I have a client, 70 years old, who is in the moderate phase of Parkinson's disease. She is quite flexible and very determined to keep herself moving, and an inspiration!
What kind of exercises would be safe and appropriate for a PD client?
Any constructive suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Pilates by definition

Here's my take: Parkinson's patients vary dramatically in their challenges and abilities (as does the general population). A well-rounded Pilates program should do well with your client, but special attention should be paid to the specific complaints she may be experiencing. Is her balance still good? Be careful
to keep her safe in that regard. Does she mention she has trouble turning over in bed? I like to always incorporate serratus, lat and oblique work, with the goal of keeping muscular coordination around the upper core as fluid as possible. Plank on elbows (one leg at a time extended until strong enough) Side plank on elbow (mod. with a hip lift, then to feet). Hope that helps her.

Thank you for your response. My client has some shoulder issues so your suggestions to keep the upper core strong and fluid with serratus and lat work may be a bit of a challenge. I will try a modified version and see where that takes us. Turning over is hard for her but with some help she manages to succeed.
Her balance is quite good. I put her on the Bosu and the inflatable discs. She does stay up for a fairly good amount of time.
Even with all that is going with her she is extremely determined not to give in to this disease. Quite an inspiration. It's clients like her that make what we do such a wonderful, fulfilling experience!

I have been working with Parkinson's client for the last year. I can't believe that Pilates isn't used more often in Parkinson's centers. Balance, strength, flexibility - all things that they need to maintain and hold on to. I've found hip work in the straps to be very helpful for general range of motion and more importantly coordination. In many cases, the brain loses the ability to control movement in the body so I place a high value on repititons to create muscle memory and hopefully even forge new pathways/connections in the nervous system. Breathing is very important for their lung function but also because the muscles around the rib cage can get very tight making their breathing constricted. Deep breathing and expanding the rib cage feels like a stretch to my client. I also spend a lot of time on serratus and lat work and avoide a lot of flexion. Hopefully this helps. I'm always looking for other instructors to share Parkinson's ideas with so keep the posts coming!