Can Exercise do for Parkinson's Patients what medicine can't

Can exercise do for Parkinson's patients what medicine can't?http://www.king5.com/health/stories/NW_020408HEK_exercise_parkinsons_SW.8cf26b71.html#
06:10 PM PST on Monday, February 4, 2008JEAN ENERSEN / KING 5 News
Sixty-one-year-old John Kendell isn't an athlete, but for the last two months, he's been hitting the gym.
At first, his Parkinson's disease made it tough.
"I was stiff and my hand didn't move along my side," he said.
But now, he says, "At this slower speed we're going now, I can stand and I can think about moving my hand."
Alan Sidlowski has trouble with simple movements.
"I had very limited mobility in my hand and my leg," he said.
But after seven months in the gym he's made improvements.
These men are part of a study aimed at finding out if exercise can do what medication often can't for patients with Parkinson's.
"Medications have been somewhat disappointing to prevent disability related to walking and balance," said Dr. Lisa Shulman, Associate Professor of Neurology at the University of Maryland.
Researchers say strength exercises, aerobic activity or gait practice may actually be able to retrain the brain.
"The potential for exercise to cause some rewiring and remodeling would be effective in either case," said Shulman.
Physical and emotional improvements for each of 70 patients will be monitored for three months.
"Frankly, if it showed improvement in those areas alone, that would be a big advance," said Shulman.
Official results are two years away, but so far the results are encouraging. Their progress is a good sign.
It's estimated about 1.5 million Americans have Parkinson's disease. Only one in 10 people with the disease is diagnosed before age 50

Besides exercises medications are important for PD patients as it helps your body movement and flexibility as well as mobility. Consistenance, persistence, endurance and medication are the key for you to combat the disease.

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Source: PatientsLikeMe