Does Forced Exercise Using a Motorized Bicycle at Home Make Sense Now to Treat the Symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease?
Therapy-Cycle.com
Your Home for Parkinson's Disease Cycling Therapy Information and News.
Does using a motorized cycle that does not spin at 80-90 RPMs make sense now to treat the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease?
The data so far indicates that forced pedaling at high RPMs does appear to dramatically reduce some of the symptoms of Parkinson's disease and may slow the progression, but the studies are a work in progress.
It is almost too good to be true; put your feet in the pedals, let the motorized cycle spin your legs and you can radically reduce the symptoms of an insidious disease-no drugs or invasive surgery. Even if the pedal therapy doesn't work as well as present data suggests, the exercise is great and has been recommended for Parkinson's patients for years.
Pedaling therapy at 70+ RPMs is not a walk in the park-more like a jog, but you can sit at home in a chair and watch TV while your legs are spinning.
Should you buy a motorized cycle now?
Should you buy a motorized cycle now or wait until the evidence is conclusive? That is your decision, but stationary cycling has been recommended by doctors and physical therapists for years for Parkinson’s patients. High quality, low priced, motorized mini cycles, that spin up to 70+ RPMs, can be purchased for less than $130. Pedaling is a safe way (no chance of falling) to exercise the leg muscles (and the arm muscles) and burn some calories. Always check with your doctor before starting an exercise program. Pedaling a motorized mini-cycle is easy and the benefits are obvious.
Exercise is Good for You
As Dr. Alberts explains, forced exercise is "a very simple intervention that doesn't require a lot of fancy equipment, and it doesn't require medications... We all know that exercise is good for you. And if we can improve brain function, to me that's pretty exciting."
