If you’ve ever seen someone having problems with coordination and balance, they may have Parkinson’s Disease. It’s important to note that Parkinson’s doesn’t begin to show itself with the most obvious symptoms we’re used to seeing. Parkinson’s progresses over time, with the first symptoms showing in the 60s, and for some, as early as the 50s.
Here at Physical Therapy Now in Irving, we treat patients who have Parkinson’s symptoms with a variety of proven treatments and therapies. But there’s one new treatment that’s making headlines, and it might surprise you.
How Ping Pong Can Help Treat Parkinson’s Disease
It was back in 2023 when a story about how ping pong can treat Parkinson’s symptoms was published by CBS. It featured Dr. Elizabeth Kera, who is a neuropsychologist at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey.
“The goal is to improve attention, movement, mood and social connection among people striving to outpace a progressive disease, which affects one in every 100 people age 60 and older. It is more common in men than in women. Kera said that when people with Parkinson’s disease are playing the game, areas of the brain that handle tasks like planning and problem-solving — usually impacted by the disease — are activated.”
Kera is also co-founder of the New Jersey chapter of Ping Pong Parkinson, “a New York-based nonprofit organization that raises awareness about the benefits of playing ping-pong. The group has more than 200 chapters in 26 countries and holds classes where Parkinson’s patients can play.”
The organization has grown tremendously over the years, and just this past September, held its The Ping Pong Parkinson World Championship in Austria. According to the organization’s website, “Our mission is to create a global sports movement that is inclusive and supportive of people with a Parkinson’s diagnosis. We love ping pong & use it to slow the progression of PD. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the fastest growing neurological condition in the world.”
More about Parkinson’s Disease
The science behind Parkinson’s is still a bit of a mystery. According to the National Institute on Aging:
“The most prominent signs and symptoms of Parkinson’s disease occur when nerve cells in the basal ganglia, an area of the brain that controls movement, become impaired and/or die. Normally, these nerve cells, or neurons, produce an important brain chemical known as dopamine. When the neurons die or become impaired, they produce less dopamine, which causes the movement problems associated with the disease. Scientists still do not know what causes the neurons to die.”
Parkinson’s Treatment and Therapy in Irving, Texas
Did you know that Physical Therapy Now offers treatment for the symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease? While there are medications that can treat the symptoms, we also provide therapies to help with walking, balance, coordination, strength, and much more. If you or a loved one needs treatment for Parkinson’s, call us at (214) 225-0291 so we explore the best treatment options together. Whether it’s Ping Pong that you choose, physical therapy or perhaps a combination of both, we’re here to help.
