Parkinson’s Disease (PD) is a neuro-degenerative disease, second only to Alzheimer’s in importance. The most common symptoms are tremors, slowness and stiffness of movement, impaired balance, rigidity of the muscles, stooped posture and soft speech. There is a steady loss of cells responsible for the production of dopamine, a neurotransmitter which acts as a messenger between the brain cells which control movement.
The cure for PD has not yet been found, however there are many medications which make up for some of the lost dopamine. As well, there are several therapies whch help to alleviate symptoms: physiotherapy helps with mobility, flexibility, and balance; occupational therapy helps with the activities of daily life; speech therapy helps control the voice; exercise helps with muscle tone and joints as well as improving one’s general health and well-being. The courses offered by Parkinson en mouvement make use of all four of these approaches.