Parkinson's patients fight back with new boxing program

Some Calgarians with Parkinson's disease are taking on the long-term degenerative disorder with a few lefts and rights as part of a customized boxing program.

"When I was diagnosed, I was told, 'Use it or lose it,'" Murray Isaac told The Calgary Eyeopener.

"This is one way of slowing it; you will never get rid of it, but you can slow it down."

Isaac and others are enjoying a boxing program called Grizzly Awakensthey say helps mitigate the effects of the disease such as shaking, rigidity and walking challenges.

"I found out about my Parkinson's back in August," Stephan Protzsaid.

"And at the same time, I found out about this boxing so I gave it a whirl."

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Protz says he and others have seen some meaningful improvements in their condition.

"Just anecdotally, some of the other guys, it takes care of their walking, they are no longer hunched over and dragging their feet. They are actually walking like real people and they swear it's the boxing. Running and jogging is good for the soul and good for the lungs but boxing makes you say, OK, I have to swing my right arm, my left arm. It's that conscious thought that will re-map the circuit pass in your brain."

The co-owner of Grizzly Cage Boxing Club in northeast Calgary says no one gets hurt in this type of boxing.

"Our assistant will dress in the full protective wear and the students will have an opportunity to move with the footwork so that their mobility is giving them the upper hand on their opponent," Darcy Irwin says.

The assistant doesn't hit back.

Day to day changes

"It is a great deal of fun, you get a lot of energy released and then you gain a lot of new energy as well.

But essentially for these guys, it is day to day that changes," Irwin said.

Protz says for some people, the benefits can last for several hours to several days.

"It takes care of the shaking and the tremors," he said.

"The tremors have really slowed down and it should last most of the weekend. I am going to be out skiing this weekend and that will help also."

And for Isaac, there are other advantages.

"It is more sociable too, as opposed to being in a gym setting where you are working out on machines and really having limited interaction with other people," Isaac said.

"Here, we become friends."

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With files from The Calgary Eyeopener