good work!
-
I think I might also fit the profile for this thread – ie had a pre-PD history of doing much strenuous excercise and am currently exercising to help slow the progression of symptoms. I was on the cross country team for 4 years in high school (1960 – 1964), plus a physical fitness team that competed in a state-wide Marine Corps contest for high schoolers. We had the same coach for both teams – he worked us really hard. (A bit late but … Thank you Coach Murray!). I didn’t do any athletics after HS until I started recreational running (5 and 10K races) in my fifties and sixties. I was diagnosed with PD in February 2019 at age 73. I have some of the usual symptoms (tremor in one hand, voice fade-out, distorted handwriting) but they are early stage, quite mild. So far PD doesn’t interfere with my life style. The only “medicine” I take is an excercise cocktail which I developed based on my physical therapist’s recommendations and reading about the benefits of exercise for “slowing down the progression”. It includes a mix of distance running, walking, stretching, weight machines and Tai Chi. My program is to do one or two elements for about 1-2 hours each day, 5 days a week. At the time of my diagnosis I had a lot of stiffness in my back and torso. This went away gradually. The only sign of disease “progression” I have noticed since February is a slight increase in the tremor in my hand. I just saw my neurologist for my semi-annual follow-up. He wants me to take medication but I feel like I don’t need to – at least for the time being…
In summary, based on the experience of the participants in this thread, it seems there might be a correlation between a person’s pre-PD exercise regimen and delayed onset and/or slower progression of PD. Thanks to everyone above for sharing and helping to shine a light on this important topic!
-
Thank you all for your feedback. I really do believe based on what I have seen in this post, that a consistent exercise lifestyle (pre-diagnosis) and a continued focus on exercise (after diagnosis) goes a long way in staving off or slowing down progression. My biggest challenges are fatigue, lack of motivation and apathy ( used to love working out; now it is a chore for me). Luckily, I still can go on ‘auto pilot’ to get to the gym but, the fatigue prevents me from exercising more intensely or for longer duration.
-
I was an athlete and continue to be..I play pick up basketball with other basketball enthusiasts. We literally stop the game for me to take my 9:30 AM Sinemet pill….and muscle memory in basketball appears to carry over into PD treatment. Plus it’s fun !
-
I was very active before diagnosis in 2012 and have remained so. I ride a road bike 80-100 miles per week. I also lift weights 2-3 times per week. Finally, I ski, kayak and hike regularly. I think all of the above, especially cycling, has helped me to stay static (of course I take L/C). I remain hopeful.
-
Richard, Alan
Thanks for your input. More and more, I am becoming convinced that a consistent exercise lifestyle prior to diagnosis is key to helping lessen symptoms and slow progression.
-
I have recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s and have been an athlete all my life. With my husband I have competed around the world in Ballroom Dancing and we have won many trophies. That has stopped now due to PD but we are continuing to dance and have taken up Argentine Tango. Dancing 3 or 4 nights a week, teaching Tai Chi and Qigong 5 days a week and walking my dog daily is helping me keep the symptoms down to a minimum. I have also found that knitting in the evenings while watching TV helps too.
-
Skip,
I just read our note about Mtn biking and wanted to share my experience with the group… I have several injuries to my hips and legs that probably goes back to my SF Airborne days, Ski Patrol, etc. That said, in the past I both backpacked and Mtn Biked about equal. But since my Parkinson’s diagnosis, I’ve found that hiking was getting more and more exhausting. That said, I’ve found that now I can Mtn Bike for much longer dustances than I can comfortably walk. So the Summer hikes and Backpacks have given way to Mtn biking as my main Summer Cardiovascular exercise…. If some of you other members are finding it harder to walk longer distances as I have, might I suggest you try getting on a Mtn Bike, aye?… 🙂
Mike Scott
-
My husband never participated in any formal sports or forms of exercising. He was a firefighter, then Captain, for 34 years and there is some controversy about why they have Parkinson’s at the rate of 10x the average. Since being diagnosed in May 2019, we discovered Rock Steady Boxing which was designed specifically for Parkinson’s patients. They have a website which great info. There are chapters all across N. America and we were lucky enough to find one about half an hour from us. He also had his knee replaced in June and we are discovering that this program is also helping this recovery and his flexibility. I would highly recommend anyone viewing this post to investigate this. There are about 30 members where he goes and some have had great responses. I think the major goal is to stop the progression and, in some case, actually reverse some of the symptoms.
-
Mary,
I am also a retired Captain Firefighter/Paramedic from a major city who retired after 29 years at age 51. I was diagnosed at 70 and now am 74. There are about 10 of us from our Fire Department that have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s and two things that we all have in common are Concussions and Hazmat Exposures. Because of our annual Combat Challenge Tests, most of us were in pretty good shape when we retired and most of us have stayed that way. There seems to be a component of physical fitness that seems to slow down the progression of Parkinson’s. Currently there are physical fitness studies being done around the country under Federal Grants to try to figure out what it is about physical fitness that is slowing the progression of Parkinson’s. Also, there a lot of physically fit people on this site who’s progression of Parkinson’s is also very slow.
Michael S
-
Wow Michael – thanks for sharing about your background etc. My husband is badge 62 on the Dept. which now has well in excess of 300 firefighters. He is therefore one of the most senior members and will be 73 next week. He retired at age 60 as it was mandatory at that time. So far, he is the only one diagnosed with Parkinson’s. He spent a number of years of the Rescue Truck attending to highway accidents etc. as well as a couple of very large fires that likely emitted toxic fumes and, even though they wore breathing gear, I think it is possibly for exposed skin to absorb chemicals. Also, we lived, for 29 years, between two golf courses where there was regular spraying of chemicals and now they are saying that they feel Parkinson’s can be cause by these toxins. Obviously, we are all more concerned as to how to slow the progression. You sound like you are right on top of it and we are glad to have discovered this forum. We look forward to further conversations in the future. BTW, John was physically assessed by the Fitness Trainer (who has specific training in Rock Steady Boxing) when he started a couple of months ago. He will be re-assessed in six months just prior to his follow-up appointment with his Neurologist. So far she has not recommended any medications and we are hoping to put this off for as long as possible. His tremor is sporadic and only affects his left hand at this point.
-
I was diagnosed with PD at the age of 57. I am a personal trainer and had been a runner for almost 20 years. Unfortunately, one of the 1st PD symptoms that I experienced was my left foot stiffening and then turning over on it’s side when I ran. I have had to give up my running however I still weight train 2x week, do a “HITT” workout 1x week, take yoga 1x week and walk when I can. I also downhill ski in the winter and waterski in the summer. I truly believe that my PD symptoms are under control due the regular exercise. My neurologist is very pleased with how slow my symptoms are progressing. One thing that I will comment on is the effects of stress on my PD. Stress definitely makes things worse. I have had to make some changes to my training business so I experience less stress in my life.
Log in to reply.