Parkinson's Disease-Specific Exercise Protocols Flashcards

Which of the following best describes the role of the PWR!Rock move in addressing Parkinson's disease motor symptoms?

Answer: It promotes weight shifting and postural transitions to combat rigidity

PWR!Rock trains rhythmic weight shifting and postural transitions, which helps combat rigidity and improve the dynamic postural control impaired in PD.

An individual with PD reports that their symptoms are notably worse in the late afternoon before their next medication dose. How should an exercise session be scheduled?

Answer: Schedule exercise during the ON state, typically 45–60 minutes after medication

Exercise should be scheduled during the ON state (45–60 minutes post-medication) when motor control is optimal, maximizing performance and safety.

Which PWR! Move most directly trains the floor-to-stand transfer that is critical for fall recovery in Parkinson's disease?

Answer: PWR!Move (floor work)

PWR!Move floor work specifically trains the supine-to-stand sequence, addressing the critical safety skill of getting up from the floor after a fall.

What is the primary mechanism by which treadmill training benefits gait in Parkinson's disease?

Answer: Providing rhythmic somatosensory input and external pacing to normalize step length

Treadmill training provides consistent rhythmic somatosensory feedback and external pacing that helps normalize stride length and cadence in PD.

A client with PD has a history of orthostatic hypotension. Which exercise modification is MOST appropriate?

Answer: Allow adequate time for postural transitions and monitor blood pressure responses

Slow postural transitions with blood pressure monitoring allow the cardiovascular system to compensate and reduce syncopal risk during exercise in PD patients with orthostatic hypotension.

In the PWR! framework, which of the following represents the correct hierarchy for exercise skill acquisition in PD?

Answer: Attentional (explicit) practice → automaticity through repetition

PWR! uses attentional (explicit) practice with conscious focus on movement amplitude first, then builds toward automaticity through high-repetition practice.

Which type of cueing strategy relies on the patient using their own cognitive resources to trigger movement initiation in PD?

Answer: Mental imagery and internal attentional cueing

Internal attentional cueing, such as mental imagery of taking a big step, uses the patient's own cognitive resources to initiate movement by bypassing the defective automatic pathway.