Therapeutic boxing in Parkinson's - what are the differences to normal boxing training?

Boxing is a popular sport that has recently become more popular due to its positive effects on people suffering from Parkinson's disease. It has even been recognized to lead to a significant improvement in walking speed in people with Parkinson's disease.

However, boxing training for people with Parkinson's disease differs significantly from training programs for people without Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's patients are often limited by muscle disorders, weakness, problems with balance and body coordination. Boxing training for this group therefore focuses on speed, footwork, balance and strength training.

Because Parkinson's patients often have poor balance, reduced strength, and poor endurance, combinations of reaction training and strength training are done to improve reflexes and train balance. To increase strength and endurance, boxing exercises with an increase in standing time, marches and sprints are effective.

Healthy people who practice boxing can be more strength-based and have more latitude for more complex movements. Since there are usually different types of knockout training, intensive punching and endurance techniques can be trained. Since boxing training can support cardiovascular health, interval-based training methods such as high-intensity interval training can also be used.

In summary, boxing training has its benefits for both people with Parkinson's disease and healthy people. While boxing training is aimed at improving balance, balance and speed for people with Parkinson's, it can also be used to increase strength, endurance and cardiovascular endurance in healthy people.

Despite this positive effect, therapeutic boxing has become a little quiet in Germany, and anyone looking for a provider in their area will rarely find it.

What are the reasons?

If you ask around at the boxing studios and the physiotherapists, the following hurdles emerge:

1. Lack of awareness:
   Therapeutic boxing may not be as well known in Germany as in other countries such as the USA. Therefore, there may be fewer providers who specialize in this offer.    
2. Lack of training opportunities:
   There may not be enough training opportunities in Germany for trainers who want to offer therapeutic boxing. This can lead to fewer qualified trainers who can provide this type of training.
   
3. cost factor:
   Therapeutic boxing often requires special equipment such as boxing gloves, punching bags and protective gear. This can be expensive and potentially a barrier to starting vendors. 
4. regulation:
   Therapeutic boxing can be viewed as a medical measure that requires special regulation. This can complicate the establishment of providers as they may face additional bureaucratic hurdles.

Overall, there are several factors that can contribute to the fact that there are only a few providers of therapeutic boxing in Germany. However, it is possible that this will change in the future as therapeutic boxing gains prominence and training opportunities for coaches expand.

The Parkinson Journal will have its own section and its supplier directory "PunchingParkinson" make their own contribution to therapeutic boxing in Germany gaining the status it deserves.

A request to my readers:

If you know a sports club, a boxing studio or a physiotherapist that offers therapeutic boxing, please let me know (juergen.zender@parkinson-journal.de) so that the provider in question has the chance to find out about it PunchingParkinson directory to be found.

Jürgen Zender, Munich, March 2023