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Dear Ray I'm glad to know that you are getting fitter. NK > Date: Tue, 18 Aug 2009 01:02:34 -0700 > From: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: Pedalling vs. PD > To: [log in to unmask] > > NK > > tonight after doing 80 minutes on cycler today, I got on treadmill and the 5 > minutes I did was a lot easier than it has been before. In fact I could > barely do 5 minutes. I'm going to work on this combination and see if I > can get the treadmill time up to a respectable time. my balance isn't any > better but I'm not in so much pain. > > I'll push myself. > > Ray > > Rayilyn Brown > Director AZNPF > Arizona Chapter National Parkinson Foundation > [log in to unmask] > > -------------------------------------------------- > From: "chew nee kong" <[log in to unmask]> > Sent: Monday, August 17, 2009 9:43 PM > To: <[log in to unmask]> > Subject: Re: Pedalling vs. PD > > > Dear Ray > > > > Wow! What an interesting study. > > > > I have a good friend who has suffered from Parkinson's for ten years. He > > is Mr Teo Kim Hoe, who is the one and only Parkinson's in Malaysia who > > regularly practices "forced" exercise as reported in this study. He is a > > very strong believer in exercise as a way to control the progression of > > Parkinson's. You can view the video recording of Mr Teo doing cycling > > (spinning) and kickboxing in his blog (www.heroteo.com) or Malaysian > > Parkinson's website (www.lloydtan-trust.com). > > > > Actually, many Parkinson's patients do carry out exercises, but these are > > usually light (e.g. morning walk, Tai Chi, waidangong, etc). But Mr Teo is > > diferent from other Parkinson's patients because he really forces himself > > to the maximum. I have seen him doing the kickboxing exercise, which I > > think is a "heavyweight" exercise. No other Parkinson's patients in > > Malaysia does the kickboxing exercise. > > > > In fact, the reason I decided to do video recording of Mr Teo doing all > > these "forced" exercises is to give motivation to the Parkinson's > > patients - that they can still be physically active despite having the > > illness. > > > > Dr Chew > > > > > > > >> Date: Sun, 16 Aug 2009 10:56:45 -0700 > >> From: [log in to unmask] > >> Subject: Fw: Pedalling vs. PD > >> To: [log in to unmask] > >> > >> Rayilyn Brown > >> Director AZNPF > >> Arizona Chapter National Parkinson Foundation > >> [log in to unmask] > >> > >> -------------------------------------------------- > >> From: "rayilynlee" <[log in to unmask]> > >> Sent: Friday, August 14, 2009 5:49 PM > >> To: "parkinsn" <[log in to unmask]> > >> Subject: Pedalling vs. PD > >> > >> > Pedalling Report after 3 weeks: > >> > > >> > It took about 9 days to reach an hour and more for 2 weeks (75 min > >> > currently) on my ACTIVcycler. I "think" I am a trifle better, but it > >> > is > >> > not enough improvement to be definitive. I am not early stage PD. I > >> > did > >> > lots of exercise then. I don't know if my motorized cycler does > >> > 80-90 > >> > rpm or 60 rpm or not (it cost $170). Theracycle's cycler costs around > >> > $4,000 and the rep here has promised to do a demo for me when he is in > >> > my > >> > area. > >> > > >> > I'm going for the 8 weeks daily and still hoping. Forced exercise is > >> > the > >> > way to go I think, as we need some help. > >> > > >> > Ray > >> > > >> > Pedalling hard to head off symptoms of Parkinson's > >> > > >> > By Evra Taylor Levy and Eddy Lang, The Gazette > >> > > >> > Rapid rhythm exercise shows benefits for people in early stages of the > >> > disease. > >> > > >> > MONTREAL -- In medicine, most solutions to physical illness come from > >> > outside treatments like pills and surgery; but what if the body had the > >> > ability to heal itself through a specific physical activity and > >> > training > >> > program? This week's HealthWatch looks at just this possibility for > >> > treating what can be the devastating neurological condition known as > >> > Parkinson's disease. > >> > > >> > Explain to me what Parkinson's disease is. > >> > > >> > Parkinson's disease (PD) is a degenerative brain disorder. It's caused > >> > by > >> > a lack of dopamine, a neurotransmitter in a critical area of the brain. > >> > This deficiency results in problems with the ability to move parts of > >> > the > >> > body effectively and also affects speech; in advanced cases, dementia > >> > and > >> > depression often set in. > >> > > >> > Who is most likely to develop Parkinson's? > >> > > >> > Health Canada estimates that one in every 100 Canadians over the age of > >> > 60 > >> > will be diagnosed with PD. As a result of our aging population, there > >> > are > >> > 5,000 new cases each year. In 2003, it was estimated that the number of > >> > new cases would triple by 2020. So, the older one gets, the more likely > >> > that one will be diagnosed with PD. It typically occurs in people over > >> > age > >> > 60, with men accounting for 50 per cent more cases than women. > >> > > >> > What are the symptoms of the disease? > >> > > >> > Most of us are familiar with PD's most common trait, namely tremor or a > >> > constant shakiness, usually seen in the hands. Other symptoms of the > >> > disease include shuffling of the feet, slow movement, limb stiffness, > >> > muscle fatigue, impaired balance and coordination of fine movements. > >> > How does the disease progress? > >> > > >> > The onset of PD may be subtle and confused with normal aging, which can > >> > delay diagnosis. In fact, patients may be relatively problem-free for > >> > the > >> > first few years. PD worsens with age, but the rate and type of > >> > progression > >> > varies from person to person. > >> > > >> > Typically, in the early stage of the disease, the symptoms progress > >> > from > >> > one side of the body to both. This is followed by balance impairment, > >> > but > >> > at this point people are still able to live independently. As the > >> > disease > >> > progresses, folks become wheelchair bound or bedridden, often leading > >> > to > >> > institutionalization. > >> > > >> > How is Parkinson's disease treated and do the medications work? > >> > > >> > In the beginning stages of the disease, treatment may not be needed at > >> > all. There is no cure at this time, so as the disease progresses and > >> > requires drug therapy, the goal of treatment is to reduce symptoms by > >> > replacing the missing dopamine. Levodopa, a chemical found in both > >> > plants > >> > and animals, which is converted into dopamine, has been shown to be > >> > effective and is often the first medication given. However, its > >> > effectiveness lessens over time and as a result other drugs, such as > >> > selegiline (sold as Eldepryl), which prevent the breakdown of dopamine > >> > in > >> > the brain by enzymes, are being incorporated into treatment. Current > >> > research in PD focuses on medications that may actually slow its > >> > progression. > >> > > >> > The study > >> > Ridgel AL, Vitek JL, Alberts JL. Forced, not voluntary, exercise > >> > improves > >> > motor function in Parkinson's disease patients. Journal of > >> > Neurorehabilitation and Neural Repair July/Aug 2009;23(6): > >> > 600-608. > >> > > >> > What do we know about PD and exercise? > >> > > >> > Although exercise improves fitness in PD patients, the studies that > >> > have > >> > looked at its effects on the disease itself have not shown much > >> > benefit. > >> > However, these studies looked at voluntary exercise or exercise > >> > performed > >> > at a rhythm that was most comfortable for the subject. The individual > >> > experiences of PD patients engaged in physical activity, like cycling > >> > at a > >> > fast pace, a method known as forced exercise, found that their > >> > Parkinson's > >> > symptoms lessened dramatically, and for an extended period of time. > >> > Laboratory studies in rat models that mimic PD also showed benefits > >> > when > >> > placed in motorized spinning wheels. > >> > > >> > What's different about this research? > >> > > >> > In this study, the five subjects who were randomly assigned to the > >> > forced > >> > exercise group were teamed up with trainers who worked with them on > >> > stationary bikes built for two. On these tandem bicycles, the subjects > >> > underwent three 40-minute training sessions per week, during which they > >> > were gradually pushed to be able to sustain pedaling rates of 80 to 90 > >> > revolutions per minute as opposed to the 60-per-minute rate that they > >> > would typically roll at if left to their own devices. The five > >> > comparison > >> > subjects in the study did stationary biking for the same amount of time > >> > each week, but without a trainer to make them spin faster. > >> > > >> > Why would forced exercise offer any benefits? > >> > > >> > The thinking here is that challenging the body to move faster than it > >> > is > >> > used to somehow activates the key part of the brain that controls body > >> > movements. This revving up of those key areas may occur through > >> > increased > >> > levels of dopamine and compounds that stimulate nerve growth or in > >> > activating rusty circuits. > >> > > >> > What were the findings? > >> > > >> > Quite remarkable, actually. After an eight-week training session, the > >> > fast > >> > spinners demonstrated a 35-per-cent improvement in the muscle > >> > coordination > >> > and dexterity that is impaired with PD. Furthermore, these improvements > >> > lasted for four weeks after the training period on the bicycles had > >> > ended. > >> > The voluntary cycling group showed an equivalent degree of improved > >> > general fitness, but no change in PD symptoms like tremor, stiffness > >> > and > >> > slow movements. > >> > > >> > What does this mean for people suffering from Parkinson's disease? > >> > > >> > While a promising scientific development, tandem training cycles are > >> > hard > >> > to come by and many patients with PD are too advanced in their > >> > condition > >> > to even consider this treatment option. On the other hand, spinning > >> > classes are all the rage in gyms and fitness centres and it may be > >> > worthwhile giving this approach a shot as long as a physician clears > >> > the > >> > patient for participation. Even if solely for the fitness benefits, > >> > getting active can only help PD patients while we wait for more > >> > research > >> > to confirm these intriguing findings. > >> > > >> > The material provided in HealthWatch is designed for general > >> > educational > >> > purposes only and does not pertain to individual cases. It should not > >> > replace necessary medical consultations with your own doctor or medical > >> > professional. > >> > > >> > Rayilyn Brown > >> > Director AZNPF > >> > Arizona Chapter National Parkinson Foundation > >> > [log in to unmask] > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > >> To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > >> mailto:[log in to unmask] > >> In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > > Share your memories online with anyone you want. > > http://www.microsoft.com/malaysia/windows/windowslive/products/photos-share.aspx?tab=1 > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > > mailto:[log in to unmask] > > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn _________________________________________________________________ More than messages–check out the rest of the Windows Live™. http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowslive/ ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn