Better movement through yoga for people with Parkinson's

April 23, 2018

Wes Kerlin was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in February of last year. In September, he started practicing yoga.

Jack Springer uses a wheelchair and has been attending yoga classes for six months. Although his movements are subtle to an observer, Caron Springer said yoga has improved her husband’s range of motion, “in his arms, for sure.”

“I started in November and I’m able to walk better,” said John Moore, who used to attend twice a week, “but I am also in a golf league. You’ve gotta keep going.”

All three men are regulars at Sterling Yoga in Mt. Lebanon, where Sterling Painton holds two sessions a week exclusively for people with Parkinson’s, a neurodegenerative disorder that affects approximately 1 million people in the United States.

She said her Parkinson’s practitioners are among her most resolute, showing up in bad weather when younger, more flexible people make excuses for missing classes.

“I’ve had PD people in my classes since 2003 and started doing PD-only classes in 2006,” she said. “These guys are inspiring. If they can push themselves, you can.”

Every Tuesday and Thursday at 1:30 p.m., 10 to 15 people, some with walkers, enter her studio. Some have jittery legs and hand tremors, some are hunched. For her PD sessions, she sets up chairs for seated motions and to provide support for standing movements.

One recent session drew 12 men with Parkinson’s and two of their wives.

“Everybody has water, right?” Ms. Painton said. “Drink your water.”

Then she began leading them through a series of movements — bending at the hip, sliding their hands down their legs, stepping, making back-scrubbing motions and reaching, as if to put a box on a high shelf.

“This stretch is going to help your neck!” she called out, putting her own invisible box up high. “Stretch your side body!”

She assessed the group and went back to help Joe Domaracki on a move by pairing her back to his and stretching from the waist. As she worked the room, she joked, cajoled, praised and took people in her arms to help them move.

“Put your right leg forward, Jack!” she said to Mr. Springer, taking his shin and moving it. Then he moved it on his own.

“Good!” she said

“Come up onto your toes, then press your heels down. Good job, Richard!”

Arm swoops that are fluid in most yoga classes are more rigid in this one. But toward the end of the hour, when she called out, “Hands touch above your head!” a few people made contact, clapping.

“Yesss!” Ms. Painton said, pumping her arm.

As lead them through punches, upper cuts and more marching, she had them lift their legs as high as they could.

“Look how high your legs are getting this week!” she said to Mr. Springer. “Jack, dude, you should be so proud of yourself.”

After a seated series of arm movements, she said, “Nice big inhale” to end the class.

Mr. Kerlin said he is now more conscious of how he feels when he doesn’t exercise.

“I tell myself I should be doing this more at home.”

Kim Cagni said Ms. Painton’s class has been a huge boost to her quality of life.

“Sterling captured me with her compassionate spirit and her knowledge of the disease and the day-to-day challenges PDer's face,” said Ms. Cagni, who was diagnosed 14 years ago at age 44. “She gives specific attention to each and tries to help all.”

Sterling Yoga is among few in the area to offer classes specific to people Parkinson’s. Brain Health Yoga at the Oxford Athletic Club in Wexford holds them every Monday and Thursday from 2 to 3 p.m.

The Parkinson Foundation of Western Pennsylvania has PD yoga every Friday at 1 p.m.

“I would encourage anyone who has a specific class to let us know so we can connect people to it,” said Caitlin Lasky, a spokesman for the foundation, which is in Bellevue.

She said one of the benefits of group yoga is social, as Parkinson’s “can be an isolating disease.”

A yoga instructor herself, she said holding postures improves muscle strength and balance, “but in general, exercise is one of the best things to prevent symptoms.

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