Prisma Health Magazine

PRISMA HEALTH MAGAZINE

Parkinson’s disease is a debilitating malady, cursing its victims with a variety of issues ranging from

involuntary movement to difficulty walking to troubling changes in speaking and

handwriting. And though most Parkinson’s patients are taking medication, many of them also are

fighting back – literally, in some cases – through exercise and rehab programs

and with the help of vibrant support groups.

Parkinson’s is a degenerative disease of the nervous sys- tem that affects cells in the brain which produce the chemical messenger dopamine. Its symptoms can include tremors; loss of sense of smell; very small handwriting; trouble moving or walking; constipation; speaking in a soft or low voice; trouble sleeping; and possibly dizziness or fainting. There’s no cure for Parkinson’s, but the disease itself is not fatal, and several drugs are available that have the potential to enhance a patient’s quality of life, according to Dr. Fredy J. Revilla, chief of neurol- ogy with Prisma Health in Greenville. These include levodopa, dopamine agonists and several other medications. Medications help, but exercising and maintaining an active lifestyle are just as important,

teers and family members. About 80% of the participants are men, Newton said, pointing out that Rock Steady Boxing is a non-contact activity. Boxers work on heavy bags, target mitts, speed bags and double-ended bags and participate in other activities that enhance balance, stability, fall prevention and muscle strength, but no one ever takes a punch. Cognitive function exercises are important as well. “We do things to help keep their brain sharp,” Newton commented. “We try to challenge them cognitively all the time. There’s a rhyme or reason in everything we do.” Some Parkinson’s patients graduate to Rock Steady Boxing after completing the LSVT BIG program. Offered at CORA Phys-

ical Therapy in Mount Pleas- ant, it consists of four intense, one-on-one sessions a week for four weeks. Clinic Man- ager and Physical Therapist Rudy Mosketti is among those certified to offer LSVT BIG. He said even after patients finish the program, they can return to CORA to work on specific issues such as balance. Or, he said, he can send them on to one of the area’s Rock Steady Boxing programs. “Once they reach a certain level of function, I’ll suggest an activity such as Rock

Dr. Revilla pointed out. He cited stretching, aerobics, yoga, Pilates and some forms of dancing as excellent options. “Exercise is the only mo- dality that has been proven to delay the disease,” he said. One form of exercise now embraced by more than 43,000 Parkinson’s patients at 871 locations around the world is Rock Steady Boxing, a non-contact activity that of- fers an array of conditioning, strength and cognitive func- tion exercises. Established in 2006 by Scott C. Newman,

Steady Boxing to continue their functional progress,” Mosketti explained. He added that staying active is vitally important for anyone with Parkinson’s disease. “The key is early referral to physical therapy,” he commented. “If you sit at home, function can deteriorate rapidly. You have to move.” There is another promising treatment option, according to Dr. Revilla, especially for patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease. Deep brain stimulation uses electrodes implanted in specific sections of the brain that produce electrical impulses aimed at regulating abnormal impulses. Dr. Revilla said DBS, now widely used in the United States and in other countries, can improve symptoms in Parkinson’s patients who are already

an Indiana attorney who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s at the age of 40, the program found a home at the Medical University of South Carolina Wellness Center in 2017. MUSC is now one of three sites in the Charleston area that offer Rock Steady Boxing. “It’s designed specifically for patients with Parkinson’s disease, and it could slow the progression of the symptoms,” said Wellness Center Director Janis Newton. “We feel that the sooner they start, the better the possibility of results.” Newton said around 40 people currently participate in Rock Steady Boxing at MUSC, generally twice a week. With nine coaches, each boxer gets a lot of attention, and those who need additional help receive it from “cornermen” – volun-

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