Getting active for Men's Health Week

Monday 12 June to Sunday 18 June is Men's Health Week in the UK and aims to highlight the importance of health, fitness and wellbeing for men.

Being active when you have Parkinson's can help to lift your mood and allow you to live well with the condition.   

To mark Men's Health Week, we're highlighting the benefits of being active and sharing top tips for how you can get active this summer.

Research has shown that regular, moderate to vigorous physical activity can help relieve some of the motor symptoms of Parkinson’s, as well as improving overall mental and physical wellbeing. 

It's recommended that you should try to be active for up to 2.5 hours every week and it's often best to try a variety of activities or workouts. 

Remember to check with your GP or a Parkinson's nurse about the best activities for you before you start being active.

The thought of starting to be active can often feel overwhelming, but it's important to try and the summer months are often the best time to give it a go.  

Start slowly and build up steadily, increasing what you do over time. You could try spacing out activities into 10-minute blocks during the day.

You could also build workouts and physical activities into your routine, or try playing team sports such as walking football, table tennis, boxing or even dancing.    

Being active isn't about running marathons, it's about finding activities that you enjoy and want to keep doing.  

Regular physical activity can also help to support your balance, strength and coordination, as well as lift your mood.

There are many activities you can try to help you manage your Parkinson's. 

We have a range of resources available to help you make a start on your active journey. You can find out more on our physical activity page.

Many sports clubs and activity providers also offer Parkinson's-specific activities to help you start being active and as the weather improves, there's never been a better time to start your active journey.  

Here are just a few physical activity ideas to get you started: 

• Online: Neuro Heroes, Reach Your Peak and 4D Life all offer online workouts for every ability. 
• Gym sessions: Everyone Active offers free gym memberships for the Parkinson's community in England. 
• Non-contact boxing: this form of boxing promotes high energy workouts to help people with Parkinson's to improve strength, balance and coordination.    
• Walking football: a great way for men or women to get started in team sports, walking football classes are available across the UK.  
• Tennis: the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) is delivering more walking tennis and tennis classes across the UK. 
• Table tennis: indoor table tennis sessions are a fun and social way to get active in your local community.    
• Yoga and tai chi: whether you want to try yoga or tai chi at home, or you prefer a guided class, there's always a session that will work for you. 

There are many more activities that you can try and our local activity finder offers more information about groups in your local area.