Pedal power for Parkinson's

Professor Bloem, a neurologist in the Netherlands, recently reported on a gentleman with Parkinson's who is unable to walk without shuffling and freezing but rides his bike for miles every day. Astounded, Professor Bloem spoke to other people with Parkinson’s and found they could all cycle too.

Videos of the man trying to walk and then riding his bike appeared online in The New England Journal of Medicine and have created quite a stir amongst Parkinson's researchers.

What we don't understand is why when walking is such a challenge, cycling can be a breeze. One theory is that cycling uses different parts of the brain to walking that are not as severely affected in Parkinson's. Figuring out what is going on inside peoples' brains whilst they are cycling could help us understand how we organise and perform movements - which could lead to better treatments and therapies.

And we've been hearing from you too - like Tony whose walking is becoming more difficult, but feels much more confident when he's on his tricycle - you can watch Tony on his trike and the local group go companion cycling

Are you a keen cyclist like Tony or have you found other ways to get out and about? Please share your experiences below or email research@parkinsons.org.uk