Ask the Parkinson's Expert about Balance

An hour to ask every question you have about balance and how it relates to Parkinson's. Jennifer is a Parkinson's expert. Join us!

The process of balance control is complex and dysfunction can interfere with our ability to remain upright and steady. For people with Parkinson disease, the motor and nonmotor symptoms and the side effects of medications and deep brain stimulation can further contribute to poor balance control and lead to negative psychological effects and reduced mobility and participation in life. This is your chance to ask Jennifer, our Parkinson’s expert, anything you would like to know about balance!

This event will be recorded for viewing at a later date and available on the www.exerciseforbrainchange.org website.

PWR! Wellness Series

Speaker: Jennifer Bazan-Wigle, PT, DPT, CEEAA®

Recorded : April 20, 2022

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Balance Guided Plan is Available to begin in our Membership today

Jennifer Bazan-Wigle, DPT, CEEAA®

Jennifer Bazan-Wigle, PT, DPT, CEEAA® Parkinson Wellness Recovery

Jennifer Bazan-Wigle has worked in neurological rehabilitation for the entirety of her physical therapy career and has focused on people with Parkinson disease since 2013. She specializes in one-on-one rehabilitation, specifically for those with freezing of gait and advanced PD, and group exercise instruction. Jennifer is a senior member of our professional education faculty and in addition to delivering countless presentations on PD, has delivered over 70 training workshops across the US and world. In doing so, Jennifer has helped thousands of physical therapists, occupational therapists, and fitness professionals implement evidence-based rehabilitation and group exercise for people with Parkinson disease.

Jenn loves exercising and teaching exercise therapy classes (and even owns more workout clothes than regular clothes!). Jenn teaches all kinds of classes, but you’ll see her most frequently in our cardio and circuit classes.

Jenn offers physical therapy to clients in Arizona and California and wellness consultations to those outside of Arizona and California.

Outside the gym, Jenn and her chocolate lab, Ripp, go hiking every morning, and in the summer months, Ripp adorably finishes up by taking a flying leap into the pool. Jenn also loves music and dancing, cooking, and traveling—two of her favorite trips ever were spent diving in Palau and exploring shrines in Nikko, Japan.

Wellness Series Summary –Balance and Parkinson

PWR!Gym Ask the Expert - Balance & PD 

Balance – It's complicated!  

  • Then, add PD to the mix:  
  • Fall rate: 35-70%  
  • Multiple Falls: 25-50%  
  • New Fallers: 21-29%  
  • But there's good news! 

Balance – Can be improved with practice!  

  • Research shows that adults need at least 50 hours of practice per year to maintain/improve your balance.  
  • What kind of practice?  
  • Biomechanical Constraints (ROM/Strength) 
  • Anticipatory Postural Adjustments 
  • Stability limits 
  • Sensory Integration 
  • Reactive Stepping & Righting 
  • Stability in Gait / Agility 

Balance Domain - The ability to stay upright or stay in control of body movement. 

Start Your Guided Plan today!

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