It’s great that you’re thinking about exercise at this early stage of the disease. I wouldn’t say that the condition or symptoms can be made worse by exercise. Some people (not everyone) may feel a bit worse immediately after exercise, as if all their dopamine has been used up, and may need to increase their medication before or after exercise, whilst others may feel a boost from the exercise. In any case, exercise is beneficial, but with all forms of exercise – whether you have Parkinson’s or not – it is important not to overtrain, but to find a balance between exercise, rest and other activities. Over-training increases the risk of injury; the body is put under too much strain and doesn’t have time to recover. With Parkinson’s, it can also mean that you ‘use up’ more dopamine, and after a hard workout you find it difficult to muster the energy to do the everyday things you want to do. So my advice is to find a balance in your exercise routine that you can sustain in the long term and where you feel that the exercise is having a positive effect. Good luck! / Erika Franzeén
