Parkinsons

Physiotherapy aims to keep you moving safely and independently, with your body in as good a working condition as possible. A physiotherapist (also known as a physical therapist) is often a member of the multidisciplinary team, that is, a group of professionals with different areas of expertise, who together will help you manage your symptoms and maximise your quality of life.

Physiotherapists use exercise and other forms of physical therapy to help you keep your functional independence. Physiotherapists work in hospital and community settings as well as in people’s homes.

The key aims of physiotherapy in Parkinson's are:

- to maintain and improve functional ability and independence
- to correct and improve posture and balance
- to minimise the risk of falls
- to allow strength and flexibility to be maintained
- to enhance daily activities (getting in and out of bed, rising from a chair)
- to maintain a safe walking pattern (with or without mobility aids)
- if freezing is evident, coping strategies such as auditory or visual cues may be taught
- to improve manual activities (reaching and grasping)
- to maintain respiratory function through breathing exercises
- to teach relaxation techniques
- to educate carers.