CHRONIC
DISEASE AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
PHYSIOTHERAPY
AND PARKINSON Chalkia Anna,
Stratoglou Stelios, Theodoridis Kiriakos, Georgiadou Evdokia
Alexander Technological
Education Institute Thessaloniki, Greece
The Parkinson disease is most
common on elderly people but lately has been also diagnosed in younger
people. It is very important the family of the patient to
have a complete update of the disease in order to provide the best
possible leaving for the suffering person. Firstly, a quick diagnose of
the symptoms and the way to solve them is critical. The
physiotherapy plays a crucial role here in order the patient to feel
more confident for himself. The motives, the
personality, the attitude of the patient
and the therapist
have a great perspective on the treatment. The quicker the
response and earlier the treatment the better and more effective the
treatment will be. If the treatment starts on a later stage,
the memory of the patient, the cooperation with the therapist and the
motives will be insufficient.
Workouts. The workouts and
movements are very important on people with Parkinson
disease. By working out the muscles and the joints correctly,
we prevent the wrong position of the body and the
inflexibility. In general, exercises aim to: improve walking,
correct improper body position, prevention or reduction of the
inflexibility and the muscle-joint contraction, better and more
comfortable use of the involved parts.
Exercise program can
be used by the patient in his house. Exercises vary according to the
level of disability. One of the most valuable
exercises is walking. By keeping the muscle tissue the
patient puts less strain on his bone structure and also reduces
inflexibility and contractions.
Most people with Parkinson
disease are capable to walk around 1.5Km-3Km daily and sometimes even
more. It is important to keep the body on an upright
position, the shoulders and head straight and walk slowly with long
steps. People with less flexibility are advised to walk
around 270-360 meters once or twice a week. Slippery surfaces such as
snow, ice, wet leaves are not recommended.
The physiotherapist
will assist and teach the patient to sit properly on an upright
position usually on a chair with long back and with the use of a
pillow. The physiotherapist will show how to walk on the
heels, how to move correctly from sitting to standing position using
your heels and body. The use of a long mirror will help to
practice the correct movements and positions of the body and neck.
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