Fly with Me

More Chair Exercises for Parkinson's Disease

Shoulder Exercise - Trapezius Stretch
Sitting upright - head up - eyes forward - hands at rest in your lap or on your knees
Raise your ribcage so that you free up your diaphragm for breathing
Slowly raise your arms in front of you and to a full upright position over your head
Arms as close to your ears as possible
Try to grasp your thumbs to help with the stretch.

Depending upon the chair armed or armless - pick one
Armed: bring your arms down slowly in front of you and return your hands to your knees, thighs or lap
Armless: Move your arms to the side-parallel to the floor, bring your arms down and slowly return them to the starting position.

Repeat your stretch 4 more times.
Make sure that your can breathe by raising-opening the rib cage as you sit in an upright position

Flap Your Wings
Sitting upright - head up - looking ahead
Make fists and turn them thumbs to the sky
Bend your arms - and anchor your hands at the front of your rib cage - thumbs up
Flap your arms from the elbows.
Moving your arms back is more important than front move for this flap.
Can you feel the stretch?
Repeat a few times

Bodybuilders Posture without the shoulder drop or body twist

Same position - same fists at ribcage
Elbows lead - wrists may follow the arms forward
Resist the impulse to bend into the movement - try to remain erect.
Repeat 4 times to feel the shoulder (trapezius) stretch and the stretch of the triceps.

We will continue to add other chair exercises as they are developed.
Please feel free to contact us if you have questions or comments.

Concerning the weaker side of the body:
We have found that often during these exercises it is necessary for the assistant/the reader to hold the strong side so that the weaker side can exercise. Sometimes it is necessary to guide the weaker side once as an example. Do not be upset if there is additional tremor. That is not surprising because these motions can be intense for stiff muscles.

Previously posted chair exercises:
http://parkinsonsfocustoday.blogspot.com/2009/02/shakin-all-over.html
http://parkinsonsfocustoday.blogspot.com/2009/02/arm-swing-exercise-for-parkinsons.html