Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – A class offered at St. Bernards aiming to help those with Parkinson’s disease in Northeast Arkansas celebrated its seventh anniversary on Tuesday.

Rock Steady Boxing is an Indianapolis-based program founded in 2006 that uses boxing techniques to help people diagnosed with Parkinson’s improve their daily tasks and maintain quality of life. St. Bernards began offering the classes at St. Bernards Health and Wellness, located at 1416 E. Matthews Ave., in 2019.

“The tough thing is when they’re diagnosed, there’s medication, but there’s not anything to say ‘Hey, you can do this,'” said St. Bernards Health and Wellness Director Paul Pickens. “This provides some hope. We just want to improve their quality of life as long as we can. It’s amazing to see how hard they work. We decided to do this years ago because we knew there was a need, didn’t know how large it was.”

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According to the Mayo Clinic, Parkinson’s is a movement disorder affecting the nervous system. It can result in tremors, trouble balancing, stiffness, and slowing of movement, with symptoms worsening over time. There is no cure, although various steps can be taken to manage symptoms.

Pickens said that since St. Bernards began offering the program, about 70 people have come through it, with approximately 22 enrolled in the current class. He added that boxing helps with several aspects impacted by Parkinson’s, such as walking, reaching outward, and voice projection.

“There is research out there that shows that people [with Parkinson’s] who do force high-intense exercise actually benefit,” said Leslie Wester, coordinator of Rock Steady Boxing. “Boxing is one of the highest intensity exercises there is. But it also speaks to all of the different symptoms that people who have Parkinson’s are facing. It might be their balance, it might be their gait, it might be their posture, it might be their hand-eye coordination. So, boxing does a lot of that.”

Wester said that while the program has helped several Jonesboro residents, people from all over Northeast Arkansas, such as Black Rock, Wynne, and Monette, participate in the program. She added that in addition to exercise, the program provides its boxers with a sense of camaraderie.

The class meets twice a week, and men and women of all ages are welcome; however, prospective boxers must be diagnosed with the disease. Those interested in participating can call 870-207-7700 to set up an assessment.

“It’s good to see how fulfilling it is, not for them, but for us as well,” Pickens said. “We have people that say, ‘I have never tied my shoes; this is the first time in so many years that I’ve tied my shoes.’ We take those things for granted, and it’s just super, super special, and then you can see the bond that we have with all our folks.”