Testimonials

Dr. Edward Leonard - July 2006

About 10 years ago, when we visited our son, David, in London, his impression was that my movements were slower than normal, which he attributed not to jet lag, but possibly to early Parkinson's Disease (PD). David was right! PD is associated with progressive loss of dopamine-producing brain cells, which are vital for normal movement. PD symptoms differ widely among patients, but may include tremor, slowed movement, and a shuffling gait which can involve difficulty in initiating walking, a stooped posture, and impaired balance. Although PD patients have to face the prospect of disease progression, the rate of change in my case has been slow. For example, on the tennis court, it was not until year 8 of my PD that I could no longer get into position for a backhand, which was formerly my favorite reliable stroke.

An enlightened therapeutic approach to PD includes not only medicines for brain dopamine replacement, but also an exercise program. The current Mayo Clinic PD website even suggests tai chi to enhance balance; and there are numerous PD exercise classes in the D.C. area. My attempts to fight the beast include stretching, free weight lifting, rowing machine, and Nordic Track or jogging. In the fall of 2004, a long-time friend, Virginia Freeman, who studied with Joe Pilates in New York years ago, introduced me to Lesa McLaughlin at Excel Movement Studios - and the rest is history!

Lesa was faced with a 78-year-old man with PD and terribly tight hamstrings (probably the result of 40 years of sitting at a lab bench) who salivated with envy at the mat class photo of every young woman in perfect teaser pose. Lesa's willingness to take me on, and her saintly patience, reminded me of the mantra that my wife learned in social work school: "Start where the client is!" We've worked together once a week for the past eighteen months (except for four summer months when I was away), alternating between the Reformer and a series of mat exercises. On the mat, my core strength has developed to the point where I can do a miraculous roll-up. Current baby-step challenges include rolling like a ball, single leg circles, and the tree exercise in the short-box series. Meanwhile, tasks in the outside world -- digging out roots, shoveling snow, and turning corkscrews -- go more smoothly. My 80th birthday was in March. Shortly after that, when those tight hamstrings limited my ability to push down the bar of the Wunda Chair, Lesa said "By your 81st birthday you'll be able to push the bar all the way to the floor!"

Read More Testimonials

Home