(5) PD, my theory & my corrective messaging

Name & tame 

Parkinsons's Disease (PD) is a 'progressive disease of the nervous system'. It is 'neurodegenerative' and arises as a result of 'a dopamine deficiency'. The jargon does not help me understand why, as a parkinsed person, I struggle to stand, to walk, to put on underwear or footwear, or to eat. Actually, it is just a miserable movement disorder.

Let's put this struggle into context. As a baby I learnt to roll over from my back onto my tummy and back, then to crawl and finally to stand unsteadily before attempting to walk. Such actions would have required a good sense of balance. All of this was positively reinforced: physically through my repetition and emotionally by my parents and others. Gradually, my muscles would have remembered what to do in order to complete these actions. It is likely that as a new walker, my age, weight and capability would have been key calculations that needed to be stored as some form of memory.

Similarly, as an active adult who gyms, jogs or is part of amateur team sport, I would need regular practice to stay fit and competitive in order to gradually improve. If I were injured or went on an extended work-related trip, such regular practice would lapse. Consequently, I would have become unfit but, once healed or back at work and old routines, I should have been able to return to previous levels of fitness. Here, the notion of muscle memory would have been a critical part of my fitness and recovery plan.

So, what happens to parkinsed people? Why can't my muscle memory save the day?

My PD theory 

It is reasonable to assume that lowered dopamine levels have led to my bumbling gait, loss of coordination and poor balance. Dopamine is the so-called 'messenger molecule' actively assisting in my body's general communications, feeding into and supporting the nervous system. So, my lowered dopamine levels have led to unclear messaging or even its absence. Years ago, computer programmers would have called this garbage-in-garbage-out: I'm unable to walk as I used to because my body and infrastructure cannot apply corrective measures, hence the bumbling gait!

Nowadays, my nervous system recognises my bumbling walk as my normal walk. My poor sense of balance, especially when going from a seated to a standing position, attempting to walk backwards or walking forward in cluttered spaces, has also become normal. And without corrective messages from my nervous system, I believe this data is stored in my muscle memory as the new normal. 

As a PD drug-free person, I assume that the range of PD prescription drugs available will attempt to regenerate such messaging in the body of one who has been parkinsed.

Some rehabilitation

In the past two years I have attempted to correct my awkward walk by speaking silently to myself regarding a step by step (pun intended) procedure. It started with my repeating "right-heel two-three toe-two-three, left-heel two-three toe-two-three" when I started to use a walking stick in my left hand. (I am using a collapsible, camera monopod that doubles as a walking stick: a tip from a buddy in Bali.) It is important to note that I first had to see my abnormal walking, in order to reintroduce the mechanics of my walking differently.

This process was assisted first by my counting to develop a rhythm and then by silently humming a waltz tune in order to sustain my "new" walk. Fortunately, I often have tunes playing in my head, so this has been easy. I guess this procedure simulated a kind of rehabilitation in the form of corrective messaging. In confined spaces, which is most of the inside of our flat, I still walk by dragging my right foot. However, when there's some space, for instance down the passage leading to the front door, I walk as a retiree. Shopping malls, while tiring, offer the perfect straight-line spaces.   

Also, I have observed that my Biokinetics regime is a hundred percent better with the appropriate equipment and under personal supervision, compared to doing it on my own at home. There is a strong need for emotional reinforcement, like I probably received as a baby trying to stand, balance and walk. 

Next I'll analyse then unpack my tips and tricks for dressing and for balance. Till next time and the next post, dear reader.