Physiotherapy approaches, including exercise programs, are important in treating Parkinson’s disease. The most crucial goal of exercises are to increase the patient’s mobility and functional capacity, improve quality of life, and make social life return by increasing independence.
Parkinson’s is the fastest-growing neurological condition and is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder next to Alzheimer’s disease in the world. According to World Health Organization (WHO) data published in 2020, Parkinson’s deaths in Türkiye rank 109 globally with 3.81 per 100,000 population and 0.88% of deaths. While 6.1 million individuals have Parkinson’s globally, the trend is expected to continue in the next 30 years, with approximately 12 million individuals suffering from the disease.
With approximately 1%-2% of the population over 65 years of age suffering from Parkinson, it is a progressive disorder characterized by motor and nonmotor symptoms such as rigidity, bradykinesia, resting tremor, autonomic and cognitive dysfunctions, sleep disorders and sensory disturbances. The combination of these symptoms reduces patients’ quality of life.
On World Parkinson’s Day, which takes place on April 11 every year to raise awareness of the illness, Çamlıca Erdem Hospital Neurology Specialist Dr. Rıza Caferzade highlighted, “Genetic factors often play a role in Parkinson’s patients who are seen at a younger age, the disease is higher in people with a history of Parkinson’s in parents or close relatives compared to the general population, and starts between the ages of 40-75, often over the age of 60.”
In general, tremors are seen in about 80% of patients diagnosed with Parkinson’s, which start in limbs such as hands and feet that can spread to the arms and legs over time. It can sometimes even affect the tongue, lips and jaw. If these symptoms are observed, a neurologist should be consulted immediately. Besides, unilateral shoulder pain is also one of the early symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Loss of balance and falls are seen in the later stages.
Underlining the importance of exercise in addition to medical treatment for Parkinson’s, Caferzade emphasized that patients without physical disabilities can better cope with the long course of the disease by adopting an active lifestyle. Furthermore, it is highly recommended that patients exercise in line with their needs and mobility as it positively affects muscle stiffness and slowness of movement and makes the person feel better.
Since Parkinson’s is a long-term, slowly progressing disease, the patient and his family need to remain in follow up with the physician in the treatment phase. Surgical treatments can be a good option for patients in advanced stages and those not responding to medical treatment.
