All MFN blog – Page 15 – MedFitNetwork

Simple Tips to Stave of Arthritis Symptoms

Christine Conti/8 May 2023/ All MFN blog/

Offer up these simple tips to aid arthritic clients reduce flare-ups, decrease symptoms, and experience more pain-free days!

There are many simple practices that may greatly decrease the risk and severity of flare-ups. To help reduce painful and swollen joints, improve mood, and increase quality of life, implementing a few of these simple techniques may make a world of difference.

1. Drink Water! The body is comprised of about 60% water. Dehydration causes a decrease in function of all major organs, muscles, and even bones.

2. Get to Sleep! Adults of all ages need 7-9 hours of sleep each night. Sleep is when your body repairs muscles, organs, and cells. In this resting state, chemicals will circulate in the blood that help to strengthen the immune system.

3. Set a Schedule! Plan your days! Get into a routine of good habits. Setting alarms to get up, make phone calls, exercise, cleaning, and meals will provide a daily purpose. Writing “to-do” lists on a paper calendar and crossing off items as they are accomplished provides a heightened sense of satisfaction and self-worth.

4. Eat Real Food! The fewer ingredients, the better. Read labels to avoid too much sugar, salt, and oil. I call these the “S.O.S.” These are foods that are known to cause inflammation and increase the risk for flare-ups. For example, if you have the choice between an apple or apple pie, choose the apple with less ingredients. It also most likely contains less sugar or processed ingredients.

5. Exercise Daily! Think of exercise as something you “work in” each day and not as a “work out.” Improving muscle strength, mobility, flexibility, and cardiovascular health reduces symptoms of autoimmune disease.

6. Hiring a Arthritis Fitness Specialist once or twice a week to provide accountability and write safe and effective exercise programs is a great start!

7. Practice Mindfulness! The simple act of taking a few deep and meaningful breaths throughout the day is a great way to reduce stress and decrease negative physiological responses. Incorporating some gentle stretches in the morning, after periods of inactivity, and before bed is also a great way to bring awareness to the body, ease tension, reduce anxiety, and lessen the symptoms associated with arthritis.

Christine M. Conti, M.Ed, BA is and international fitness educator and presenter. She currently sits on the MedFit Education Advisory Board and has been nominated to be the 2020 MedFit Network Professional of the Year. She is the author of the MedFit Classroom Arthritis Fitness Specialist Course and is the CEO and founder of ContiFit.com and Let’s FACE It Together™ Facial Fitness & Rehabilitation. Christine is also the co-host of Two Fit Crazies & A Microphone Podcast and the co-owner of TFC Podcast Production Co.

Protecting the Spine from Kyphosis

Susan Randall/5 May 2023/ All MFN blog/

People with bone loss in the spine are often concerned about changes in the spine or the backbone that cause it to curve forward. This curve is called kyphosis. It can happen when a person with osteoporosis breaks several of the bones that form the spine. These bones are the vertebrae. When they break, they are called vertebral or compression fractures. There are also other conditions that cause kyphosis. Kyphosis causes a person’s posture to look stooped or hunched and the person loses height. As more bones break in the spine, the spine becomes more curved. When it is severe, some people call kyphosis a dowager’s hump. Fortunately, people can take steps to protect the spine, maintain height and posture and prevent kyphosis.

Broken Bones in the Spine

Breaking one or more bones in the spine can cause sharp back pain that does not go away, or sometimes, there can be no pain at all. After having several of these breaks, people may start to have a curved spine and lose height. When there is no pain, many people do not know they have broken a bone in the spine. After becoming shorter by an inch or more in one year’s time, some people realize there is a problem with the spine. Because of height loss and changes in the spine, clothes may start to fit poorly.

For some people, kyphosis causes constant pain. This pain happens when the spine becomes more curved and the muscles, tendons and ligaments of the back are strained and stretched. Sometimes nerves are also pinched. Severe kyphosis can reduce the space for internal organs. It may also cause the stomach or abdomen to push forward and appear to stick out. As a result, it is harder for some people to breathe or eat, and they may not get enough food and nutrition for their health. Severe kyphosis may also affect balance and cause falls.

