• What is Parkinson’s
• What are the difficulties (obstacles, change weight from one foot to the other, different strategies depending on the different challenges, trust etc.)
  
• Time management of medicines in relation to the time class
• What are the priorities (ratio one to one expert dancer / parkinsonian, confidence building)
  
• Beat of music ​(gradual increase of the beat)
• Starting (warm up/socialization with a progressive circle dance)
• Mobility exercises
• Couple exercises
• Trust exercises
• Shift  couple exercises (home / house)
• Steps (reel – polka)
• Concentration exercises
• Demonstration dance
• Dance of the figures main movements in half set (repeated several times walking and dancing with music and appropriate steps)
• Individual dance movements (slow music)
• Full-length dance
• With groups experienced increase the the music speed
• Repeat several times the same figure

 

 

WHAT IS THE PARKINSON’S DESEASE

Parkinson’s is a neurodegenerative disease slowly progressive but gradual, involving, primarily, some functions such as the control of movement and balance. The disease belongs to a group of diseases called “Movement Disorders” and among them is the most frequent.

 

Walking Disorder

There is a reduction of the arms pendulum movement (usually more pronounced on one side), a fixed flexion posture  and a shorter step. Sometimes it has what is called “festination,” the patient tends to scuff the feet on the ground and increase the walking step, as if chasing its gravity center to prevent the fall. In this way the walk becomes similar to a race in very short step. For the patient with festination it becomes difficult to stop the way once it has arrived at its destination.

During the journey, in some cases, may occur sudden episodes of motor block (“freezing gait” or freezing of the gear) the feet seem glued to the floor. The phenomenon can manifest itself as a sudden inability to start the march or to change the direction. Or, is observed when the patient has to go through narrow passages (such as a door or a corridor) or walk in a crowded space. The freezing is a major cause of falls, so it is important to recognize it. This difficulty can be overcome by adopting some “tricks” such as lifting the knees, how to march  to climb stairs or consider the lines of the floor as obstacles to be overcome. Even the use of a verbal rhythm, military march, can be useful. The “freezing” of the march is not manifested by climbing stairs or walking on the water. Some rehabilitation techniques are inspired by that.

 

Stiffness

Is an involuntary  increase of muscle tone. The rigidity can be the first symptom of Parkinson’s disease, often begins on one side of the body. It can occur in the limbs, neck and trunk. The pendulum swing reduction of the upper limbs during walking is a sign of rigidity, slowness of movement associated with.

 

 

Slowness of movement (bradykinesia and akinesia)

Bradykinesia is a slowdown in the execution of movements and gestures, while akinesia is a difficulty in initiating the spontaneous movements. Most patients is aware of bradykinesia, which is referred to as annoying symptom, as it makes very slow even the simplest movements. It can interfere with most activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, walking, moving from one position to another (for example, from sitting to standing), roll over in bed.

Symptoms related to bradykinesia are: the change in the handwriting, which becomes smaller (micrograph); sialorrhea (increase in the amount of saliva in the mouth), due to a slowing down of the muscles involved in swallowing, the reduced expression of the face (hypomimia).

 

Balance disorder

It occurs more late in the course of the disease and is a symptom that involves “the axis of the body” is due to a reduction of righting reflexes, for which the subject is not able to correct any imbalances spontaneously. You can highlight when the person walks or change direction while walking. The reduction of balance is a risk factor for falls.

 

 

Mood disorders: Depression

The depressone is a frequent symptom in Parkinson’s disease, in all stages of disease. Often manifests years before of the motor disorders. The diagnosis is not always easy, because some signs of depression overlap with those of Parkinson’s disease (such as fatigue, hypomimia, apathy).