The story of Parkinson's on the Move
Using the knowledge that Alex has accumulated throughout his personal fight with Parkinson's as well as years of experience in movement and fitness, Parkinson's on the Move first came into being in 2014. At the invitation of Stamford Hospital, in Stamford, CT, Alex designed and taught his exercise methods to a group of individuals with Parkinson's. He saw their progress, their hope, their improvement, and the impact a healthier lifestyle can have.
In 2017, Alex and Alexis decided to expand Parkinson's on the Move into an online format. PDontheMove.com is designed to give you the flexibility to exercise when you want, where you want, and to have a place where you can go to use comprehensive resources designed for Parkinson's patients. We know that exercise, a healthy diet, and stress reduction are crucial to minimizing not only Parkinson's symptoms, but a whole host of other conditions. For example, immune system function can be affected by exercise, diet, and stress... so if you want to help fight off the common cold, other viruses, bacterial infections, and even cancer, a healthy immune system is key. Diet and exercise are also incredibly important in preventing heart attack, stroke, and diabetes. Physicians know this, and may say this, but often just saying it isn't enough. Most of us just don't know how to create a personal program that will address individual needs.
Creating healthy habits is a simple concept, but is not simple to do. Parkinson's on the Move is designed to make it simple for you. See for yourself!
Our philosophy
Exercise as medicine
It may surprise you to learn that purposeful exercise is one of the most powerful tools you have in your fight against Parkinson’s. With the correct exercise regime, you may see improvements in your symptoms, experience less “off-time” from medications, enhance your fitness level (strength, flexibility and cardiovascular), and you may even notice an improved mindset.
If that’s not motivation enough, consider that exercise, alongside minimizing stress and consuming a healthy, balanced diet, can slow down the progression of Parkinson’s.
What do we believe is the best exercise regime? One that is:
- Balanced
- Level appropriate
- Fits into your schedule
- Inspirational and motivational
- Diverse
Parkinson’s on the Move workouts and exercises are based on extensive training and experience in the fields of medicine, science, fitness, and dance, alongside the knowledge gained from Alexander Tressor’s personal battle against Parkinson’s for the past 11 years. We offer complete workouts that integrate strength training, stretching, coordination exercises, and cardiovascular intervals, whether you are able to exercise while lying down, sitting, or standing.
You are what you eat:
Nutrition for a person with Parkinson's plays a crucial role in improving one's condition. For those of us with Parkinson’s, some foods may exacerbate symptoms, and others seem beneficial. Once you begin to improve your diet, you will realize just how important it is to pay attention to the foods we eat.
What you need to do:
- Assess your current diet
- Eat in moderation
- Eliminate most processed foods
- Stay away from too much sugar and artificial sweeteners
- Monitor dairy and meat intake
Life is stressful
If you're living with Parkinson's, stress can be particularly harmful. We all have a lot to worry about; perhaps the most worrying of all is the uncertainty of how our disease will progress. Stress and anxiety can worsen your symptoms and minimize your body’s natural defenses, creating more stress and anxiety. Stress reduction will greatly improve your attitude, mood, and your emotional state.
You need to think about what makes you happy, fits into your lifestyle, and lets you be at peace with yourself. Pay attention to what events or activities are stressful for you, work towards minimizing them, and find what makes you happy.
It takes a personal approach
Yes, you are unique. Where you live, what you eat, what challenges and obstacles you face, your level of fitness, your body physique, and your Parkinson's are all unique to you. No single plan is right for everyone, and no single approach will be right for everyone. To combat a disease which is so dependent upon your genetics and lifestyle, you need a plan that takes into account your specific needs, that motivates you, and that is personalized. We offer free resources, so if you feel comfortable that you can design a plan that works for you - go for it! If you need guidance, motivation, and an approach based on personal experience fighting PD, we offer online and in-person personal training, personalized programs based on consultations, DVDs which can be personalized to your unique needs, and a mobile app which has built-in personalization.
Our method
Our exercises are designed to improve balance, flexibility, coordination, gait, and lack of speed by incorporating movements from a variety of disciplines including dance, athletic training, physical therapy, Pilates, and yoga. To enhance our workout routines, our carefully selected soundtracks provide indispensable rhythms and create an enjoyable atmosphere. To get the true benefits of any exercise, you need challenging and diverse, yet level-appropriate strengthening and stretching workouts. We want all Parkinson’s patients to be able to benefit from our exercises, which is why we designed our programs to help people in all stages of PD progression. Whether you sit, stand, or are unable to do either, we have workouts designed for you.
