New Updated Exercise Guidelines Offer Fresh Support for People Living With Parkinson’s Disease

These updates come after an in‑depth review by leading experts and, just as importantly, individuals who live with PD and use these guidelines in their daily lives.

Why These Updates Matter

Exercise has long been recognized as one of the most powerful tools for managing Parkinson’s Disease. Research consistently shows that people with PD who engage in regular movement experience meaningful improvements in:

• Quality of life
• Mobility, balance, and strength
• Endurance and flexibility
• Mood and thinking abilities
• Common symptoms such as depression and constipation

Because of these benefits, the Parkinson’s Foundation regularly evaluates its guidance to ensure it reflects the most current science and the real‑world needs of people with Parkinson’s.

Parkinson’s Foundation President and CEO John L. Lehr emphasized that the updated recommendations reflect three years of community feedback paired with scientific evaluation. The goal: to make exercise guidance clearer, more relevant, and more practical for people at all stages of the disease.

What’s New in the Guidelines?

After a strategic review, the organizations found that people living with PD most needed clearer direction in three key areas:

• Time management: How to realistically incorporate exercise into daily life.
• Exercise dose and intensity: Understanding how much effort is enough to make a difference.
• Adapting movement to disease progression: Adjusting safely as symptoms evolve.

To meet these needs, the updated recommendations highlight the importance of intentional, varied movement across four major exercise categories:

1. Aerobic Activity
   Activities like walking, cycling, swimming, or group fitness classes help improve heart health, stamina, and overall mobility.
2. Strength Training
   Resistance exercises, body‑weight training, and functional strength routines support stability, posture, and everyday activities.
3. Stretching and Flexibility
   Targeted stretching helps reduce stiffness, maintain range of motion, and support comfort and independence.
4. Balance, Agility & Multitasking
   Exercises that challenge coordination, such as dance, boxing, tai chi, or balance drills, are especially beneficial for preventing falls and improving confidence.

The recommendations also encourage creative approaches, so exercise feels achievable and sustainable, not overwhelming.

A Collaborative Effort With Real Impact

ACSM CEO Katie Feltman, CAE, highlighted the importance of this partnership, noting that high‑quality, evidence‑based guidance empowers people with Parkinson’s to move safely and stay active throughout their journey.

By combining expert insight with lived experience, the updated recommendations aim to make exercise more approachable for everyone, whether someone is newly diagnosed or has been living with PD for many years.

What This Means for the Parkinson’s Community

These refreshed guidelines are more than just an update, they’re an invitation to help people with Parkinson’s live well. By focusing on intentional activity across multiple types of exercise, the new recommendations encourage:

• Better symptom management
• Increased confidence and independence
• Healthier habits that can make a long‑term difference
• More accessible, personalized options for every stage of PD

For anyone living with Parkinson’s, or caring for someone who is, these updates offer renewed clarity, hope, and support.

Updated Guidelines

Aerobic Activity

• Aim for 3 days per week, with at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity each session.
• Choose continuous, rhythmic movements like brisk walking, cycling, running, swimming, dancing, or interval training.
• Things to consider: risk of freezing, low blood pressure, and whether supervision is needed for safety.

Strength Training

• Do 2–3 non‑consecutive days per week, for at least 30 minutes per session.
• Work all major muscle groups, upper body, lower body, and core, using machines, resistance bands, hand weights, or body weight. Aim for 2–3 sets of 8–10 repetitions or until fatigue.
• Things to consider: maintain good posture; muscle stiffness may limit movement; use caution with exercises.

Stretching

• Stretch 2–3 days per week, with daily stretching being most effective.
• Do active range‑of‑motion movements before exercise, and use slow, sustained stretches with deep breathing after exercise.
• Things to consider: adjust for stiffness, flexed posture, osteoporosis, or pain.

Balance, Agility & Multi-tasking

• Practice 2–3 days per week, or daily if possible.
• Include activities such as multi‑directional stepping, weight shifting, turning, large purposeful movements, and multi‑tasking drills. Examples include yoga, boxing, tai chi, and dancing.
• Things to consider: be mindful of challenges related to cognition, balance, and body awareness to ensure safety.

Plan for Safety – exercise during “on” times and use they buddy system if needed.

Consult a Physical Therapist who specializes in PD for individualized recommendations.

Aim for 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per week.

Adjust your routine as needed to address changes.

Conclusion

The updated exercise guidelines serve as a renewed reminder that movement is not just helpful for people living with Parkinson’s, it’s transformative. By offering clearer guidance, practical structure, and flexible options, these recommendations empower individuals with PD to stay active in ways that feel safe, achievable, and personally meaningful. Whether someone is just beginning their Parkinson’s journey or adapting to new changes along the way, these guidelines provide a strong foundation for building confidence, maintaining independence, and supporting overall well‑being. With intentional activity, proper safety planning, and the support of trained professionals when needed, people with Parkinson’s can continue moving toward a healthier, more vibrant life.