Ping Pong for Parkinson’s
Ping pong or table tennis may not be the first activity that comes to mind when improving and maintaining Parkinson’s symptoms, but active ping pong players Leon Moon and his partner Charlotte Blackwell will tell you otherwise. They have always had a love for the activity, but after Leon became diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and researching information about exercises that can assist with the symptoms, they came across PingPongParkinsonÒ. PingPongParkinsonÒ is a non-profit organization based out of New York with a goal of halting the progression of the disease by utilizing ping pong as a form of physical therapy. Benefits of ping pong include benefits such as special memory, enhanced motor skills, generating growth of new brain cells, improved hand-eye coordination, limb movement speed, better posture, sharpened reflexes, improved depression and dementia, and lower social isolation. Ping pong incorporates many of the larger motor exercises that LSVT BIG utilizes, but also has a speed factor and quick-action strategy movements.
In June 2022, Leon and Charlotte donated a portable ping pong conversion tabletop to the Marshfield Senior Center. A small group of ping pong enthusiasts quickly formed and now meet every Tuesday and Wednesday at 10:30 AM to practice their skills and love for the activity. “One of my issues with Parkinson’s was when I first started playing ping pong I would stand and watch the ball go by. My brain was telling me to move but nothing moves, and I would just stand there and watch it. After playing a few times it’s been helping to speed up that process,” says Leon. Ping pong isn’t just about hitting a ball back-and-forth across a table. Sessions begin with a warm-up consisting of physical exercises designed specifically for those with Parkinson’s disease. Juggling practice, ball balance, side shuffles, body stretches, and other instructions follow before commencing the table tennis.
If you’d like to give ping pong a try, stop by the Marshfield Senior Center located at 427 W. Washington St. This family-like group is more than happy to lend you a set of paddles and will warmly welcome you into the game even if you’re just a beginner. “We laugh a lot. You don’t have to be good at it. It doesn’t matter how many times you miss the ball, as long as you’re having a good time is all that counts,” added Sid Carpenter, another active ping pong player.