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- Jud Eson
- Mar 22
- 2 min read
Spring has sprung! With the warmer weather comes the desire to stay outdoors and walk more. If you found yourself being a bit more sedentary this cold and snowy winter, this blog post is for you! A walking program is the perfect way to get back into exercising after a period of inactivity.
Walking program tips
Give yourself rest days. Try not to start walking every day all of a sudden. Your body will not be used to the activity and any significant spike in activity could put you at risk of developing pain related to muscles, tendons, or bones.
Focus on time. Work into increasing your time walking before you work on speed.
Start on level ground. Avoid hills or any elevation changes as you are getting started.
Stick to the same path. If you start with walking around your neighborhood, try to keep with the same environment. Familiarity helps with balance, especially if you are someone that has a hard time doing two things at once.
Stretch. Save static stretches for after the walk, not before. Static stretches when you are "cold" are not ideal.
Stay hydrated. You would be surprised with how any change in activity can impact our hydration!
Build slowly. Work on increasing the total time of walking each week, not every day. If you build slowly, your body will have an easier time adjusting to the activity.
Have a recovery day. Pick a walking day that is less than the others to help your muscles and joints actively recover. Recovery days are not rest days. Recovery days are meant for you to stay active but the intensity of the activity is much lower.
Write it down. Write down your walking program and put it somewhere you see every day to hold you accountable.
Add a circuit. If you have a hard time walking for longer than 10 minutes at a time, do a few rounds of walking at a time that is less than what you could do. See below for an example.
Walking program including a circuit example
Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday | |
Week 1 | 5 minutes | Rest | 5 minutes | Rest | 5 minutes | 3 minutes | Rest |
Week 2 | 2 rounds: 4 minutes walking, 2 minutes rest in between | Rest | 2 rounds: 4 minutes walking, 2 minutes rest in between | Rest | 2 rounds: 4 minutes walking, 2 minutes rest in between | 5 minutes | Rest |
Week 3 | 3 rounds: 4 minutes walking, 2 minutes rest in between | Rest | 3 rounds: 4 minutes walking, 2 minutes rest in between | Rest | 3 rounds: 4 minutes walking, 2 minutes rest in between | 5 minutes | Rest |
Week 4 | 3 rounds: 5 minutes walking, 2.5 minutes rest in between | Rest | 3 rounds: 5 minutes walking, 2.5 minutes rest in between | Rest | 3 rounds: 5 minutes walking, 2.5 minutes rest in between | 5 minutes | Rest |
The most important part of a walking program is being consistent! No matter how long you decide to walk, just be consistent.
As always, contact your doctor before starting an exercise program.
- Jud Eson
- Mar 12
- 2 min read
Drugs like Ozempic are a new but very well known prescription drug that is used for weight loss and to lower blood sugar for those with diabetes. There has been lots of questions about the impact that it has on Parkinson's as more and more people are being prescribed these medications to combat obesity and diabetes. A few recent studies have been published looking at those effects. Let's see what they found.
There are some studies that show there may be a link between the sensitivity to insulin and PD progression, which led to the research around diabetes medication and PD. A recent clinical trial tested whether medications like Ozempic can be used as a treatment for people with PD who are specifically in the earlier stages of the disease. The study found that one medication, lixisenatide, helped movement symptoms. This study was done in mice, not in humans so this study alone cannot be used to guide treatment. Recently, there was another study that looked at the effects of lixisenatide on humans!
That study had 50 participants, all with Parkinson's, who were randomly assigned to receive lixisenatide or a placebo. A placebo is a sugar pill, meaning the pill has no effect on their body systems but the participant does not know it is not the real medication. All participants were in the early stages of PD and were instructed to continue taking their dopaminergic medications. Participants were in this study for 12 months, which is a very long study. People who received lixisenatide showed better results with their movement symptoms compared to just the placebo group. What is important to note is that the lixisenatide group did not show improvements, but they stayed the same. The placebo group reported worsening of symptoms at the end of the study. Even further, both groups were measured for 2 months after the trial was over and the lixisenatide medication and placebo medication was stopped. The lixisenatide group continued to report less symptoms compared to the placebo group.
The side effects of the medication is very important to mention. Those who were in the lixisenatide group reported GI side effects, mostly nausea and vomiting. 28 people in the study asked to take a lower dose because of the side effects.
There is still so much we do not know, but seeing medications that can help slow the progression is really promising.
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- Jud Eson
- Feb 25
- 2 min read
Parkinson's can happen at any age. For some, you may be diagnosed after retirement. For others, you may still be working. Working with PD is possible, but it comes with challenges. Let's discuss everything you need to know about working with PD.
Challenges when working
Bradykinesia and rigidity can make any tasks with fine motor control such as typing or writing difficult. Rigidity may also lead to discomfort and pain that can impact work.
Many experience fatigue, which can make completing tasks or working a full day challenging.
Cognitive changes can impact your ability to concentrate on your work and problem solve difficult.
Anxiety, depression, and apathy can also influence your work.
Speech changes can make communication challenging.
American's with Disability Act
The American's with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects people with disabilities from discrimination in all areas of public life. If you have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits at least one major life activities, then you are considered to have a disability. Employers must provide "reasonable accommodations" to qualified employees that allow then to do their job. These accommodations must not cause "undue hardship" to the employer.
Accommodations may include changing your hours, allowing you to work remotely, provide technologies or devices to help, and include breaks throughout your day.
You do not have to disclose your diagnosis to work unless you are requesting accommodations. If you do disclose your diagnosis, you do not have to go into detail other than how PD impacts your ability to complete your work tasks. Once you and your employer have agreed upon accommodations, always get it in writing.
Family medical leave act
Working and living in the US allows you to qualify for 12 weeks of unpaid leave for medical related purposes due to the Family Medical Leave Act. This time off can be used on an intermittent basis which is helpful for if you have days that you cannot go into work or if you need longer time off. Eligibility does depend on how long you have been employed, so talk with your employer.
Disability
Short term disability
Short term disability helps cover temporary conditions that prevent an employee from working for a limited time. Examples include surgery, childbirth, or injuries that require medical leave.
Long term disability
Long term disability provides income replacement for an extended period of time for employees who are unable to work due to serious medical conditions. Long term disability can last for months up to retirement age.
Most employers provided disability plans only replace a portion of your income, not the full income.
Social Security Disability Insurance
This type of insurance is available to those who have paid social security taxes but cannot work due to disability. To be eligible, you must have pain social security taxes and worked for a certain number of years, your disability must be expected to last at least 12 months, and your symptoms must be severe enough to meet social security's definition of disability. Impairments include motor and sensory dysfunction (like tremors and rigidity), mobility and dexterity challenges, and cognitive impairment.
You must provide detailed medical records, documentation of any functional limitations, and information regarding your work history.
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