US charity Parkinson’s Foundation and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) have shared new exercise recommendations for people living with Parkinson’s disease.
The release of the guidelines followed a meeting hosted by Parkinson’s Foundation, which brought together experts in fields including exercise, physical therapy and medicine – and the recommendations are built upon the ACSM’s science-based standards for exercise testing and prescription.
The guidelines recommend 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise per week across four types of fitness activities: aerobic; strength training; balance, agility and multitasking; and stretching. They also suggest that people with Parkinson’s should consult a physical therapist specialising in the condition for an individual evaluation.
John Lehr, president and CEO of Parkinson’s Foundation, said: “As a leader in driving better health outcomes and quality of life for people with Parkinson’s, these exercise recommendations are an important framework to ensure the [Parkinson’s] community is receiving safe and effective exercise program and instruction.”
