{"id":293015,"date":"2025-11-19T10:05:09","date_gmt":"2025-11-19T10:05:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/293015\/"},"modified":"2025-11-19T10:05:09","modified_gmt":"2025-11-19T10:05:09","slug":"a-boxing-class-is-helping-these-parkinsons-patients-punch-back-against-the-disease","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/293015\/","title":{"rendered":"A boxing class is helping these Parkinson’s patients punch back against the disease"},"content":{"rendered":"

Every week, Londoner Brenda Lipson finds herself standing in front of a gym full of boxing students, all chanting a simple phrase: \u201cQuitting is not an option.\u201d<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a mantra that resonates with athletes from all walks of life, but especially to the people in the class she leads.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s because they all have Parkinson\u2019s disease, and they\u2019re all learning how to box with the hope of staving the effects of the disease off.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not easy,\u201d Lipson said. \u201cWe have to get them sweating and working hard, but it\u2019s worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n

More than 35 people frequent the class, part of a program called Knock Out Parkinson\u2019s Disease (KOPD) in London, Ont., a partnership between the physical rehabilitation company Neuphysio and Damian Warner Fitness Centre.<\/p>\n

The classes are held three times per week at the Damian Warner Fitness Centre North, and bring together Parkinson\u2019s patients who want to improve their fitness for non-contact boxing, with the hope that the exercise can lessen their symptoms.<\/p>\n

Lipson said the results have been impressive since KOPD started almost three years ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe one thing that a lot of people say to us when they come here with Parkinson’s is they didn’t know anyone else with the disease, and they also didn’t know what they could do,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\"TheThe boxing portion of KOPD classes includes punching bags and the use of boxing pads. (Alessio Donnini\/CBC News)<\/p>\n

Beyond the desire to use her 44 years of physiotherapy experience to help Parkinson\u2019s patients, there\u2019s a personal motivation behind the work Lipson does.<\/p>\n

Her husband has had Parkinson\u2019s for 21 years.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe first time we saw people with Parkinson’s boxing [in 2017], I went to him and said, \u2018Let’s do this,\u2019\u201d said Lipson. \u201cHe said, \u2018Are you crazy?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Working alongside her husband has also helped inform Lipson as she develops lesson plans.<\/p>\n

\u201cUnfortunately, most people with Parkinson’s don’t fit into a regular fitness program because they have different challenges and symptoms, and [sometimes] because they’re self-conscious,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Parts of the program that make it Parkinson\u2019s friendly include 15 minute warm-up and cool-down periods, a variety of movements for things like strength-building, coordination, balance and more.<\/p>\n

Volunteers also assist participants to ensure they\u2019re staying safe, and the lessons are able to be moulded to the needs of each participant on the fly.<\/p>\n

None of it\u00a0 would exist, though, without the people putting on the gloves.<\/p>\n

\"GeorgesGeorges Menerd attends Monday afternoon KOPD classes at Damien Warner Fitness Centre North. (Alessio Donnini\/CBC News)Students find camaraderie in boxing<\/p>\n

Of all the people in the class shouting the words \u201cquitting is not an option,\u201d Georges Menerd is often the loudest.<\/p>\n

The 79-year-old Londoner was diagnosed four years ago, and he calls KOPD his \u201chappy place.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

When he started, he couldn\u2019t get up by himself after falling, and made heavy use of a cane to get around.<\/p>\n

\u201cWithin two months I was able to get rid of the cane, and within three months I was able to get rid of the walking stick,\u201d he said. \u201cI feel really strong right now. I feel healthy, and most importantly, I’m happy and positive.\u201d<\/p>\n

That positive feeling remains despite the continued progression of the unforgiving disease since he started the class. There days, he said life would be a whole lot harder now if he hadn’t joined the class.<\/p>\n

\"LindaLinda Moore hits a punching bag. She told CBC News the exercises she’s done during KOPD classes have allowed her to stand taller, something many patients struggle with. (Alessio Donnini\/CBC News)<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not just because of the added benefits to fitness and mobility, but also because of the community he found in KOPD. <\/p>\n

That sense of community is also much appreciated by Linda Moore, 71, who was diagnosed with Parkinson\u2019s nearly\u00a0 21 years ago.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was two years ago I joined. I met some great people and I discovered that we\u2019re all the same, yet we\u2019re all different,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

In terms of physical benefits, Moore said she\u2019s been able to stand taller since she joined, and both she and Menerd say they\u2019ve experienced improved self-esteem.<\/p>\n

\"MairiPhysiotherapist Mairi Greig says directing the boxing class as been a growing experience, not just for the students, but for her as well. (Alessio Donnini\/CBC News)<\/p>\n

To Mairi Greig, a physiotherapist with Neuphysio and the director of KOPD, the class is not only her favourite part of the week, but something with often tangible outcomes. <\/p>\n

\u201cI think [most people] would be surprised at how rigorous and difficult our class actually is, but also how much everyone is able to do,” she said. \u201cSomething like medication can change the symptoms an individual is having, but exercise can change the progression of the disease.”<\/p>\n

According to Parkinson Canada, there\u2019s evidence to back up the suggestion that targeted exercise can slow the progression of the disease and help patients retain a better quality of life longer.<\/p>\n

It’s something Greig and others involved with KOPD hope to carry on into the future for the benefit of people diagnosed with the disease.<\/p>\n

“It’s so much more than just treatment,” Greig said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Every week, Londoner Brenda Lipson finds herself standing in front of a gym full of boxing students, all…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":293016,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[447],"tags":[703,49,48,82],"class_list":{"0":"post-293015","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-boxing","8":"tag-boxing","9":"tag-ca","10":"tag-canada","11":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/293015","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=293015"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/293015\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/293016"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=293015"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=293015"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=293015"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}