22
doc • Winter 2014
Kentucky
Giving Parkinson’s Disease
K.O.
the
Rock Steady Boxing is the only boxing
program in the nation that is specifically
aimed at people with a diagnosis of
Parkinson’s disease.
By Fiona Young-Brown
Stop by Lexington’s Title Boxing Club any day
of the week and you can expect to see a class of
all ages and all levels working off the calories
by pounding into a punching bag. But, if you
happen to stop by during a Rock Steady Boxing
class, you’ll find that the members of the class
aren’t just beating fat; they’re also working to
beat the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder, known by most people for the
tremors it causes. It develops gradually, perhaps
with a minor shake in one hand. Over time,
the patient experiences greater tremors, stiffness, slowed movement, and sometimes slurred
speech. Simple motion tasks may become more
difficult; stiffer muscles may cause pain; some
movements we typically take for granted such
as blinking or swinging your arms while walking are less automated. There is no cure for
Parkinson’s but some medications can help to
improve symptoms and slow decline, and now
studies show that some forms of exercise can
also help – Rock Steady Boxing, for example.
Rock Steady Boxing is the only boxing program
in the nation that is specifically aimed at people
with a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease. It
originated in Indiana in 2006. Parkinson’s most
commonly affects people over the age of 50,
although as we know from reading about celebrity Michael J. Fox, symptoms can develop at an
earlier age. Indiana attorney, Scott C. Newman,
was one such diagnosis. Aged just 41 when
doctors told him he had Parkinson’s, Newman
began an intensive boxing training program to
help maintain agility and muscle strength. He
hired professional boxer Kristy Rose Follmar
and together they developed the Rock Steady
Boxing program. Thanks to several grants, the
program was able to grow, offering a training
program for coaches, and becoming recognized
by medical professionals for its benefits.
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Local classes began in January of this year at
Title Boxing Club. In 2013, a new member of
the club, recently diagnosed as having Stage 1
Parkinson’s, approached the management with
information about the Rock Steady Boxing
program. Intrigued by its benefits, club owners Chris and Kim Campbell did some more
research and decided this was something they
should offer. Head trainer Josh Harper trained
as a certified RSB coach, and began offering
classes.
The non-contact classes are open to men and
women, regardless of previous boxing experience. Josh first meets with class applicants to
assess how advanced their disease is by means