An evidence-based exercise regimen for patients with mild to moderate Parkinson's disease.

Overview

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurological disorder that is manifested in the form of both motor and non-motor symptoms such as resting tremor, bradykinesia, muscular rigidity, depression, and cognitive impairment. PD is progressive in nature, ultimately leading to debilitating disruption of activities of daily living. Recently, a myriad of research has been focused on non-pharmacological interventions to alleviate the motor and non-motor symptoms of the disease. However, while there is a growing body of evidence supporting exercise as a viable therapy option for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, there is a lack of literature enumerating a specific exercise sequence for patients with PD. In this literature review, we analyze the success of specific modalities of exercise in order to suggest an optimal exercise regimen for Parkinson's disease patients.