FRANKLIN COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18)– A new boxing class in Frankfort is helping people build confidence after being diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease.
Occupational therapist Jennifer Kenney serves as their trainer at Rocksteady Boxing, giving the people the skills to combat the neurological disease that’s trying to knock them down.
“Hosting them here at our clinic allows them to come and be in a safe environment,” she said.
Research shows that high-intensity exercise helps minimize the symptoms of Parkinson’s. One punch at a time, they are working on things like balance, dexterity, and they’re creating new pathways in their brains where the old ones weren’t working anymore.
“We have patients come in on walkers who leave with no adaptive devices, we have people who have never jumped rope who are jumping rope and are doing burpees and push-ups,” said Keeney.
The class is the only one of its kind in Frankfort. Some people are more progressed in their diagnosis and others have minimal symptoms.
“You’re with people that understand you, you know, they’re not here to criticize you,” said Beverly Hoskins, who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease last year.
The people there say that they are gaining confidence by taking the class.
“Happy. Happy that I’ve done something for myself something that helps slow the progression of the Parkinson’s down, and exhausted,” said Sandra Gosney, who has been diagnosed for 12 years.
Their goal is to get 100 people through the class by the end of 2019.
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