Parkinson's Disease Exercise Programme

In partnership with Parkinson’s UK and RGU, Sport Aberdeen has developed a specially designed programme to support people with Parkinson’s Disease to be active and live well. 

Who is the programme for?

The programme is aimed at people living with a new diagnosis who may have mild/controlled symptoms and those living in the maintenance phase who are experiencing a gradual progression of symptoms, resulting in everyday activities becoming more challenging.

How will the programme work?

When we receive your referral form, a member of the team will contact you and will ask some questions to find out more about you.  They will explain the programme to you and discuss the best exercise option for you. 

We offer hour-long exercise classes specifically designed for people living with Parkinson’s Disease, and also have a broader programme of classes and activities which are Parkinson’s friendly. We will help you to find an exercise opportunity you’ll enjoy at the right level for you.

Each class will last 1-hour.

Nordic Walking

Over the last decade Nordic Walking has reached high levels of popularity, largely down to the wide variety of health benefits it can bring, which include;

• Improved cardiovascular fitness
• It is a full body workout meaning more muscles are being worked compared to standard walking
• Full body workout means more energy will be burnt, great for anyone looking to manage their weight
• Improved walking technique when not using the poles

Our 6 x week Nordic Walking Fundamentals course is a great place to give it a try and learn the fundamentals of Nordic Walking whilst improving your cardiovascular fitness and strength and having fun. These courses will run in the spring and summer months.

To ensure you can safely take part in the Nordic Walking Fundamentals course please read through the inclusion criteria outlined below.

• Able to mobilise independently without the use of a walking aid (walking stick or walker)
• No falls in the previous 3 months
• Adequate vision and hearing
• No spatial awareness impairment
• No acute shoulder injuries (including frozen shoulder)
• No unstable health condition(s)

If you have any questions or if you’d like to take part and you meet the eligibility criteria, please contact us on 01224 507701 or ActiveLifestyles@sportaberdeen.co.uk

What are the benefits

Exercise can be as important as your medication to help you take control and manage your symptoms. It has been shown to improve and reduce many of the physical and non-physical symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease, examples include;

• Reduced levels of fatigue and depression
• Improved confidence and motivation
• Improved strength, balance, mobility and endurance

How do I know if this is right for me?

Answer these simple questions to find out if the programme is right for you:

• I am able to stand unaided
• I can walk independently or with a walking aid for 50m or more
• I am on a stable medication regime
• I do not regularly experience sudden onset of freezing or have sudden unpredictable falls.

If you are living with Parkinson’s Disease and have answered YES to all of the questions above, then this programme is right for you. You can get involved by completing the short referral form below.

How to get involved

There are two ways to get involved:

• Any health care professional can refer you into the programme using the referral form below. 

• Alternatively, you can self-refer to the programme using the referral form below.

Our partners