Individual Exercise Library. We feel that it is important to have videos which teach you how to do each exercise in our workouts. Our extensive video library is intended to be a teaching tool. We explain how to do the exercises, give tips and common corrections, and describe how often you should repeat each exercise. The videos can also be used as a resource to learn how to stretch and strengthen specific muscle groups. For your convenience, videos are listed by three main categories: lying down, sitting, and standing.
Workouts. Our workouts are based on exercises taught in our video library. Since we know that individuals with Parkinson's can have vastly different starting points, we have created multiple workouts, ranging from lying down to something akin to training for the Olympics! Every member has access to all of the workouts, so you can try a more challenging workout. Or if you need something gentler, those workouts are always available as well.
Recipes. Reading and learning about nutrition is great, but the most important aspect of nutrition is what you actually eat. We think the most practical approach to nutrition is to provide healthy, simple recipes which are largely based on a Mediterranean diet. Our advice page offers guidance on nutrition.
Stress Reduction. What are some ways you can relieve stress? Breathing exercises practicing stillness, exercising, trying new activities, reconnecting with old activities, taking dance, boxing, yoga, or tai chi, drawing, painting, or playing a musical instrument. The options are endless. You need to think about what makes you happy, fits into your lifestyle, and lets you be at peace with yourself. We offer videos and articles to try to inspire you, to make you laugh, and to make you think.
Personalized approach. Perhaps the most unique aspect of our method is the ability to create a truly personalized program. Read more about options for you to get the personal help you need.
Our co-founders
Alexander Tressor
There are many terms I could use to describe myself: I'm a Russian immigrant, a former Broadway dancer, a Ballet teacher, a choreographer, a hockey enthusiast, a chef, and, sometimes I have a tremor, sometimes I have difficulty walking... all the time, I have Parkinson's Disease.
I grew up in the U.S.S.R., and immigrated to New York as a teenager. After a few years of ballet training, I became a professional ballet dancer, morphing into a Broadway dancer. Eventually, I began teaching ballet. I taught for years at Steps Studios on Broadway in New York City, and as a guest teacher throughout the world, including as a U.S. Cultural Envoy to Kosovo. I am still an active ballet master, currently working in South Carolina.
In 2007, I was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. My diagnosis came after a needless shoulder surgery, and a lot of frustration surrounding the uncertainty of what was going on with the rigidity and tremors I was experiencing. When I finally got the diagnosis of PD, I was not relieved. I was shocked, particularly after I heard "there is no cure". Rather than waiting for Michael J. Fox to come back from the future with a cure, I decided to find a way to minimize PD symptoms. With modifications to my diet, exercise routine, and overall lifestyle, I noticed considerable improvement in my tremors, cognitive functions, mood, and overall stability.
As my PD progresses, I keep fighting back by counteracting what PD is doing to my mind and body. I do this by finding new ways to exercise, address my nutrition, and practice stress reduction techniques. In 2014, I developed Parkinson's on the Move classes for Stamford Hospital's Tully Heath Center. Encouraged by the progress of my students, I set out to expand my program of exercises to help PD patients at any stage of progression.
Alexis Peterson, M.D.
Alexis has extensive training in ballet, medicine, and science, which together bring a unique expertise to Parkinson's on the Move.
She grew up training for a career in ballet, dancing well over 30 hours/week for years. After high school, she danced with the Pacific Northwest Ballet as a member of their school's professional division. With a desire to learn about other subjects, Alexis attended Boston College. She graduated summa cum laude with a B.S. in biochemistry, was a recipient of multiple awards and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.
She has researched enzymatic structure-function relationships, worked on engineering vascularized tissue modules, and has also worked on developing novel antibody therapeutics for cancer patients. During her research career, she has been a co-author on multiple peer-reviewed scientific publications, which can be seen here.
In 2013, Alexis enrolled in the Health Sciences and Technology (HST) M.D. program at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In February 2017, Alexis received a M.S. in biological sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She received her M.D. from Harvard Medical School in March, 2020.