Our first residential study held within the heart of the New Forest, UK.
“No other treatment has given me such pain relief even though I have had lengthy and very expensive courses throughout my adult life.
I cannot praise this treatment highly enough I arrived in the new Forest with backache, a completely rigid ankle and very tight muscles in my whole body. I left still with Parkinson’s but with a new belief that I can fight the symptoms with something other than drugs.”
How it all began/who is behind unlocking parkinson’s?
None of this would have happened without the hard work of Sue Mills (MCSP), her Physiotherapy Team and all the volunteers. Sue is a chartered physiotherapist who has always used the traditional manipulative and hands-on form of physiotherapy to help and care for all of her patients for the past 30 years. But 8 years ago, Sue came across a new and very different form of Muscle Activations called Be Activated. This method looks at the body in a completely NEW and UNIQUE way in which we can assess where movement patterns have gone ‘wrong’ or ‘lost their way’.
By using our hands to stimulate the specific points around the body we can access the nervous system, and help facilitate often immediate changes in muscle length, strength balance and more. No drugs! No gadgets!
by chance
“It all happened by chance really after I treated a patient with low back pain who also had long-standing Parkinson’s disease. As a result he noticed a difference not just in his back pain but in his Parkinson’s symptoms, he felt looser and more upright, walking was easier and his facial expressions improved, so I was curious.
As with all good things word spread and more patients with Parkinson’s found their way to us and over the next 18 months or so, we started to see more and more incredible changes and functional improvements occurring"
THE PATIENTS FOUND US
“The patients who found us all had very emotional stories to tell. A former England cricketer who found out his diagnosis by post, to two ladies who were part of an invasive GDNF drug trial televised by the BBC. I was so inspired by them and with the help of some fantastic colleagues and volunteers, we ran a 4 day residential pilot study to see if what we were finding in our clinic was really as effective as we thought. We were really testing ourselves but the results were more than we could have imagined! Each day we were seeing changes in their speech, facial, expressions, movement, balance and each morning the Parkineer’s (as they call themselves) told us their improvements such as changes in their mood, sleeping patterns to the simplest of things such as being able to turn over in bed or getting dressed.
It was four of the best days of my career and it was truly such a privilege.”
“The patients were all at different stages of Parkinson’s with different symptoms and life challenges. Each day we would assess and perform a hands-on muscle activation treatment along with specific individual exercises and group activities. Evenings were spent at a local pub, chatting, sharing stories and most importantly having fun. The community spirit and was exceptional.”
WHAT WAS INVOLVED
Each morning we would check in with the group to hear of changes they had noticed or could demonstrate to the group. Not just movement based but speech, facial expressions, sleeping patterns and moods all changed. Everyone supported and enjoyed each other’s achievements in a very moving and often tear jerking way.
There was competitive table tennis, volleyball, relaxation and meditation. Neil demonstrated his creative painting skills, kindly bringing enough equipment for everyone to have a go.
See his incredible story and inspiring video below!
Neil also suffers with severe dyskinesia, continually randomly moving, unable to be still and quiet. This is not only exhausting but makes simple tasks such as using your phone, walking in a straight-line, talking and lying shoe laces incredibly difficult. As the days unfolded Neil was not only a demon playing table tennis, but was able to sit quietly and control his Dyskinesia himself, even enabling him to tuck into a large bowl of muscles, for the first time in two years!
Another one of our patients Shaun Udal, a former England cricketer and spin bowler, had been unable to throw a ball more than 15 feet under arm for about 5 years due to neck problems resulting in surgery and then onset of Parkinson’s. That’s pretty devastating for someone who represented his country bowling. After an activation session he threw over arm 80 metres!
See Shaun’s before and after video below and witness his first long distance over-arm throw in 5 years!
“The 4 days ended with happy, perhaps a bit exhausting for some, but positive for all, ready to face the world head on with new skills to self-manage their condition in a new unique way.
These Parkinson’s Pioneers or as they collectively decided to call themselves ‘The Parkineers 2020,’ are continuing to support each other through regular Zoom calls and WhatsApp group, keeping everyone up beat in this difficult lock down situation that we all find ourselves in.”
THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING
“So it’s early days, our follow-up studies have been postponed due to the coronavirus situation but our aim is to resume these as soon as its safe to do so, and then run more Unlocking Parkinson’s retreats around the UK. This will enable us to learn more, help more people living with Parkinson’s and develop this methodology further including, teaching not only to patients, but their partners and carers how to do the activations which then can be maintained in the comfort of their own homes.
Our approach is safe without drugs and empowering patients to be in control of their own management which in our current climate has to be the way forward!
This is just the beginning there and is so much more to come.” - Sue Mills MCSP (founder of Unlocking Parkinson’s)