Tests to Look for Spine Fractures

People with osteoporosis who have back pain should see a doctor or other healthcare provider trained to treat osteoporosis. Most healthcare providers will want to check for a broken bone. The dual energy x-ray absorptiometry machine (also called a DXA machine) that tests people for osteoporosis can be used to look at the spine to find broken bones. This test is called a lateral vertebral assessment. A lateral x-ray of the spine is another way to find a broken bone in the spine. These two tests used to look for spine fractures are also called vertebral imaging tests.

People with osteoporosis should have their height measured once a year preferably at the same healthcare provider’s office each time. NOF recommends that healthcare providers consider performing a vertebral imaging test to look for spine fractures in the following individuals:

All women age 70 and older and all men age 80 and older if the T-score is -1.0 or below.
Women age 65 to 69 and men age 70 to 79 with a bone density T-score of -1.5 or below.
Postmenopausal women age 50 to 64 and men age 50 to 69 with specific risk factors, including:
- Height loss (e.g. 1.5 inches or more from young adult height or rapid height loss in a short period of time)
- Recent or ongoing use of steroid medicines (such as prednisone or cortisone)

Moving Safely

It is important to protect the spine by moving properly during exercise and daily activities. Activities that place stress on the spine can increase the likelihood of breaking a bone. For example, people with bone loss in the spine should not:

bend over from the waist with straight legs
do toe-touches, sit-ups or abdominal crunches
twist and bend at the torso (trunk) to an extreme
carry packages that are too heavy
bend forward when coughing and sneezing
reach for objects on a high shelf

For some people with a lot of bone loss, simply hugging a friend or picking up a grandchild can cause a broken bone in the spine.

Seeing a Physical Therapist

People with osteoporosis may want to speak with their healthcare provider about a referral to a physical therapist (PT) who understands osteoporosis. PTs can help people protect their spines. For example, PTs can help people limit the amount of kyphosis by teaching proper posture and exercises that make the back muscles stronger. They can also show people how to safely sit, stand and move.

Taking an Osteoporosis Medication

A person who has broken one or more bones in the spine is at very high risk for breaking more bones in the spine. All people with these fractures should speak with their healthcare provider about taking a medication to treat osteoporosis. NOF encourages people to look at both the risks and benefits of taking or not taking a medication. Other healthy lifestyle behaviors, including getting enough calcium and vitamin D, not smoking or drinking too much alcohol and maintaining a safe exercise program can also help individuals reduce the chance of breaking bones in the spine.

Susan Randall RN, MSN, FNP-BC is Senior Clinical Advisor for the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) in Washington, DC,

Healthy Aging: How Beginner’s Yoga Can Help You Live an All Around Healthier Life

Kaitlin Krull/3 May 2023/ All MFN blog, Conditions/

While most of us know that regular exercise is an important part of overall health, it can be difficult to make our bodies perform in the ways we think are necessary in order to feel the physical benefits. This is especially true as we age, when muscles and organs begin to work differently and we lose flexibility and mobility. Beginner’s yoga is the perfect remedy for addressing these limitations as we age. With both physical and mental benefits, the regular practice of yoga, at any level, can help you to live an all around healthier life. Here are just a few of the best reasons to take up yoga now, regardless of the number on your birthday card.

Physical Benefits

Many people begin practicing yoga in order to reap the physical benefits of the exercise. These are some of the ways yoga improves your physical health:

Increases stamina, flexibility, and mobility
The regular practice of yoga strengthens muscles and joints, allowing you to achieve more with your body, which is especially important as you age. It increases stamina, flexibility, and mobility, together with balance and coordination, which provides an effective yet gentle total body workout.

Helps encourage weight loss
We all know that increased physical exercise, when coupled with a healthy diet, can help you to achieve weight loss success when repeated regularly. This is also true for yoga. Once you begin to strengthen some of those forgotten muscles and joints, you will be able to practice yoga at a higher calorie burning level.

