Quinn, Pamela G.
Neurology Now: December/January 2017 - Volume 13 - Issue 6 - p 40
doi: 10.1097/01.NNN.0000527846.20825.6b
Departments: Speak Up
One morning, my teenaged son called me from the subway entrance near City Hall in Lower Manhattan. He had forgotten his wallet and had no MetroCard or money to get to school. For most people, this would be a simple problem to solve: I live six blocks from the station—just a 10-minute dash. But ordinary tasks aren't easy for me. I've had Parkinson's disease for more than 22 years. When my son called, I was in my pajamas and had not taken my medication, which meant I was moving slowly and stiffly.
Without my morning cocktail of carbidopa/levodopa, my legs feel almost hollow. It's a weird feeling and hard to describe, but the upshot is that it's difficult for me to move. So how could I make it to the subway in time to help my son?
Suddenly, I had an idea. I could bike there!
It sounds laughable, I know. If I couldn't walk to the station, how could I possibly ride a bike? I got the idea from a video I've watched repeatedly of a Dutch man with Parkinson's disease who had severe motor problems while walking but could ride a bike beautifully.
The video has stumped researchers for years (http://bit.ly/NEJM-ManOnBike). How is such a transformation possible? Not only can the man in the video balance on his bike and move his legs in a coordinated fashion, his torso is upright, and he's able to look side to side to avoid traffic—none of which he can do off the bike. Every time I watch the video I'm fascinated by his ability to push against the pedals to propel himself.
Before my diagnosis, I was a professional dancer so I understand the physical value of pushing against a hard surface. I know that balance, posture, and the ability to jump all derive from the action of pushing against the floor.
So I got on my bike and began to pedal. I whizzed along as the breeze created by my speed blew my hair back. I was happy; I had been wobbly and stiff while standing, but on the bike my movements were fluid and strong. I felt confident and in control.
I looked for my son and saw him standing by the subway entrance, waiting for me. I gave him his wallet, refrained from kissing him (as any mother of a teenager must do), and turned around to return home as he quickly and deftly ran down the subway stairs.
Still unmedicated, I pedaled home, smiling. My son was on his way to school, and I was able to fulfill my role as a mom—all thanks to a Dutch patient and the people who documented his graceful cycling.
Pamela Quinn teaches a dance class for people with Parkinson's disease called PD Movement Lab at the Mark Morris Studio in Brooklyn, NY, at the JCC Manhattan, and privately. Her blog(http://pdmovementlab.com) offers movement strategies for those with the disease.
http://journals.lww.com/neurologynow/Fulltext/2017/13060/Pedal_Power__A_video_of_a_cyclist_with_Parkinson_s.20.aspx
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