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(NBC, KYMA\/KECY) – Parkinson’s disease affects nearly 1 million people in the United States.<\/p>\n
Patients are usually given medication or surgery, but some doctors add another prescription: boxing.<\/p>\n
Loane Tanning, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease a year ago, found new hope in an unexpected cure.<\/p>\n
“Maybe my favorite part of this class is actually hitting the bag. It’s very iconic. This is how you have to fight Parkinson’s. I have.” “<\/p>\n
Rocksteady Boxing, a non-profit organization, has developed a contactless boxing curriculum for Parkinson’s patients around the world.<\/p>\n
“And sometimes, when I say left, throw a left uppercut, and when I say right through a right uppercut, say left, left, right, try and change it up It’s challenging them,” continued Tanning.<\/p>\n
Every week, Greg Demetriou, a fellow Parkinsonian, joins Lorne.<\/p>\n
“I feel pretty much leveled off. I’m not declining. There’s nothing worth talking about…the disease is trying to do the same thing it’s trying to do.” But I can work against it… Agility, balance, speed, power, all of these things that you have to put into a variety of exercises are useful in the major leagues.”<\/p>\n
he is not alone. Small studies have found that boxing can help reduce falls and improve walking speed and endurance in people with Parkinson’s disease.<\/p>\n
It can also boost your mood.<\/p>\n
In fact, most of the Rocksteady boxers surveyed said the Rocksteady curriculum improved their social life, fatigue, depression and anxiety.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat I see most often is improvements in non-motor symptoms. For example, people feel encouraged. They have a better social life because they have someone they can connect with. I feel they don’t feel insecure. [and] It made me less depressed…they essentially made friends [that] People who have Parkinson’s disease understand Parkinson’s disease and understand what they’re going through,” said Daniel Larson, M.D., an assistant professor of neurology at Northwestern University.<\/p>\n
Overall, these classes are making an impact.<\/p>\n
“Certainly found [something] Beyond community consciousness. I found friendship, I found compassion, [and] I found it very good to know that you weren’t the only one,” Tanning concluded.<\/p>\n
To date, Rocksteady Boxing has found its way to over 40,000 boxers in 14 countries battling Parkinson’s disease.<\/p>\n
For these patients, every day is a new fighting chance.<\/p>\n
When asked about the day he will be out of boxing, Demetriou said:<\/p>\n
“Yes, it scares me badly, and I’m going to fight it as best I can.”<\/p>\n
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