Alleviates physical ailments
Yoga practitioners around the world sing the praises of the exercise’s ability to remedy a number of physical ailments, some of which are particularly prevalent as you age. Regular yoga, even at the beginner’s level, can help to alleviate symptoms of heart conditions, blood flow and circulation issues, and muscle, bone, and joint problems. This kind of physical exercise also lowers cholesterol and blood sugar, thereby lowering your risk for other related health issues like diabetes and stroke.

Mental Benefits

If you weren’t convinced to begin practicing yoga by the physical benefits alone, check out the ways in which yoga can increase mental health as well.

Relaxes mind as well as body
The repetitive and meditative style of yoga is called upon time and again to help relax both the body and the mind. Poses performed at the beginning and end of yoga routines in particular are focused at calming the mind and relaxing the muscles in your body. This relaxation cannot be underestimated when it comes to the state of your mental health and well being.

Gives focus and awareness
Repeated exercises like those found in beginner’s yoga classes are designed to focus and sharpen your mind, increasing both your awareness of the world around you as well as your concentration levels. This can be especially beneficial for very busy people, older adults, and even energetic children, who find that yoga helps them to focus their train of thought and remain calm even in the most stressful of situations.

Relieves stress
Calming thoughts and repeated poses that are common to yoga have the ability to release tension in the body, giving focus to the practitioner. This focus allows positive thought, which logically relieves stress. Lowered stress levels are good for everyone, but best of all they have positive knock-on effects with regards to your physical health too, making yoga an all around positive practice for a healthier life

Kaitlin Krull is a writer and mom of two girls living the expat life in the UK. Her writing is featured on Modernize.com and a number of fitness, health, and home decor sites around the web. She’s a yoga enthusiast of 5 years and loves anything that promotes a healthy mental state and positive lifestyle.

Using the SOAP Note Format for Medical Fitness Clients

Joshua Slone/1 May 2023/ All MFN blog/

The SOAP note format, the acronym of which stands for Subjective, Objective, Assessment, and Plan, is one of the standard document formats that healthcare providers use to document patient information and treatment progress. This article will take you through the format and teach you how to use it with your medical fitness clients.

The Subjective section will include the Chief Complaint of the client/patient, which is the reason they are working with you. This can be an official diagnosis from a licensed healthcare provider, such as Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, or a symptom of a condition that is causing quality-of-life reduction, disability, or pain. You are not diagnosing any disease, injury, or health condition. You are merely stating the reason for the visit. You can include a brief patient medical history in this section, though you should strive to be succinct in your summary. The healthcare provider for your patient already knows their conditions and struggles and does not need a full page on the topic.

The Objective section is for vitals, how the client/patient presents at the visit physically and psychologically (attitude) and any recent lab or imagery results that are pertinent to your scope of practice and the patient’s Chief Complaints. When documenting the results of lab tests, only record what was tested and whether the result (such as fasting blood glucose levels) falls within normative values for the client/patient population. When documenting imagery results, record the type of imagery and the reviewing technician’s assessment (such as an MRI that shows posterior rotator cuff tears). The vitals you can and should take are heart rate, blood pressure, weight, and today’s pain rating on a 1-10 scale if applicable.

The Assessment section is typically used by healthcare providers for differential diagnosis, which is outside your scope of practice. The Assessment section will consist of your statement on the client/patient’s conditions and how they currently influence their fitness and general health. This can include notes on nutrition and physical activity levels. If the client/patient is presenting with an issue that session, such as restriction in shoulder flexion past 80 degrees, you will document that as well. If joint ROM is a focus of the client/patient’s training plan you should assess this at the beginning of the session and document the current ROM state relative to the previous session or baseline evaluation.

The Plan section is where you record the client/patient training for the day. This is also where you will annotate future training/care plans, such as periodization and progression. This section tells the healthcare provider exactly what you are doing with their patient and enables them to provide you with objective feedback on your training plan if necessary. Your training plan should reflect all guidelines and restrictions the patient’s healthcare provider has given you.

