Good posture is very important and can have an influence on
many of the other things you want to do, such as walking, balancing and
talking. There seems to be a natural tendency for people to become a bit
stooped or round-shouldered as they get older and this tendency is exaggerated
with Parkinson’s.You may be surprised to learn that posture can affect
talking. This is because stooping constricts the lungs and makes it more
difficult to breathe properly. So improving your posture can help prevent or alleviate
speech difficulties
The first step towards improving your posture is to be
aware of it. You can do this by standing or sitting in front of a mirror,
noting your posture and trying to correct any faults you see. Study your
‘improved’ posture and then allow yourself to relax back into your normal posture.
You should be able to feel as well as see the difference.
Here are a couple of exercises which will help you improve
your posture and ‘stand tall’. For the first, stand with your back against a wall
and with the backs of your heels touching it. Now try to stand up as straight
as you can so that your shoulder blades and the back of your head also touch
the wall. Try and hold the position at least for a slow count of five, and then
relax. Repeat this a few times.
For the second exercise, you should stand facing the wall
and a few inches away from it. Put the palms of your hands against the wall and
stretch up as high as you can, watching your hands all the time. When you have
stretched up as far as you can, hold the position for at least a slow count of five, and
then relax. Again, repeat this exercise a few times.
Encourage your closest relative or friend to remind you to
keep a good posture and it should get easier, though perhaps never easy.
