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19
Sept
Tom Gordon, the Liberal Democrat MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, worked up a sweat yesterday when he joined a boxing class organised by Parkinson’s UK.
The non-contact class is held weekly at the Bilton Health and Well Being Hub and is part of the charity’s efforts to promote physical exercise as a tool to manage the condition.
Mr Gordon, who admitted to never having boxed before, said:
I’m pleased that I came to the class for beginners, not intermediates. I’ve got enough of a sweat on with this, rather than the one that was an hour before!
Parkinson’s UK get people out and help tackle social isolation, and helping them to keep fit and [practise] their motor skills is really key. So it’s good to come along today, get involved and see what goes on.
It’s great as well to be able to do this on National Fitness Day. Getting people out and about and exercising keeps people healthy, and reduces pressure on the NHS. There are great classes and events in Harrogate and Knaresborough, and I would encourage people to get involved with them.
Parkinson’s is the fastest-growing neurological condition in the world. People who have it don’t have enough of the chemical dopamine in their brain because some of the nerve cells that make it have stopped working.
It is progressive and manifests itself in up to 40 symptoms, the three main ones being a tremor (shaking), slowness of movement and muscle stiffness.
Boxing is just one of the classes offered by Parkinson's UK
Although there is currently no cure for Parkinson’s, research shows that physical activities like boxing can significantly enhance mobility, coordination, and overall quality of life for those living with the condition.
One of the dozen men and women who attended the boxing session was Bob Archibald, vice chair of the Harrogate and District branch of Parkinson’s UK. He first developed symptoms of Parkinson’s in 2011, four years after his wife Philomena was diagnosed with the condition.
He said he originally started attending Parkinson’s fitness classes to encourage her to get out more, but that it had helped him too. He told the Stray Ferret:
When I got out of bed in the morning I was very stiff and found myself lungeing from one piece of furniture to the next. These classes help fight the symptoms, and the extra oxygen helps the brain too. There’s also the social interaction, so you’re keeping active and getting involved in the community at the same time.
Another attendee, Phil Ryder, has had Parkinson’s for six years. He said:
For me, the classes don’t make the symptoms get better, but they do help stop them from getting worse, and that’s the important thing.
I live in Dishforth. That’s a 40-mile round trip, and I wouldn’t do that if it wasn’t beneficial.
In addition to boxing, Parkinson’s UK runs several different classes designed to help those living with the condition to keep active, including dance, golf, padel, pilates, table tennis and tai chi.
More details can be found on the Harrogate branch’s website.
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