The following is an example of a completed SOAP note:

Date: 5/1/2023
Patient Name: John Q. Public
Provider/Trainer Name: Slone, J.

Subjective:
Chief Complaint: pain secondary to posterior rotator cuff partial thickness tear, restriction in ROM due to said injury, weakness of posterior RC due to injury. Pt is alert, attentive, and appears in good spirits and motivated.

Objective:
HR: 85
BP: 120/90
WT: 241lbs
PAIN: 2/10 at rest

Assessment:
Horiz. Shldr abd. restricted to 70/90 degrees, dull, achy pain during concentric posterior RC movement that improves during warmup. No active shldr flex today. Shldr ext does not provoke pain. Ext. rot. does not provoke pain.

Plan:
Today’s Care:
Warmup: arm bike 5min @ RPE 3-4
2×12-15 low face pull w/medium-light band within pain-free ROM
2×12-15 horiz. Abd. w/light band within pain-free ROM
2×8-10 ext. rot. w/light band within PF-ROM
2×8-10 scap retrac. w/medium band
2×3-5 overhead eccentric weight bearing, 3lbs, no pain

2x30s cross-body posterior RC stretch
2×10/12 finger ladder steps within PF-ROM

Future Care:
Continue with periodized RT to build function and strength within PF-ROM. Improve joint restriction through flexibility plan. Adhere to PCP guidelines.

This not unlike what a completed SOAP note in a physical therapy clinic would look like. Objective measures that a PT would use are measured joint ROMs with a goniometer (visual estimation is nearly as accurate in most cases and is acceptable for you to use). In a PT clinic, the Plan would also include treatment modalities, which are outside the trainer’s scope of practice (massage, manual therapy, e-stim, heat, cold, etc).

While you are not required to use this format with your clients/patients, it is of great benefit to use a standardized format that ensures you capture all pertinent information and are able to relay that to allied healthcare providers.

Here is a Word document template for the SOAP note format that you may download and use with your patients: SOAP Note Template.

Reprinted with permission from the Move Well, Live Well blog.

Joshua Slone is an Exercise Physiologist and Pain Therapist. He serves as Rehab Team Lead/Physiologist at the Center for Health in Yucca Valley, CA. His clinical expertise includes chronic pain management, joint replacements, sport and orthopedic injuries, complex medical condition management, geriatrics, degenerative neurological conditions, and psychiatric disorders. Visit his website, movewelllivewell.org

References

Instructor Showing Health Results On Clipboard To Senior Couple

Respiratory Disease and Exercise

CarolAnn, M.S., CPT, CN/28 April 2023/ All MFN blog/

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), hundreds of millions of people suffer every day from chronic respiratory diseases (CRD). Currently in the United States, 24.6 million people have asthma¹, 15.7 million people have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)² while greater than 50 million people have allergic rhinitis³ and other often-underdiagnosed chronic respiratory diseases. Respiratory diseases do not discriminate and affect people of every race, sex, and age. While most chronic respiratory diseases are manageable and some even preventable, this is what is known about the nature of chronic respiratory diseases⁴:

Chronic disease epidemics take decades to become fully established.
Chronic diseases often begin in childhood.
Because of their slow evolution and chronic nature, chronic diseases present opportunities for prevention.
Many different chronic diseases may occur in the same patient (e.g. chronic respiratory diseases, cardiovascular disease and cancer).
The treatment of chronic diseases demands a long-term and systematic approach.
Care for patients with chronic diseases should be an integral part of the activities of health services, alongside care for patients with acute and infectious diseases.

Exercise and CRD

If you are a health and fitness professional, some of your clients may be suffering from a chronic respiratory disease and you may be an important source for relief. Moderate exercise is known to improve use of oxygen, energy levels, anxiety, stress and depression, sleep, self-esteem, cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, and shortness of breath. While it might seem odd that exercise improves breathing when one is short of breath, exercising really does help one with respiratory disease. Exercise helps the blood circulate and helps the heart send oxygen to the rest of the body. Exercise also strengthens the respiratory muscles which can make it easier to breathe.

