Hi everyone, I have got my husband enrolled on a stength and balance class. Just wondered if anyone on the forum had attended one of these and did they find it useful? It’s for a 25week period.
It sounds as if it might be beneficial. I’d be interested to know how your husband gets on. Perhaps you could let us know.
Will do. He has no problems walking and had a successful total knee replacement in November. His main difficulty is getting up from chairs, out of the car and in and out of bed etc, so I thought it could do no harm to see what the classes entail and also thinking anything to do with improving his balance must surely be beneficial. Diagnosed 6 years ago. Fingers crossed!
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Dear Alfsnan and Jean1. I am a retired IT PE and Science teacher diagnosed in 2014. I take Azilect and Madopar. Exercise is crucial to well being and helps with symptoms. A little is better than none at all, start slow and easy and build up slowly to what you enjoy and find challenging but not dangerous!
I have built up to:- ride my bike (on a treadmill) watching TV for 40 minutes a day. I do this to help keep my heart healthy. In the mornings I do a 30 minute exercise regime that mainly deals with balance and flexibility. This sounds a lot but discipline is important even though with the symptoms of apathy and fatigue (tiredness) mean it’s a challenge. Therefore on Sundays I treat myself to a rest day. The morning regime I concocted from YouTube videos, taking only the parts I thought useful;
heel toe walking forwards and backwards
side stepping left right
figure of 8 walking (I keep my eyes closed on turning)
Practice falling and recover steps, hands of the clock, helps prevent falls)
standing balance eyes closed feet together,
same feet north south
one leg eyes closed 30 secs each leg
alternate foot balance 3 sec intervals eyes closed
double arm rotation x20 forwards followed by hip circling x20 clockwise
double arm backwards + hips anti c
head full extended left right x 3 up down x3
a series of hand exercises (see youtube for e.eg.) helps my handwriting
yoga for back x 5 minutes
30 gentle sit ups
25 press ups
Use it or lose it, good luck.
One last ting I live in rural Asia so don’t have access to PD Club activities if I did I’d go to every one, a problem shared and all that. Plus don’t do anything that’s unsafe.
Last edit - also use TheraBand for arm /leg strength work, when I feel the need or feel up to it. Again YouTube vids are available for this. For TheraBand free leg strength (for variety) I do 20x seated rise from chair (arms across chest) and 20x single leg squats, height depends on leg strength initially and or previous injury worries.
Hello Gary, thanks for the detailed info! My husband was diagnosed 6 years ago and until two years ago was still walking miles, cycling and going to the gym etc. He’s 71. But he’d developed osteoarthritis in his knee about 2 years before the pandemic which got worse very quickly. He has been in a great deal of pain for the past two years so that impacted on his exercise regime. Thankfully he had his knee replaced in November last year and is now free of the dreadful pain at least. He is back at the gym and we’re trying to get back into more lengthy walks, so this, combined with the strength and balance classes, will hopefully help him regain some fitness. Fingers crossed!