CE Correspondence Courses for Health and Fitness Professionals

Exercise and Parkinson's Disease
Exercise and self-help strategies for clients living with Parkinson’s disease.

By Lynn Macbeth, PT, MA, MS, GCS

Parkinson’s disease is considered by many to be the primary neurological disease of the elderly. Learn the cardinal signs, common symptoms and associated physical impairments of the condition. A complete section is devoted to specific exercise-management strategies and program-design considerations.

Course Objectives:

• Provide a general overview of the clinical condition of PD
• Identify the cardinal signs of PD
• List the direst and indirect impairments of PD and factos that may aggravate symptoms
• Outline management strategies for PD
• Discuss the benefits of regular physical activity in the management of PD
• Explain the essential components of an exercise program for a client with PD
• Discuss exercise design for clients with PD with respect to mode, intensity, duration, frequency, and progression of exercise
• Discuss pain and energy conservation considerations relevant to exercise design
• Outline general exercise considerations and recommendations for clients with PD
• Explain appropriate health screeniing methods and exercise monitoring techniques for clients with PD
• Identify common classifications of drugs used i n the treatment of PD and their effect on the exercising client
• Outline professional responsibilities of the clinical exercise specialist when working with a client with PD
• Identify a multidisciplinary team approach for the PD client