Beneficial Types of Exercise

There are several challenges to exercise prescription and physical activity participation in this population, but a large body of evidence demonstrates important health benefits from aerobic exercise. Resistance training has also been shown to increase muscle mass and strength, enhancing individuals’ ability to perform tasks of daily living and improving health-related quality of life.⁵

Aerobic exercise is good for the heart and lungs and allows one to use oxygen more efficiently. Walking, biking, and swimming are great examples of aerobic exercise. The guidelines are approximately the same as generally healthy individuals. One should attempt to train the cardiorespiratory system 3-5 days a week for 30 minutes per session. One should exercise at an intensity level of 3-4 on the Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale (Scale Rating from 0 Nothing at All-10 Very, Very, Heavy).

Resistance exercise increases muscular strength including the respiratory muscles that assist in breathing. Resistance training usually involves weights or resistance bands but using one’s own body weight works just as well depending on the severity of the symptoms. It is recommended that one should perform high repetitions with low weight to fatigue the muscles. This type of resistance training also improves muscular endurance important for those with CRD. Resistance training should be performed 2-3 days a week working all major muscle groups.

Stretching exercises relax and improve one’s flexibility. When stretching, one should practice slow and controlled breathing. Not only does proper breathing help to deepen the stretch, but it also helps one to increase lung capacity. One should gently stretch all major muscles to the point of mild discomfort while holding the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds, slowly breathing in and out. Repeat each stretch 2-3 times. Stretching is an effective method to warming up and cooling down before and after workout sessions.

When exercising, it is important to remember to inhale in preparation of the movement and exhale on the exertion phase of the movement. An individual should take slow deep breaths and pace him/herself. It is recommended to purse the lips while exhaling.

Use of Medication

If an individual uses medication for the treatment of respiratory disease, he/she should continue to take the medication based on his/her doctor’s advice. His/her doctor may adjust the dosage according to the physical activity demands. For example, the doctor may adjust the flow rate of oxygen during exercise if one is using an oxygen tank. In addition, one should have his/her inhaler on hand in case of a need due to the increase of oxygen demand during exercise.

Fitness professionals can effectively work with those who have a chronic respiratory disease providing them with a better quality of life through movement. You as their health and fitness coach can provide a positive experience to facilitate an effective path to better health and wellness.

Continued Education for Fit Pros

Fitness Professionals & Personal Trainers: Become a Respiratory Disease Fitness Specialist!

Some of your clients may suffer from a respiratory disease and you may be an important source of relief. The Respiratory Disease Fitness Specialist online course will equip you with the knowledge to safely and effectively work with these clients to help improve their quality of life.

Known as the trainers’ trainer, CarolAnn has become one of the country’s leading fitness educators, authors, and national presenters. Combining a Master’s degree in Exercise Science/Health Promotion with several fitness certifications/memberships such as FiTOUR, ACSM, ACE, AFAA, and LMI, she has been actively involved in the fitness industry for over 25 years. She is currently the Founder and Director of Education for Chiseled Faith, a Faith Based Health and Fitness Program for churches. Visit her website, www.CarolAnn.Fitness

References

2015. NHIS Data; Table 3-1. www.cdc.gov/asthma/nhis/2015/table3-1.htm
Mannino DM, Gagnon RC, Petty TL, Lydick E. Obstructive lung disease and low lung function in adults in the United States: data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1988-1994. Arch Intern Med. 2000;160:1683–1689.
CDC, Gateway to Health Communication and Social Marketing Practice. Allergies. https://www.cdc.gov/healthcommunication/toolstemplates/entertainmented/tips/Allergies.html
World Health Organization http://www.who.int/gard/publications/chronic_respiratory_diseases.pdf
Eves ND, Davidson WJ. Evidence-based risk assessment and recommendations for physical activity clearance: respiratory disease. Applied Physiology Nutrition and Metabolism. 2011;36(Suppl 1):S80–100. [PubMed]

Want to Feel Better? Then Move Better

Jay Weitzner, MS/26 April 2023/ All MFN blog/

Even after many years of working with clients, I’m still continually astounded by what the body can do. People come in to see me not feeling very good. Some of them actually feel pretty bad and have been feeling that way for years. They’ve usually tried everything out there to feel better. They medicate, get shots, use therapy, ice, tape, or surgery. They stretch, foam roll, try to loosen their fascia, undue an adhesion they were told about, find trigger points or maybe get something adjusted. And their last resort is surgery.

