Physiotherapy plays a very important role for people with Parkinson’s Disease. A key difficulty is that people find that their movement is slower and stiffer and their posture is more stooped. They may have difficulty walking and with everyday tasks such as getting in and out of bed.
An early referral to physiotherapy is strongly recommended but we can provide treatment to people with Parkinson’s from early diagnosis to longer term management.
Neuro-Physiotherapy Treatment for Parkinson’s Disease
In the initial stages we will assess your walking, muscle strength, muscle length, balance and posture. Maintaining a good posture is very important when you have Parkinson’s, this is because your muscles and joints stiffen up and your mobility can be reduced.
We incorporate the Bobath Concept into our therapy and provide hands on treatment. We will set up, progress and monitor a home exercise programme and provide advice and support to both the patient, their family and carers.
The Benefits of Neuro-Physiotherapy Treatment for Parkinson’s Disease
Our aim for people with Parkinson’s disease is to:
- Work to strengthen and stretch your body
- Teach you strategies to improve your walking
- Improve your posture and balance
- Work on stiff muscles and joints to maintain your mobility
- Teach techniques to help make some automatic movements easier
- Prevent falls
- Help to maintain your independence
- Maintain or improve effective breathing
- Improve your voice control
- Increase your confidence with moving and everyday activities
- Improve your quality of life
We treat everyone as an individual so each person will have different needs. However, we have found that most people benefit from approximately 6 physiotherapy sessions, together with regular review visits every 3-6 months.
To discuss how we may be able to help you or one of your family members, please contact Sally Watt, our Practice Manager, on (01306) 888171.