The following exercises represent a typical hour of exercises led by Marj Hansen, Physical Therapist, of the Dallas Area Parkinsonism Society (DAPS). The therapy group that Marj leads is mostly in their sixties.

It is important to note that each of the people in her group has been cleared by their personal physician before participating in the therapy groups. It is also important that a licensed physical therapist leads the group, not only to make certain that each participant achieves the maximum from the protocol, but also to adjust the exercises to the requirements of the group and of the individual Parkinsonians.

DAPS provides these physical therapy groups at no charge twice a week at seven locations in the Dallas, TX, area. They also provide no-charge speech therapy, occupational therapy, and caregiver guidance.

The Parkinson Exercises of Marj Hansen.*

Exercises done using five-foot rods, sitting back in your chair.

Using both hands and holding rod horizontal, raise rod over head, then lower to lap. Repeat ten times.

Push rod away from chest, return rod to chest. Repeat ten times.

Using both hands, and holding rod out, with arms parallel to the ground, swing trunk to left, then to right. Repeat ten times.

Holding the rod in the middle with both hands, twirl the rod back and forth one complete revolution. Repeat ten times

Hold ends of rod, touch left hand to ground on left side, then right hand to ground on the right side. Repeat ten times.

Hold rod in lap with both hands. Keep rod parallel to ground and move rod over head and then to waist level behind the chair. Then return the rod to lap. Repeat ten times.

Exercises done seated in chair with sandbags on feet.

Sit back on your seat. Tap your right toe, then right heel, and then stomp right, left and right feet. Tap left toe, then left heel, and then stomp left, right, and left feet. Repeat ten times.

With feet together, flat on ground in front of you, move feet to left by alternately shuffling heel then toe to the left, making five or six shuffles (e.g., five toe movements and five heel movements) altogether. Return to the right in the same manner. Repeat ten times.

Move forward to and sit on edge of chair, spread knees apart and place soles of feet parallel to and touching one another, as nearly as is possible. Then move knees together, feet out and soles again parallel, as nearly as possible, but not touching. Repeat ten times.

Still sitting on edge of seat, now stretched your feet out in front of you. Swing your right arm to reach for the toe of your left shoe with the fingers on your right hand, then swing your left arm to reach for the toe of your right shoe with the fingers of your right hand. Repeat ten times.

Extend your right leg and straighten it by pressing down on your right knee with your left hand. Touch your right toe with the fingers of your right hand. Hold for 10 seconds. Repeat for your left leg.

Still sitting on front edge of seat, hold onto seat with both hands. Raise both legs to horizontal, hold for five seconds, then return calves to vertical, but do not let feet touch ground. Repeat ten times.

Repeat the above, spreading feet after they are horizontal and closing them before the calves are returned to vertical.

Sit back on the seat. Place right knee on left thigh. Trace a circle clockwise ten times with toe by rotating right ankle. Trace circle counterclockwise ten times. Repeat with left knee on right thigh. Trace circles using left ankle. Repeat once.

With right ankle on left knee, press down on right knee for five seconds, trying to make right calf nearly parallel to floor, then relax. Repeat ten times. Repeat ten times more with left ankle on right knee, pressing on left knee.

Sitting back in your chair, hold the calf of your left leg just below your knee with both hands, and pull your thigh up to your chest. Release. Repeat ten times. Repeat ten times with right leg.

Legs together, move them to horizontal position, spread them, return them together, and let feet go back to ground. Repeat ten times.

March in seated position, at least two minutes, perhaps as much as five. Some people may swing their arms as they march, raising right arm with left leg and left arm with right leg. Others move their feet in a pattern as they march. As I swing my arms, I also squeeze on hand exercisers.

"Play" time.

Balls are brought out and thrown, bounced, or kicked to one another or thrown into a "basket" for about ten minutes.

Exercises done seated in chair without sandbags.

Sitting on te edge of the chair, lock thumbs together and hold both hands over head. Bend forward and touch the ground with tips of fingers, thumbs still locked together. Return to upright position with hands straight up over head. Repeat ten times.

Sitting back in the chair, touch the floor next to the right rear leg of the chair with your right hand. Then touch the floor next to the left rear leg of the chair with your left hand. Repeat ten times.

Fold your arms together and raise your elbows to approximately chin height. With arms still folded, touch your right elbow to your left knee. Return your elbows to chin height. Touch your left elbow to your fight knee. Return. Repeat ten times.

Turn your head gently to the left, and while turned to the left, give a little extra push twice. Then turn your head to the fight and do likewise. Repeat this ten times.

Without turning your head or moving your body, tilt your head to the right twice, moving your ear toward your shoulder. Then tip it to the left twice. Repeat ten times.

Sit up in the chair and throw your elbows behind you, your shoulders back, your chest out, and your stomach in. Maintain this posture for five seconds. Relax. Repeat five times.

Finger and Hand Exercises.

With arms at shoulder height and elbows separated, cup hands and try to pull arms apart. You might have a piece of spongy material between your cupped hands. Pull for five seconds. Relax. Repeat five times.

With arms at shoulder height and elbows separated, press palms of hands together hard. You might have a piece of spongy material between your palms. Push for five seconds. Relax. Repeat five times.

Using a piece of spongy material in each hand, compress them as intended and hold for fifty seconds. Alternatively, squeeze, hold for five seconds, and release ten or more times.