While some things may have valid application, there is something else going on that is not being considered. This one fact sheds some light on it: about 70% of motor neurons lie within the cerebellum. That’s right, the part of the brain that plays a huge roll in behavior, emotions, social interaction, and coordinating attention is loaded with neurons that control movement. The point here is that movement is such a high priority to the human body that any compromise to the quality of that movement can have profound effects anywhere throughout the system. That means that things may be working well in one place and you don’t feel so good in another.

Motor neurons are nerves that connect to muscle. That muscle is part of a muscle system including the brain, spine, nerves and sensor organs. The muscle system is the only thing in your entire body that can move you. When your muscle system quality isn’t what it should be you don’t move well. Not moving well, simply stated, means something’s wrong. When you don’t move well, some part of your body generally doesn’t feel well. When the system isn’t functioning right, it sends signs and signals out in many forms like pain, tightness, stiffness and/or causes delayed healing. This means we might want to be focusing on how you move instead of what you feel.

When we look at things this way we have an entirely new way to deal with bodes when they don’t feel good. We need to identify aspects of the muscle system that function at a lower quality and then RESTORE that functionality. Once we find the positions and movements that the body cannot function in, we can then restore that function. With the muscle system working again you can move better. When you move better you can feel better. You know that leg pain? Maybe it’s time to look at how that knee or hip or ankle moves instead of focusing on what hurts. Back stiff? Instead of stretching tight stuff, maybe it’s time to look at the things that are responsible for moving your back. Move better to feel better and you’ll be better.

Jay Weitzner, MS is a Certified Medical Exercise Specialist through the American Academy on Exercise (ACE); he holds a Bachelor’s and a Master’s in Exercise Science/Human Performance with an emphasis on exercise physiology. Jay specializes in working with clients with musculoskeletal issues — his clients have problems or concerns about their quality of movement and their physical health.

Conquering Stress and Managing Your Time Wisely

Connie Stoltz-McDonald/24 April 2023/ All MFN blog/

We all know stress takes a toll on our family, friends, work, and don’t forget the internal breakdown within your body and health, but it’s something that we can take control of and find ways to cope.

Introduction to Biomimicry and Exercise

Mike Rickett/21 April 2023/ All MFN blog/

Biomimicry, the practice of looking to nature for inspiration and solutions to human problems, can be a valuable tool and designing exercise programs. By studying the movements and behaviors of animals, we can learn how to move more efficiently, effectively and with less injury.

Here are a few examples of how mimicry can be applied to exercise programming:

Mimicking the movements of animals: Many animals have unique ways of moving that can be emulated in exercise programs. For example, the frog jump is a plyometric exercise that mimics explosive jumping of a frog, while the crab walk works lateral movement of the hips and shoulders in a way similar to how crabs move.

Utilizing natural resistance: Resistance training is a common component of exercise programs and bio mimicry can offer new ways to approach it. For example, using a slosh pipe, which is a PVC pipe partially filled with water or some other solution, can stimulate the resistance of carrying something like a baby car seat which is very practical.

Incorporating balance instability exercises: Animals have evolved to a move in environments that require balance and stability, and we can learn from them in designing exercises that challenge our own balance and stability. For example, the bird dog exercise, which involves extending the opposite arms and legs while balancing enough force, mimics the stabilizing movement of a hunting dog.

Emphasizing functional movements: Many exercises in the gym isolate individual muscle groups, but biomimicry can remind us to focus on functional movements that are more relevant to real life activities. For example, the farmers walk, which involves walking while holding heavy weights in each hand, mimics the practical movements of carrying groceries or moving furniture.

