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http://www.cnsonline.org/www/archive/parkins/park-02.txt http://www.cnsonline.org/www/archive/parkins/park-02.html <SNIP> EXERCISE: Exercise, such as walking outdoors, is an essential part of keeping healthy with this disease, but in winter when there is snow and ice about, this can prove hazardous. Or- dinary exercise machines have not been too efficient, hence a special Parkinson exercising chair, called the Electric Rocking Chair, has been produced for the needs of such patients. The advantage of this is to give the patient in his own home the necessary passive flexion and extension to his muscles for twenty minutes several times a day, with- out requiring,, the presence of a physiotherapist. This ap- paratus passively exercises wrists, elbows, shoulders, as as hips, knees and ankles. A simple model that exercises the legs only is also now available. Because stiffness of the- muscles interferes with circulation in the legs and because patients tend to remain sitting for hours, swelling of the feet becomes a problem. The rocking chair exercise mach- cine will, if used several times a day, prevent this. Eleva- ting the feet several times a day for a half hour is also helpful. <SNIP> Linda [log in to unmask]