With Parkinson's disease, even the simplest everyday movements can become difficult to perform. Walking, sitting, or getting into bed may become difficult, slow, and tiring.
In this pathology, combined movements become the patients' enemies and the best weapon to defeat them is to divide each movement into linear sequences, simpler tasks.
Here, then, is some little advice that can make everyday management easier.
1) How to take longer steps:
a) Thinking in bigger steps (mental realization is key)
b) Place lines on the floor of the house with adhesive tape all at the same distance from each other and parallel to each other, which can be a visual guide. Go over the lines on the floor, landing with your heel first than your toes. Gradually try to increase the distance between the lines
2) How to manage the feeling of feet glued to the floor:
a) Stop, stand up and take a deep breath
b) Shift your weight from side to side. This will release the weight on the leg that goes first
step.
c) Think about taking BIG steps or crossing lines on the floor, landing heel first
than with your toes
3) How to walk in narrow spaces:
a) Try walking sideways
b) Focus on walking and think about taking bigger steps
4) How to turn around when walking:
a) Walk in an arc, avoiding sharp, fast turns
b) Use the clock face strategy by moving according to the quarter clock (3,6,9,12)
c) For tight spaces, try walking sideways
5) How to sit on a chair:
a) Walk towards the chair
b) Use the clock face strategy and turn/or gear to turn
c) Do this until the back of your knees touches the chair
d) Lean forward and bend your knees
e) Sit down slowly
6) How to get up from the chair:
a) Place your feet below your knees, not further forward
b) Move in front of the chair by shifting your weight from side to side
c) Bend forward, lift your butt and stand up
7) How to lie in bed:
a) Slowly lower yourself to a sitting position
b) Rest on your forearm, slowly lower yourself to your side and lift your legs
at the same time
c) Roll onto your back. Keep your knees bent and move your feet, hips and shoulders to the center of bed
8) How to get out of bed:
a) Bend your knees and place your feet on the bed
b) Move towards the edge of the bed by moving your feet, hips and shoulders
c) Roll to your side
d) Slide your legs off the bed and push yourself up to sit up using the bottom of the
arm
Valentina Carlile - Osteopath expert in Osteopathy applied to voice and speech disorders since 2002. For information and reservations visit the page Contacts