Parkinson Voice Project to Host Lecture on Making the Most of Exercise Routines

The Parkinson Voice Project (PVP) is hosting a complimentary educational lecture that will focus on optimizing exercise strategies for Parkinson’s disease patients and caregivers.

The presentation “Packing Some ‘Punch’ Into Your Parkinson’s Exercise Routine” will take place at 10:30 a.m. CST Feb. 9 at PVP, in Richardson, Texas. It will be live-streamed on the PVP website and on Facebook. A video of the lecture will be posted online by Feb. 15. (Those who wish to attend in-person may register here, or call (469) 375-6500 for more information.)

The session will address the importance of exercise for those with Parkinson’s in managing symptoms and maximizing function, as well as cutting-edge concepts in exercise strategies. The hope is that participants will better understand how to apply specific training to address specific impairments. The lecture also will explore why boxing training has become a popular way for patients to fight symptom progression.

By lecture’s end, it is hoped participants will be able to describe physical motor challenges associated with Parkinson’s disease, list three physical therapy exercises specifically developed to treat Parkinson’s, and describe three benefits of non-contact boxing for those diagnosed with the disease.

The lecture will be presented by Michael Braitsch — also known as “Dr. Mike”  — a board-licensed doctor of physical therapy, a former amateur boxer, a kinesiology professor, and an internationally certified fight referee. In addition to treating individual patients, Braitsch leads group exercise programs to help people with chronic conditions move and feel better. 

A board member of the Adaptive Martial Arts Association and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Adaptive Sports Expo, he’s also actively researching the effects of non-contact boxing training on Parkinson’s-associated impairments. In addition, Braitsch offers Tai chi and South Paws boxing classes for Parkinson’s patients.

According to PVP’s website, Braitsch hopes to foster community wellness by changing the way physical therapy is structured for people with chronic and progressive conditions.

Held at PVP’s Clark and Brigid Lund Parkinson’s Education Center, the presentation is part of the Parkinson’s Lecture Series featuring disease experts. On Jan. 12, PVP hosted a lecture that emphasized nutritional health and disease management. More lectures this year will include “New and Emerging Therapies in Parkinson’s,” “Dance for Parkinson’s,” and “The Power of Perseverance for Living with Parkinson’s.” Visit this site for a complete listing.

The non-profit PVP aims to preserve the voices of those with Parkinson’s and other neurological diseases through intensive speech therapy, continued support, research, education and community awareness. It hopes to team up with other speech language pathologists to reproduce its SPEAK OUT! and LOUD Crowd therapy programs globally. By marrying speech, voice and cognitive exercises, the programs seek to lessen speech problems related to Parkinson’s.

In a related Parkinson’s News Today story, experts contend that exercise that motivates Parkinson’s patients to push limits can offer a range of benefits.