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Body

This class is specifically designed to help individuals with later stages of Parkinson¡¯s disease use exercise for symptom management. The class emphasizes high-intensity, rhythmical movement and addresses postural awareness, strength, flexibility, breathing and vocal/facial expression.

Major symptoms addressed in this class include:

• Reduction in movement (size and speed)
• Rigidity
• Decreased spinal/pelvic rotation
• Reduced coordination in movements (arm swing, heel strike, ability to shift weight forwards/backwards/laterally)
• Soft voice
• Loss of facial expression

Body

• Remember to begin each exercise with feet wide, and proper posture (chin up, straight spine, abdomen tight, pelvis neutral, shoulders over the hips).
•  If at any time you feel pain, stop the exercise, re-establish your posture and try the exercise again. If you continue to feel pain, stop or skip the exercise completely - do not continue with repetitions if the exercise continues to cause pain.
• Focus on completion of each repetition and finish exercises with ¡°BIG¡± posture. Stay sit tall and confident.
• If possible, scoot towards the edge of your chair or wheelchair, and do not lean on chair.
• Focus on exaggerated movements and count loudly.
• Make sure your eyes follow your hands, both in rotation and reaching/stepping exercises.
• Open your hands and extend fingers as much as possible for each repetition.