Additionally, it has been specially proven that exercizing Tai Chi positively affects maintaining balance while walking among those people whose balance has been degraded thanks to Alzheimer's disease.
Although the major part of the study deals exclusively with exercizing Tai Chi, a correctly dosed and professionally guided practice of this and some other martial arts can positively affect patients. This, of course, greatly depends on the person, as well as his/her stage and progress of the illness. It is very important to take into consideration realistic criteria for creating a training programme with not too difficult exercizes that the patient is able to successfully perform.
Activities should be comfortable, stimulating, but shouldn't include big decision-making or too many challenges. For example, in the first and somewhat second stage of the illness, certain dosed pushing and pulling exercizes that include a person in order to maintain balance are extremely useful.
Thanks to these exercizes, the patient is gently thrown out of balance and can try to establish it on his/her own. This mainly corresponds to certain exercizes in wrestling, judo, aikido, ju-jitsu, but also some movements in boxing which are very beneficial and recommended. The body's ability to maintain balance and strength and, therefore, prevent frequent falls is crucial when it comes to dementia.
When creating an exercize programme or while choosing exercizes for a patient suffering from Alzheimer's disease, we should take into consideration some recommended training that includes an exercize band which is often used to perform strength training in wrestling, judo, ju-jitsu, boxing and other martial arts.
This type of strength training is very beneficial for patient and is even recommended by doctors.
An exercize band which is available and affordable in sports shops is an excellent tool and is easy to adapt to the physical abilities of each person. With the help of the band, it is simple to perform certain strength exercizes and strengthen postural muscles.
In the first and, partially, in the second phase of the disease it might be very beneficial to practice some basic steps in Brazilian capoeira in order to maintain balance during walking.
By practicing this basic step, a person alternates between a left and right broader and more stable stance which is how he/she can maintain his/her balance more easily. It is also beneficial to practice the basic step with an emphasis on a dance step and with music because this makes it more fun and enjoyable.
Namely, learning and memorizing new steps activates neural paths in the brain while keeping it strong, active and healthy.