Parkinson's symposium in Calgary focuses on benefits of exercise

About 170 people with Parkinson's gathered in Calgary for a symposium which focused on treating the disease through physical activity.

Exercise can be medicine for people with Parkinson's, said Laurine Fillo, co-founder of Pedal for Parkinson's, the group that organized Sunday's event.

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"You can change the brain there's neuro-plasticity, you can teach the body to move again, to move in different ways," said Fillo, a Calgary-based photographer, wife, and mother of three, who was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson's at age 38 in 2003.

Whether it be skating, walking to music, or yoga, Fillo said it was important to get active.

The fourth annual symposium was held at the University of Calgary's Foothills Campus.

A group called Rock Steady Boxing, which offers boxing-based exercise classes for people with Parkinson's, also spoke at the symposium.

The U.S.-based company is going to start offering classes in Calgary.

Parkinson's disease is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects movement.

While a tremor may be the most well-known sign of Parkinson's, the disorder also commonly causes stiffness or slowing of movement.