Cycling Legend Davis Phinney's Foundation Launches New How-To DVD On "Parkinson's Exercise Essentials"

-- Breakthrough Video Offers Parkinson's-Specific Instruction on Getting Started, Staying Motivated and Seeing Results with Exercise --

BOULDER, Colo., Sept. 19, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- More than 50,000 new cases of Parkinson's disease are diagnosed each year in the U.S. The positive role exercise can play in managing the disease is increasingly acknowledged, yet information about how to exercise with Parkinson's disease remains scarce. In response to demand from the community, the Davis Phinney Foundation today announced the launch of its Parkinson's Exercise Essentials: Getting Started, Staying Motivated and Seeing Results DVD. The video developed in collaboration with Dr. Matthew Ford, Associate Professor – Physical Therapy at UAB, features 13 people living with Parkinson's and provides the background information and tools needed to embark on a lifelong exercise program. The DVD contains workouts that can be performed at home or in a fitness center, plus suggestions for exercising in the community. Guidance and adaptations for a range of ages and stages of Parkinson's is included along with instruction for progressing the workouts over time.

"People have been asking the Davis Phinney Foundation how to exercise with Parkinson's for years," said Polly Dawkins, Executive Director. "Our mission to help people with Parkinson's to live well today aligns well with bringing this DVD to the Parkinson's community. We are excited to have collaborated with a leading researcher from UAB to create a tool that will have a lasting impact on the Parkinson's community. We were fortunate to partner with the Lakeshore Foundation (www.lakeshore.org) to provide a best-in-class venue and trainers. Best of all, we're pleased to offer this DVD free of charge, thanks to financial support from Teva."

The Parkinson's Exercise Essentials DVD is available at no cost upon request and can be ordered at www.davisphinneyfoundation.org/dvd or by calling 855-346-7564.

Dr. Ford leads viewers through the workouts and explains the science behind them. "We wanted to reach more people, because research clearly shows that exercise is important part of living well with Parkinson's. We've addressed the barriers to being physically active and hope this DVD helps people to overcome them and engage in regular exercise."

Thirteen individuals with Parkinson's disease, ranging in age from 35 to 74, provide inspiration and prove that neither age nor disease progression need prevent one from exercising. They demonstrate the workouts and share stories of overcoming barriers and experiencing the benefits of exercise in many forms to motivate and encourage viewers.  

"More than simply creating another exercise-along video," said Christa Lassen-Vogel, Marketing Director, "we wanted to show that there are many ways to incorporate exercise into Parkinson's self-care and to achieve positive results."

Viewers can complement the DVD with downloadable exercise sheets and video clips available on the companion website, www.davisphinneyfoundation.org/dvd-resources. Donations are encouraged to help fund the continued availability of the DVD and to support Davis Phinney Foundation-funded Parkinson's research and programs.

Davis Phinney Foundation
The Davis Phinney Foundation was created in 2004 to help people with Parkinson's disease live well today. Its major initiatives include: the Every Victory Counts® manual, developed by movement disorder experts to provide practical ways to live well with Parkinson's; The Victory Summit® symposia series, which brings experts into communities to share advances in science, care and to inspire those affected by the disease to take action; the Living Well Challenge™ educational webinar series; the "Parkinson's Exercise Essentials" DVD and, the funding of research focused on exercise, speech and other quality of life therapies. Visit the website: www.davisphinneyfoundation.org.

SOURCE Davis Phinney Foundation