4.2 Understanding Parkinsons Disease for Exercise Professionals

Parkinsons is a progressive neurological condition with approximately two people in every thousand being diagnosed with the condition. 

Largely a condition for the over 50s - just like stroke and MS everybody's experience of Parkinsons differ

This course brings you the knowledge that you need to be able to Network with Medical professionals and work with clients who are diagnosed with Parkinsons   and to understand their needs and so combine what you hear with your skills and the exercises offered on follow up workshops to build suitable and effective programmes.

The most important thing to remember with this often-confusing neurological condition is to treat each client as an individual and to understand that the client's ability to do an exercise might change from session to session : 

• At the end of this course you will :
• Understand the symptoms most often associated with Parkinsons
• Recognise the affects of Tremor on control during movement 
• Understand the effects of Muscular rigidity on movement and posture
• Recognise why clients tend to move slowly and tire easily
• Understand co-ordination problems associated with Parkinsons
• Understand non-motor symptoms associated with parkinsons disease including tiredness, pain, mood issues, swalling problems, sleep issues as wella s bladder and bowel issues
• Understand that Parkinsons symptoms vary from person to person and from hour to hour in the same person
• Understand how Parkinsons is diagnosed
• Understand how Parkinsons progresses
• Understand how Parkinsons is treated
• Recognise impulsive and compulsive behaviour in clients with Parkinsons
• Understand the importance of exercise for clients with Parkinsons
• Identify compensatory Patterns resulting from Muscle weakness
• Understand the affects of Parkinsons on Balance
• Understand the affects of parkinsons on Gait
• Gain confidence and tips in working to guidelines in  designing a Program for a client with Parkinsons
• Understand Workout basics for most clients with this condition
• Develop SMART goals for each client

This course is appropriate for all movement or exercise professionals who are working with clients or family members who have Parkinsons.

Whilst it is not necessary to be a Pilates Instructor in the least and this part of the course is mostly theoretical - the programming and many of the exercises chosen for this population require an empathy for the fundamentals of Pilates and there may be an assumption on the part of the tutor that you understand the basics of the Pilates movement system.  

This 'Understanding' Parkinsons course is not a qualification in its own right - it needs to be combined with 'Exercises for Neurological conditions' one day course to deliver a qualification as a Parkinsons exercise specialist. 

Pilates comprehensively trained or studio trained instructors can choose to also take a second day of Pilates exercises for Neurological conditions which is geared towards Pilates Apparatus (Cadillac, Reformer, Chair, Barrels) in order to upgrade their qualification from parkinsons Exercise specialist to Parkinsons Pilates specialist.

The two exercise days (Exercise for Neurological conditions and Pialtes exercises for Neurological conditions) are common to other Neurological conditions and can be combined with other one day courses to provide qualifications focussed on these Neurological conditions

Understanding Stroke for Exercise Professionals
Understanding Multiple Sclerosis for Exercise Professionals