Fight Against Parkinson's
What is Parkinson's?
Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative neurological disorder. It causes your brain to
produce less dopamine which makes it di-cult for your body to coordinate movements
and manage emotions. Approximately 60,000 people a year are diagnosed with
Parkinson’s in the United States, according to the National Institutes of Health.
There’s no cure for Parkinson’s and treatments are tailored to manage the individual’s
symptoms versus reversing the effects. However, studies have shown that exercise may
have a protective effect on the brain and help slow the disease’s progression, according
to research in the journal Neurology.
Symptoms generally develop slowly over the years. The progression of symptoms often varies from one person to the next due to the diversity of the disease.
People with Parkinson's Disease may experience:
- Tremors
- Bradykinesia (slowness of movement)
- Limb rigidity
- Gait and balance problems
How does boxing affect Parkinson's?
Parkinson’s disease occurs when neurons that produce the neurotransmitter dopamine
start to die in a part of your brain called the substantia nigra. Exercise is thought to help
slow down or possibly even reverse the progression of Parkinson’s disease by causing
neurological changes in your brain. Studies have found that exercise may have neuroprotective effects on the brain by increasing your body’s production of brain-derived
neurotrophic factors (BDNF) and growth factors that promote the growth of
brain cells.
Why Choose the Cycle Boxer?
We believe that the Cycle Boxer could be extremely beneficial to those suffering from Parkinson’s Disease. The Cycle Boxer from LifeSpan Fitness is a total body fitness solution that combines pedaling and punching to give you a heart-pumping workout that conditions the body from head to toe so users can practice balance, strengthen lean muscles and improve hand-eye coordination. We believe these physical benefits have the power to change the lives of Parkinson’s patients and help to lessen symptoms.
More Research Needed
Although the research that has been done regarding the positive effects boxing has on Parkinson’s Disease is encouraging, it’s important to know that more substantial evidence is needed to fully understand the benefits of boxing for Parkinson’s Disease. There’s little known about the exact number of consecutive weeks, times per week, or minutes per week needed to see the most benefits. We hope to work together in furthering this research so it can reach those who need it most.
Conclusion
Intense exercise is thought to slow down the progression of Parkinson’s Disease by
stimulating neurological changes in your brain. Boxing in particular has received a lot of
attention for its potential to slow down the progression of Parkinson’s Disease. We strongly believe that the Cycle Boxer has the potential to have a positive impact on those struggling with Parkinson’s and help to relieve them of their symptoms. More research is needed to fully understand boxing’s benefits, but the research that has been done is promising. We would ask that you consider how the Cycle Boxer could impact the lives of your patients. We would love to continue to create products that would benefit this group of people.
