ROCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — In any fight, knowing your enemy is key.
When it comes to Parkinson's disease, the strategy involves targeted strength and cognition training to slow control-sapping symptoms like tremors. That's why Steve Warren is bringing a popular, study-backed boxing program to the Seacoast to give hundreds of local residents a new way to potentially punch above the disease's weight class.
"It's ammunition," Warren said of the program, Rock Steady Boxing, which begins this September inside the Rochester Community Center. "It's ammunition so as they're developing symptoms and progressing through this disease, they develop new ways to fight it, and regain confidence."
The nonprofit Rock Steady started in Indianapolis in 2006. Since then, it's expanded to over 800 certified affiliates nationwide as evidence showed the competitive, non-contact fitness program could help people in various stages of Parkinson's maintain or improve their coordination and strength.
During each 90-minute session, boxers only hit bags or their padded coach, never each other, Warren said. The exercises can be modified for people in wheelchairs and others with mobility limitations. The exercises also heavily emphasize cognition and problem-solving games, along with verbal commands to help combat the loss of vocal and swallowing control.
"It's growing because there's a need for it," Warren said of the program.
Warren said Rock Steady is a natural addition to his Rochester Shotokan Karate Dojo, located on the 150 Wakefield St. community center's second floor, because he's been steadily growing his clinical and therapeutic offerings over the years.
He said he and coach Andy Settle decided they wanted to try to put Parkinson's on the ropes after many of the providers and assisted living facilities they work with started referring people with the disease to the dojo for tai chi.
"It doesn't give the same intensity," Warren said while comparing tai chi and boxing, both of which Shotokan will incorporate as part of the techniques they use to teach people how to prevent falls and reduce injuries from falls. "Studies have shown some intense exercise helps."
The closest Rock Steady programs for people with Parkinson's are in Concord, Laconia and Saco, Maine, according to Warren. Providing a closer program for local residents makes sense to him because experts have told him there could be as many as 1,600 people living with Parkinson's on the Seacoast, based on the fact the disease affects an estimated 1.5 million people nationwide and as much as 1 percent of people over 60 years of age.
"We don't call our boxers 'patients,'" said Warren. "They're fighters. They're fighting Parkinson's and we want to support that."
While a boxing program won't deal a knockout blow to the presently incurable disease, people with Parkinson's like Deputy Rochester Mayor Ray Varney say they've found Rock Steady has made a noticeable difference.
Varney was diagnosed 10 years ago and has been driving once a week to the Concord Rock Steady program for the past six years. In addition to positive signs about his physical strength, Varney said he's noticed another encouraging sign since he started boxing.
"It's not always obvious," Varney said of tracking the progression of his symptoms. "What you notice is how much medication you have to take. I'm on the same amount of medication I was on seven or eight years ago. It's nonstop, but you just want to slow it down as much as you can."
And the benefits aren't just physical, according to Varney. He said Rock Steady also serves as a support group, breaking down the depression and isolation many experience while living with the disease.
"No one's afraid to swap information about medications, or 'here's what idiotic thing happened to me yesterday,'" said Varney, who also gardens and does other activities to slow the disease.
Rock Steady utilizes volunteers and caregivers as cornermen to help encourage and support the boxers through the exercises and disease, Warren said.
In addition to recruiting boxers during the Rochester program's upcoming open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 7, Warren said he's looking for additional volunteers and coaches so they can best serve participants in the program. He said he also plans to reach out to the University of New Hampshire's physical therapy program to tie in their students and expertise.
Rochester Shotokan Karate Dojo's will host two Rock Steady classes every Monday and Wednesday, from 1 to 3 p.m. and from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. It will also host a class on Saturdays from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Classes begin Sept. 2.
Warren's implementation of the program is in conjunction with New England Wellness and Martial Arts.
Online: https://bit.ly/2HqFjtN
https://www.sfchronicle.com/news/article/Fighting-Parkinson-s-as-boxers-not-patients-14379746.php
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