Like many of us living with Charcot Marie Tooth Disease (CMT) finding ways to overcome our set of unique challenges in order to stay healthier and remain as physically able as possible is a constant battle.
Nordic Walking (NW), noted as a fitness trend by Harvard Health Publishing (Harvard Medical School), is a type of fitness walking that mimics the full body movement patterns of a cross-country skier by using poles as one walks along a trail. It is more vigorous than regular walking because it employes a robust workout for your upper body (shoulders, arms and core) along with your legs.
Studies indicate that Nordic walking burns more calories than regular walking, and helps reduce loading to lower extremities. In a study by Wilson et al. (2000) entitled Effects of Walking Poles on Lower Extremity Gait Mechanics researchers found that walking with poles increased walking speed, stride length and stance time.
These are just a few of the reasons why current research has shown that it is particularly well-suited to those with neurodegenerative conditions! The authors of the article Nordic Walking-a New Form of Exercise in Rehabilitation (2006) presented a literature review that focused on the usefulness of NW in the rehabilitation of various groups of patients including those with neurological disorders and found that persons with both balance & proprioception problems would benefit from NW. Both of these are symptoms experienced by those of us who suffer from CMT.
Recent studies on neurodegenerative conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis [i] and Parkinson’s Disease [ii] have shown that patients who participated in DW training had improvements in walking distance, walking pace (gait speed), daily step count, dynamic balance, walking endurance, and physical and emotional quality of life perceptions.
This explains why Physiotherapists have noted that NW “activates and retrains the neurological circuits responsible for controlling walking. In addition, as balance is often reduced in people with neurological conditions, the increase contact with the ground due to the poles allows for increased stability during the exercise.”
Collectively, these benefits increase the ease and confidence of walking which, in turn, helps a CMT patient walk longer. Additional benefits of the upper body workout afforded by poles helps build a stronger core and better posture. As a result, muscles in arms, shoulders, trunk and legs strengthen which could help improve overall walking patterns.
Check it out, discuss how to get started with a local physical therapist. Remember to keep moving!
Author: Teresa M. Carroll PhD (Therapies for Inherited Neuropathies; TIN)