By incorporating biomimicry into exercise programming, we can create workouts that are not only effective, but also enjoyable and engaging. Additionally, by working with our bodies instead of against them, we can reduce the risk of injury and improve overall physical health.

Reprinted with permission from author.

Mike Rickett MS, CSCS*D, CSPS*D, RCPT*E is a nationally recognized health and fitness trainer of the trainers, fitness motivator, author, certifier, educator, and the 2017 NSCA Personal Trainer of the Year. He has been a fitness trainer for more than 35 years. He directs the personal training site, ApplicationInMotion.com. In addition, he also directs BetterHealthBreathing.com, a conscious breathing educational program focusing on the diaphragmatic technique to enhance overall wellness.

Massage for Parkinson’s

Kathy Flippin/19 April 2023/ All MFN blog/

The incidence of Parkinson’s disease in the United States is estimated at 1 million, with an additional 50,000 patients being diagnosed every year.

The most common signs of Parkinson’s disease are tremors, muscle rigidity, akinesia (temporary inability to move), dyskinesia (inability to execute specific voluntary movements at will) and loss of postural reflexes. The back posture becomes stooped, and the walk gradually turns to a shuffle as the arms stop swinging.

Can Massage Help?

According to a 2002 study conducted by the Touch Research Institute, massage therapy can improve many PD symptoms and function, from the reduction of rigidity and improvement of sleep, to the reduction of tremor and increase of daily activity stamina symptoms.

The underlying reduction in the neurotransmitter, dopamine, is the cause of many of the PD symptoms. Massage has been shown to have positive effect on the release of neurotransmitters, enhancing their calming influence.

Other benefits of massage are:

Improved Sleep and digestion
Reduced Stress, Depression and Moodiness
Relief for Cramping and Rigidity
Less Fatigue and Anxiety
Reduced Perception of Pain

Precautions

Give a full medical history, including other injuries and conditions besides Parkinson’s.
Use caution in areas with loss of sensation, light touch is best.
Be careful getting on and off the massage table, balance issues may cause risk of falling.

What to Expect

Your therapist should take a complete health history, including a thorough list of treatments and side effects such as neuropathy, rigidity and skin problems.

But your therapist should also ask about other conditions or injuries you may have. You and your therapist should agree on goals for the session, and you should have a chance to explain your preferences for pressure, and the massage environment such as temperature, music, lighting, etc.

Disrobing: Massage can be done over your clothing (without oil) if your balance is an issue, and it’s too much trouble to dress and undress. If you decide to disrobe and you are concerned about falling, you can bring an aide with you, or ask your therapist for help.

During the massage, you will always be kept covered, observing your modesty and keeping you warm. Don’t hesitate to request that your therapist, or someone else help you on and off the massage table.

Position and Turning over: Some people have trouble turning over due to rigid or weak muscles. If you feel like a fish out of water lying on your stomach, just ask your therapist to work with you lying on your side instead. In this position your therapist still has good access to massage your back muscles, and you won’t feel helpless or confined.

How to Find a Practitioner

Check with your city or state to find out what the basic requirements are for massage therapists.

Get a few names and numbers and start calling. Your interview should include questions about training and experience in general practice, and also experience with clients like you. Ask about office environment and policies.

Choose a practitioner that has extra training and experience working with cancer patients. A more complicated health history indicates that the therapist’s expertise is more important. Also, in some cases it is best to get your doctor’s approval.

Most of all, massage should never hurt, and if it does, you should say something. A conscientious massage therapist will constantly seek your feedback during the massage to make sure that the treatment is within your comfort zone the entire time. If you don’t feel that your feedback or concerns are (or will be) addressed, you’re not in the right place.

You can search the MedFit Network for a massage therapist in your area, or search the American Massage Therapy Association’s Massage Therapist search.

Kathy Flippin’s passion is to offer excellent therapeutic massage, and educate her clients on how they can take the best care possible of themselves. Kathy is the owner of Dynamic Touch Massage and has been a Sports Massage Therapist since 1997. Her clients include everyone from professional athletes to active grandmothers.