Physiotherapy and Exercise for Parkinson’s
Exercise is an important part of Parkinson’s management, but effective rehabilitation is about more than simply getting stronger. Parkinson’s can affect the size, speed, timing and automaticity of movement. Our therapists use Parkinson’s-specific rehabilitation principles to help you practise bigger, faster and more purposeful movement, using external targets and cues when helpful.
Our physiotherapists have advanced training in Parkinson’s rehabilitation, including PWR!Moves™ training and functional movement approaches. We draw on these principles to create individualized treatment rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all exercise program.
Treatment may include:
- Gait and walking retraining
- Amplitude and speed-based movement training
- Balance and postural control
- Strength, fitness and conditioning
- Supported treadmill training
- Turning, changing direction and transitional movements
- Dual-task training for situations where movement and thinking happen at the same time
- Strategies for freezing of gait (FOG)
- Falls risk assessment and individualized falls prevention
- Falls training and practising how to safely recover from the floor
- Outdoor and community walking
- Stairs, curbs and uneven surfaces
- Individualized home exercise programs
Solving Everyday Movement Challenges
Sometimes the most important part of Parkinson’s physiotherapy is figuring out how to make a difficult movement work better.
We break challenging activities into their individual movement components, identify what is getting in the way, and practise strategies that can make the task easier, safer and more efficient.
This may include working on getting up from a low chair, getting in and out of a car, rolling and moving in bed, navigating doorways or other freezing transitions, turning in tight spaces, walking outdoors or managing busy environments.
For people experiencing freezing of gait, we can explore different movement strategies, external cues and ways of approaching transitions to find what works best for you.
Rather than simply avoiding difficult movements, we help you understand them, practise them and develop strategies you can use in everyday life.
Falls Prevention, Confidence and Recovery
Falls risk in Parkinson’s disease is complex. It can be influenced by balance, strength, freezing, walking speed, turning, attention, dual-tasking and how you respond when you lose your balance.
Our physiotherapists can complete a falls risk assessment to identify the factors contributing to your individual risk and develop a plan to address them while continuing to encourage safe, meaningful activity.
When appropriate, treatment can also include falls training and floor recovery. This may involve practising how to respond to a loss of balance, how to get safely to the floor and how to get back up again.
Our goal isn't simply to tell you to “be careful.” It is to help you build the physical skills, strategies and confidence to keep moving.
Expertise and Ongoing Support
Parkinson’s changes over time, and rehabilitation should change with it.
Our therapists combine advanced training with a practical, encouraging and hands-on approach. We can help identify emerging movement challenges, adapt exercise and movement strategies, and support you in staying active throughout different stages of Parkinson’s disease.
We also believe Parkinson’s is best managed as a team. We work closely in partnership with your neurologist and with community recreation and exercise specialists to help connect rehabilitation with ongoing physical activity and support you in staying active beyond the clinic.
Whether you have recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, are noticing new movement challenges, or want support maintaining your mobility and independence, our goal is the same: to help you keep moving, stay engaged in the activities that matter to you, and live as actively and confidently as possible.
