Brain and Life magazine recently published an article about benefits of climbing for those with Parkinson's, saying: It's effective because climbing is complex, says Dr. Falconer, MD, director of the Inova Parkinson's and Movement Disorders Center in Fairfax, VA. “You need to integrate so many systems to get up safely.” It requires coordination, balance, and large and small muscle strength. Climbers use large leg muscles to propel upward and small finger muscles to grab handholds as they move toward the top. “There's all this sensory and motor input that climbing integrates,” Dr. Falconer says. “The systems that keep a lot of people with Parkinson's from moving in a fluid, effortless way are the same ones we retrain when we have to climb a wall.

Climbing out of Parkinson’s

Climbing sessions are offered Saturday mornings from 10:00am to 11:30am at the Pacific Edge Climbing Gym.

Each climber has someone to belay them. The belayer and climber are connected with a rope which prevents serious falls. The current cost per session is $10 for those with PD and includes use of the walls, harness, shoes, and an experienced climber to protect you from falling and to guide you up the wall, thanks to support from EasePD.

For more information, please email Audrey at atrautwein@gmail.com.

The Pacific Edge Climbing Gym is located at 104 Bronson Street #12 in the Seabright neighborhood in Santa Cruz.