How Do I Stop Parkinson's Freezing Episodes? 6 Simple Methods

#parkinsons #parkinsonsdisease #physicaltherapy #physiotherapy #freezingofgaitparkinson's #freezingepisodes #freezingofgait #lsvtbig #freezingparkinsons #parkinsoniangait
In this video Parkinson's expert Dr. Michael discusses Freezing of Gait in PD and 6 methods to break out of a freezing episode when it happens.
Here is a link for the U-step walker if you should be interested: amzn.to/3G5682l
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[@jsknapp6161]

Thank you for the tips!

[@parkinsonsdiseaseeducation]

It’s not a slam dunk for everybody, but these can certainly be helpful

[@jackcarls2893]

Is dopamine the only or recommended med for freezing of the gait. I’ve been on senimet and entacapone. Nothing helps.

[@parkinsonsdiseaseeducation]

Hi Jack. 👋. Unfortunately there really isn’t a medical treatment for freezing. It’s kind of an enigma when it comes to PD, as researchers are not sure what causes it or why some folks don’t have as much struggle with freezing as others. Your meds will help the overall motor symptoms, but if they aren’t I’d consult with your neurologist. There are other medications that can “bridge the gap” like entacapone that may also work better for you and have alternate mechanisms. For example, Amantadine, rotigatine (Neupro) patches, etc. When it comes to freezing using a go-to technique that helps you to break out is your best bet. The LSVT BIG therapy protocol also has methods we will teach to help folks to break out using BIG movements that are specific to them.

[@jackcarls2893]

My neurologist has me on sinemet cr 200 mg 3x per day and Entacopone 200 mg 3x per day. The freezing seems to have gotten worse and experiencing more difficulty in breaking the freeze. Maybe too much dopamine? I typically take my last dose at 9:00 PM. Wake up at 5:00 AM. Additionally, I have very little freezing when I wake up in the morning. It’s almost like I don’t have PD. Then the freezing starts after taking meds. Freezing is the only PD symptoms I’ve experienced. A mystery to be sure. As I said earlier, maybe too much dopamine meds?@@parkinsonsdiseaseeducation

[@clintonpowell1443]

My knees are the biggest problem for freezing.

[@parkinsonsdiseaseeducation]

You knees won’t bend/straighten when you want them to? 🤔

[@hakanozturk9672]

Hi dear colleague 😊 I would like to share what I do in the clinic with you. I am a physical therapist and I also dance salsa and bachata. I incorporate the basic steps of salsa and bachata into the gait training. Salsa has basic steps in harmony with 1-2-3---5-6-7. In the clinic I help my patients practice the basic steps. When FOG happens, my patients stomp at one spot by counting 1-2-3 and then when "6" comes they step back with their dominant foot and visualize that there's an obstacle they should step over and they intend to step and they perform step forward. It may sound a bit complicated but when we do it in the clinic, this method is so easy and fun for my patients to perform😊 we practice this method so many times and I always get positive feedbacks from them when they experience FOG in their daily life. Maybe you can give it a try in the clinic, and I hope it helps 😊 greetings from İstanbul 🤗

[@parkinsonsdiseaseeducation]

These are great ideas! Love this, thank you for sharing

[@nancylw3625]

You can count z

[@parkinsonsdiseaseeducation]

Not sure what you mean, was that a typo? Count z?

[@GoProGoalieUzi]

I have been freezing a lot lately, sucks bad, only when my sinemet and entacopne wear off.

[@parkinsonsdiseaseeducation]

I’m sorry you have to deal with this on a regular basis. Do you find any techniques like we discussed in the video make any difference to break out?

[@GoProGoalieUzi]

@@parkinsonsdiseaseeducation i basically tell myself "ok big steps " then I try quickly to lift and stretch my quad then try and walk or turns into a shuffle

[@parkinsonsdiseaseeducation]

That’s not a bad way to do it, as ultimately BIG steps is what is required to move enough to take a step forward. I also try to cue my patients to “stomp your foot BIG” and that sometimes works as well. Let me know if any of these techniques in the video help you, would appreciate your feedback.

[@GoProGoalieUzi]

@@parkinsonsdiseaseeducation absolutely! It's funny you mention stomping, because I do that as well while standing between the kitchen island and the sink washing machine side lol..can you picture that 😄😄

[@parkinsonsdiseaseeducation]

Yes I can lol. Those particular kinds of places, corners, narrow spaces, etc tend to be freezing triggers

[@woodsroamer6175]

Starts at 3:14

[@parkinsonsdiseaseeducation]

Thanks for time stamping. I hope the lead up is appreciated as a brief overview of what freezing of gait is and what might trigger the episodes

[@patriciaspatola8315]

I do not take meds for pd

[@parkinsonsdiseaseeducation]

Are you early in the diagnosis?

[@GoProGoalieUzi]

You will soon as the disease progresses

[@parkinsonsdiseaseeducation]

Agreed. It would be exceedingly rare to not be medicated over time

[@clintonpowell1443]

Or you fall, no fun.

[@parkinsonsdiseaseeducation]

Definitely no fun. 0 stars, would not recommend.

[@clintonpowell1443]

@@parkinsonsdiseaseeducation they have a mind of there own

[@henrikhansen7750]

Hi, I thout I had spinal stenosis, but I do nont. My back hurts, that is what it is. I thout my unstabil walk was aftermath off the Corona pandemic. Under my work whith the spinal thing. I found a video on U-Tube, an I then knew what i whas. Parkinsons. Tremoring off hands and Walking like drunk person.

[@parkinsonsdiseaseeducation]

It’s quite possible. Will you be seeking out further medical examination to determine diagnosis?