Health Spotlight: Pedaling for Parkinson’s
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Nearly 1,000,000 people in the United States are living with Parkinson’s disease.
There is no cure for Parkinson’s, and symptoms only get worse. However, a new program backed by research has been created using the power of spin cycling to redefine the fight against Parkinson’s and make life more manageable for patients!
The first sign of Parkinson’s disease hit 63-year-old Lamont Dorrity early in life.
“My early 50s, so I was one of the low percentage that got it early,” Dorrity recalled. “And I had tremors in the mouth and tremors in the hand.”
A deep brain stimulation surgery took care of his tremors, but other symptoms like fatigue, muscle stiffness, and problems with balance and walking were only getting worse until about a year ago, when Dorrity entered a research-backed program called Pedaling for Parkinson’s.
“Even the second time I came, after doing the cycling and walking, I felt like my walking was more fluid,” said Dorrity
“Movement is crucial for neurological upkeep,” said Adam Ballenger, an exercise therapist at Intermountain Healthcare.
Ballenger says the program is not about cycling at a comfortable pace, rather the benefits come from forced cycling where participants are pushed to pedal at a high rate of at least 80 RPM’s for at least 40 minutes. The exercise also pumps dopamine into the brain and participants say it all leads to a noticeable improvement in Parkinson’s-related symptoms.
“The biggest challenge is getting up and doing it, you know, getting up and making a difference in your life,” said Ballenger.
Dorrity walks out of the class feeling more balanced and confident that life with Parkinson’s is a little more manageable now. It’s not a cure but researchers believe it can slow the progression of the disease.
Both Adam Ballenger and Lamont Dorrity stand by the results and encourage more pedaling for Parkinson’s patients.
This story was created from a script aired on WISH-TV. Health Spotlight is presented by Community Health Network.