Delivering a punch to Parkinson’s: Exercise shown to slow progression of disease

By Tessa Roy
Posted 9/15/16

It’s mid-morning at Fight2Fitness, a boxing gym in Pawtucket. People prepare their bodies before the hour-long session begins, walking laps and throwing a few warm-up punches at the bags hanging …

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Delivering a punch to Parkinson’s: Exercise shown to slow progression of disease

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It’s mid-morning at Fight2Fitness, a boxing gym in Pawtucket. People prepare their bodies before the hour-long session begins, walking laps and throwing a few warm-up punches at the bags hanging around the facility.

This isn’t just any boxing class though; each person here has Parkinson’s disease, a progressive neurological disorder effecting movement. The Rhode Island Chapter of the American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) estimates that anywhere between 1,000 to 2,000 people in the state are living with the disease.

Richard and Alyssa Gingras, owners of Fight2Fitness, started the Rock Steady program for Parkinson’s patients two and a half years ago when one man came in searching for ways to fight the disease.

“I didn’t know much about Parkinson’s at that time, but I knew good health is good for everybody,” Richard said. “We started working him out and he got significantly better, so we started putting the Rock Steady program together.”

Fight2Fitness then became the Rhode Island location of Rock Steady Boxing, a national program for Parkinson’s patients located at gyms around the nation. It took off quickly. Gingras said the program now has more than 100 members, most with Parkinson’s but others with neurological disorders or issues. Exercise is the only thing known to prevent the progression of Parkinson’s, he said, and Rock Steady classes provide plenty of it.

According to the National Parkinson Foundation, there is no standard treatment for the disease as each affected person’s symptoms differ. However, it lists medication, surgical therapy, and “lifestyle modifications” like resting and exercise as common forms of treatment.

“I think all exercise is good for Parkinson’s disease,” says Dr. Joseph Friedman, chief of the Butler Hospital Movement Disorders Program. “Medications may be helpful for today and tomorrow, but exercise is an investment in the future.”

Warwick resident Gary Melino visits the gym four times a week.

“But if we had classes eight times a week…” Gingras started.

“I’d be here!” Melino finished.

Knowing the benefits he’s reaped from the classes, it’s easy to see why he enjoys it so much.

Melino was diagnosed with Parkinson’s 10 years ago and at first, didn’t pursue any forms of therapy besides taking medication.

“For years, I was in denial that it bothered me,” he said.

At the urging of his wife Margarita, he eventually got a personal trainer to exercise with him in his home. When they saw the Rock Steady program advertised in a local paper, she suggested he try it. Melino, however, was skeptical.

“I said, ‘I’m 66 years old, I’m not going to box!” Melino said.

In January, he gave it a shot. He ended up having fun and was “sweating like a pig” by the end of his workout. He got a grant from the Rhode Island Chapter of APDA to help pay half of the $100 per month cost of classes, and has never been happier.

“I move a lot better now,” he said.

Melino said the constant movements required in boxing greatly improved his quality of life. Everyday tasks, like getting in and out of chairs and picking up dropped items from the floor, are now easier for him. His balance and posture has improved; he no longer stands in a hunch, a characteristic Parkinson’s trait, as much as he did previously. But perhaps most importantly, Gingras points out that Melino smiles all the time - his inability to do so previously was a factor in his diagnosis.

That may be due to the incredibly social atmosphere at the Rock Steady classes, a factor Dr. Friedman says is also beneficial to Parkinson’s patients. People talk, laugh, hug, and help each other put on their boxing gloves.

“It’s a community and that’s how we want it. That’s why they keep coming back,” Alyssa Gingras said. “They feel like they’re a part of something.”

That Friday, Richard led the class. He helps people stretch, gets them yelling (Parkinson’s Disease effects vocal strength), and motivates them while they slug away at the bags in front of them.

“ROCK!” he yelled at various times throughout the class.

“STEADY!” came the responses.

Attendance to the classes can be anywhere from 28 to 35 people, and Gingras expects even more to come. He has plans to expand the program and create a 7,000 square foot area called Parkinson’s Place, a facility for therapy and exercise classes. Melino is happy about the expansion as he recommends the classes to friends often.

“It’s a good place and it works,” he said.

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