I get Parkinson’s-related spasms in my back, buttocks and thighs, and quite often suffer from sciatica when I’ve been over-active. Can I still exercise these muscles, or will I just be making my sciatica attacks worse?

Spasms or dystonia are quite common symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and a side effect of the medication. In some cases, the spasms can be made worse by exercise, but at the same time, exercise is an important part of Parkinson’s treatment. I would avoid specifically strength-training the muscles at the back of the buttocks and thighs that run around the sciatic nerve; instead, train these muscles generally through brisk walks and functional exercises that involve the whole body. Make sure you stretch and avoid overloading these muscles; in other words, it’s better to do several shorter training sessions rather than one long session. You might consider focusing on exercising the front of the thigh, as this will provide a passive stretch for the back of the thigh. See a physiotherapist if you’d like more specific exercises.