With the top halves of your arms against your chest, the bottom halves of your arms vertical and pointing upwards, make your fingers horizontal. Straighten your fingers up, then return them to horizontal. Repeat five times.

Grasp your two hands together and lift the ring fingers from the hands without disturbing other fingers. Repeat five times.

With two hands still grasped together and without moving the forearm, move the hands together forward and back. Repeat five times.

Now move them from full left to full right and return. Repeat five times.

Now circle them clockwise five times, then counterclockwise five times.

Now put the hands together, as if praying. Separate the middle fingers from the ring fingers while keeping other fingers together. Repeat 5 times. Move your hands forward and back five times, right and left five times, clockwise five times, and counterclockwise five times.

Hold your hands in front of you, fingertips touching like fingertips, to make the shape of a ball within your hands. Collapse your hands with palms touching. Repeat five times.

With hands still in "ball" position, separate thumbs. Then bring them back together. Do likewise for index finger, then middle finger, etc. Then do the same in reverse direction. Repeat five times.

With each hand, make an "O" with the thumb and forefinger, then with the thumb and middle finger, then with the thumb and ring finger, then with the thumb and little finger, then back in the opposite order. Repeat this five times.

Grasp your hands together by putting them both in front of you, the left hand being on your right side and you right hand on the left. Rotate your hands in toward your chest as far as they will go. Repeat this five times. Now repeat with the other wrist being higher.

With your wrists resting on your lap, grasp your hands together and try to keep them as flat as possible. Let the thumb and little fingers touch on the end. Pushing on your thumbs and little fingers, cause the hands to separate three times. Do it twice more, but hold your fingers together tightly so that the thumbs and little fingers cannot separate them

Using your index and middle fingers, walk your fingers down your leg and back up. Fingers should remain in one straight line. Repeat ten times.

Using your thumb and index finger, "inch" your fingers down your leg and back up. Repeat five times.

With both hands, drum your fingers on your leg by hitting the little finger, the ring finger, the middle finger, and the index finger against your leg in that order five times. The do it in the reverse order five times. Repeat this five times.

(The spider) Starting with your left index finger touching your right thumb and vice versa, release the bottom touching pair and touch them together again after twisting so they are above their previous position. Continue to do this for about eight twists. Then go down eight twists by reversing your action. Repeat this twice.

Exercises done seated in chair with sandbags in hands.

Holding sandbags in hands, extend arms and circle hands in a twelve to sixteen inch diameter circle ten times; circle the hands in the opposite direction ten times. Relax; take five deep breaths. Circle hands as above in a four to six inch diameter circle ten times. Relax; take five deep breaths. Repeat once.

Toss one sandbag up a short distance with the right hand, while transferring the other sandbag from the left hand to the right; then catch the first sandbag with the left hand. Repeat ten times.

Toss one sandbag up a short distance with the left hand, while transferring the other sandbag from the right hand to the left; then catch the first sandbag with the right hand. Repeat ten times.

Toss both sandbags straight up into the air about one or two feet simultaneously and catch each with the same hand that threw it. Repeat ten times.

Toss one sandbag up about a foot or two with the right hand, while transferring the other sandbag from the left hand to the right; then catch the first sandbag with the left hand. Repeat ten times.

Toss one sandbag up about a fool or two with the left hand, while transferring the other sandbag from the right hand to the left; then catch the first sandbag with the right hand. Repeat ten times.

With both sandbags in right hand, raise right hand toward ceiling. Bend arm at elbow to touch left shoulder, arm in front of face. Return arm to vertical position. Repeat 10 times. Repeat 10 times using left arm and right shoulder

Hold sandbags to your chest, thrust your arms straight out in front of you, return them to your chest, extend your arms out fully to your sides, and return them again to your chest. Repeat ten times.

Exercises done standing behind chair.

Sandbags in hands. Put forehead on back of chair. Lift arms from a vertical position to horizontal behind you. Hold for 5 seconds. Relax. Repeat 5 times.

Sandbags in hands. Put forehead on back of chair. Lift arms from a vertical position to horizontal away from your sides. Hold for 5 seconds. Relax. Repeat 5 times.

Standing behind chair, bend knees so that knees go far enough forward to contact back of chair. Straighten up. Repeat ten times.

Holding chair, stand on tiptoes five times for a second or two and then down. On fifth time, release chair and stand unassisted for five seconds or more. Repeat 5 times.

Holding chair, with both feet flat on the ground, move your left foot as far as possible behind you and stretch the left leg in this manner for ten seconds. Repeat with the right leg.

Holding chair, kick right leg under chair, then back. Straighten leg behind you and back. Repeat five times. On fifth time remain standing on left foot only for twenty seconds if possible. Repeat same kicking left foot, standing on right.

Stand with your hands on your buttocks, elbows pointing back as far as practical, chest out, chin in for five seconds. Relax. Repeat five times.

Dance: Moving to left: right, left, right; kick back with left foot; moving to right: left, right, left; kick back with right foot; moving to left: right, left, right; kick forward with left foot; moving to right: left, right, left, kick forward with right foot. Repeat 10 times.

*Marj Hansen...was born on October 14, 1920, in Portland, Maine, and was raised in Massachusetts until she turned 21, graduating that year from Boston University.

She began her 44-year marriage in 1945, had one son and one daughter (who have since given her three grandchildren). She was widowed in 1979.