Muscle power and Parkinson's
The stronger you are – regardless of age – the better your ability to stay mobile and to live longer. Physiotherapist Bhanu Ramaswamy discusses everything to do with muscle strength and power, including how to judge if you’re strong enough and how you can build and maintain your muscle function.
Muscle strength describes the ability of our muscles to produce force against resistance. This might be the force it takes to push open a heavy door, or to lift the weight of a full pot of tea. Adding speed to strength gives you power, and maintaining that strength over a period of time requires muscle endurance (think walking 30 minutes or more in a park).
Strength, power and endurance are important for us to move around safely. The body monitors this by checking the tension and length of the muscles and feeding this back to the brain according to the activity we’re carrying out. Age and having a condition that affects your nervous system, such as Parkinson’s, can interfere with this, so your body needs to work at staying strong enough to cope with life’s demands.
Checking your strength
The easiest ways to check your strength is through your grip and how strong your legs are. If you find any of the following impossible or hard, then you need to work on your strength:
- Opening a jar lid or a bottle top
- Playing tug of war with your grandchildren, children or dog
- Easily and safely altering the speed you walk from slow to fast
- Rising from a chair without the use of your arms (especially a low or soft one)
- Getting down to and up from the floor (even if holding on to something)
How do you get stronger muscles?
Building strength, power or endurance means following a physical activity programme at least twice a week. The weights you use or the time you spend on the programme must progressively, however gradually, build towards what is known as higher intensity resistance training. This type of training should involve the major muscle groups of the arms, legs and trunk (back and stomach).
Where and how can I do this?
Think about getting active at home at a time that suits you. This way you can spend as much or as little as you want on equipment, depending on your finances and the space you have. For some, this means building a home gym, but this isn’t necessary – weights (dumbbells), medicine balls, kettle bells and elastic resistance bands don’t cost the earth and don’t take up too much space. There are many online training programmes and DVDs that show you how to use this equipment.
Many gyms and leisure centres, and Parkinson’s local groups, offer sessions suitable for people with health conditions. Some personal trainers may be able to supervise or suggest appropriate exercise if you want to follow your own programme.
If you don’t have a lot of room or you don’t want to spend money on equipment or gym memberships, you can improvise. Given that the main muscles affected in Parkinson’s are the ones that keep you upright, you can use your body weight to strengthen your legs, and household objects, like a tin of beans, to strengthen your arms.
Not everyone finds it easy to be physically active. For many, movement itself might be a challenge at times. But if the reason you should build your strength is important enough, you will find a way to do it, or someone to help.
Think about working out at home at a time that suits you. This way you can spend as much or as little as you want on equipment, depending on your finances and the space you have.
Combine physical activity with daily activities, such as watching TV, waiting for the kettle to boil or brushing your teeth. Be inventive!
When the TV ads come on, stand up from your chair (without using your hands to push up, if possible) and do either 5 squats or 5 lunges on each leg before sitting back down. Fitter people should do jumping jacks.
Now lift your weights (a tin of beans in each hand will do). This exercise is more effective if you do it while standing. Lift the weights 10 times out to each side and back down, then 10 times forwards and back to your chest, then 10 times behind you. Finally, 10 times straight up to the ceiling and back to your shoulders.
Repeat the sit to stand and lunges/squats. End by sitting back down and reaching over to give yourself a pat on the back. Remember to do each arm to stretch the muscles out!