Dr. Michael Okun, Co-Director of the UF Center for Movement Disorders & Neurorestoration and the Medical Director for the National Parkinson Foundation, talked with Dr. Craig Wax on the Your Health Matters podcast about Parkinson disease, the NPF “Aware in Care” initiative and much more. Listen here: Your Health…
Are your tremors making it difficult to control the computer mouse? Hand, arm or trunk tremors can interfere with fine motor precision. It can become difficult to position the pointer on the icon in which you are trying to click. Most computers will allow you to slow the speed of the mouse, therefore…
Should I be worried about an increased risk for osteoporosis and osteopenia with Parkinson’s Disease? There are now over a dozen published studies in the Parkinson’s disease literature and all point to an increased risk of osteopenia (thin bones), and to an increased risk of osteoporosis (brittle and fragile bones). A…
Postural instability is a common feature of Parkinson Disease. As a result of delayed reaction time, rigidity, bradykinesia, and poor control of the center of mass, falls occur. Falls are a leading cause of bone fractures, brain injuries, hospitalizations, and mortality of persons with Parkinson Disease. What can YOU do…
To improve legibility of handwriting, lean on table/desk with forearm and elbow while writing. This helps stabilize the upper arm which allows for better control at the hand.
Post doctoral fellow, Dr. Elizabeth Stegemoller is interviewed in a recent Parkinson’s Action Network feature. In February, the Parkinson’s Action Network hosted its inaugural Postdoctoral Investigator Poster Session inWashington,DC, at which 17 researchers presented their work in the field of Parkinson’s research. After the poster session, Dr. Stegemoller stayed in Washington…
The UF Center for Movement Disorders & Neurorestoration is excited to announce the itinerary for the 10th Annual Parkinson’s Disease Symposium for Patients, Caregivers, and Healthcare Providers. The event is on Saturday April 14th, 2012 and is being held at the: Alachua County Senior Recreational Center 5701 NW…
We are excited to announce that our 10th Annual Parkinson’s Disease Symposium is less than one month away and this year will be a little bit different. The Symposium will be on April 14th starting at 9am and will be held at the Alachua County Senior Center. For the first…
Poor posture is a hallmark feature of Parkinson’s disease. This stooped positioning has been associated with increased muscle rigidity or stiffness. The typical Parkinson’s posture includes: forward head, rounded shoulders, increased thoracic kyphosis, increased flexion of the trunk, and bending of the knees.
Perhaps contrary to a recent report in the New England Journal of Medicine, resistance training (or weight lifting) is quite beneficial for persons with PD. In a recent paper published from the Applied Neuromechanics Lab here at UF, resistance training led to significant and clinically relevant improvements in the length…
