How Technology Can Help Parkinson’s Disease
Have you or someone you love been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease? Has Parkinson’s Disease started to interfere with your everyday activities? Although Parkinson’s can be limiting and debilitating, there are cutting-edge technologies that are helping people find new ways to manage their daily life.
Our highly skilled physical therapists at Dr. Physio Therapy & Wellness in Fort Lauderdale are dedicated to providing solutions that work so you can live on your terms! Proper medication plays a vital role. When combined with physical therapy, and new technologies to help you manage your daily task, you can improve your mobility and overall function.
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease affecting 1–2 per 1000 of the world’s population. Pharmacological management is vital to the management of PD but not the only avenue that helps improve functioning.
Medication is critical to minimize the effects of PD on an individual. Gains in technology and physical therapy interventions have significantly improved motor impairments, balance, and gait. These advances are responsible for reduced disability and improved quality of life.
Our physical therapists at Dr. Physio Therapy & Wellness in Fort Lauderdale specialize in helping people with Parkinson’s Disease recover and maintain their mobility. When combined with modern technology, physical therapy exercises, balance, and gait training play a significant role in helping people with Parkinson’s Disease.
Call today to request an appointment and see how we can help you get moving again!
Exercise is essential for patients with Parkinson’s
Exercise has always formed the backbone of physical therapy therapies and is increasingly recognized as a vital element in treating Parkinson’s disease. Technology advancements, like smartphone apps, have helped people manage their routines with more significant impact.
Apps can track your routine and provide programs that ensure your results. Exercise is one of the most impactful ingredients for Parkinson’s patients to maintain their function. The benefits of exercise include:
- Improved strength
- Improved endurance
- Better balance
- Improvements in overall mobility
Recent research points to the possibility that exercise’s “neuroprotective” effects have catapulted exercise to the forefront of PD treatment. Parkinson’s gradually reduces the functioning of the nerves responsible for movement, so any protective effects from exercise are welcome.
Exercise is defined as physical activity, including planned, structured, repetitive, purposive, and intended to improve one or more components of physical health and fitness. The benefits of exercise for Parkinson’s patients are irrefutable and offer a positive, long-lasting outcome for those with the condition.
What are some of the technologies helping people with Parkinson’s?
Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative brain disorder characterized by impaired specific motor pathways. These impairments lead to common manifestations, including:
- Bradykinesia (slow or delayed movements)
- Tremors
- Rigidity
- Gait and balance loss
New sensor-based and wearable technologies can objectively measure these manifestations, which help improve the diagnosis, level of disability, and treatment monitoring for maximizing results.
In addition, improvements in more sophisticated technologies and testing are leading to earlier diagnoses and treatments. Experts are becoming more aware of symptoms of Parkinson’s that precede physical manifestations.
Clues to the disease that sometimes show up before motor symptoms, including sleep disturbances called REM behavior disorder, which can be identified with sleep monitoring systems or biomarkers in blood work, may identify who gets Parkinson’s disease. Research into these and other early symptoms holds promise for even more sensitive testing and diagnosis.
New exercise equipment, from cycles, to elliptical trainers and lifting machines, use modern technology to monitor and adjust based on an individual’s response and ability each session. Information is fed into wearable technology to offer medical practitioners improved monitoring and the ability to adapt routines for maximal results.
What your patients can expect at sessions
Our therapists perform a comprehensive evaluation and physical examination at Dr. Physio Therapy & Wellness in Fort Lauderdale to understand your patients and their functional mobility. We will specifically assess their balance and gait to assess their risk of falling and overall safety while performing their daily function.
Our goal is to help improve their mobility and to help restore and maintain their function. We will also prescribe research-backed exercises, including wearable technologies, to enhance specific exercise programs and overall results.
Functional, task-specific training will be part of a more specialized exercise program to target specific functional mobility deficits. These exercises aim to specifically facilitate the transfer of benefits from targeted activities to better overall functional ability.
Request an appointment today!
Our team at Dr. Physio Therapy & Wellness in Fort Lauderdale is up to date on the most advanced technologies to help ensure our Parkinson’s patients receive the best care and achieve the best possible outcomes!
Call Dr. Physio Therapy & Wellness today to schedule an appointment and learn more about the cutting-edge technologies available for people dealing with Parkinson’s disease.
Sources: