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Punching out Parkinson’s: Some turning to boxing to fight disease’s symptoms

7 min read
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Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

Katie Garland, Don Heberle, David Pentico and Ralph DeLucia box at the Wolfpack Club to manage Parkinson’s Disease.

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Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac

Don Haberle of Bethel Park punches a bag as part of his workout to manage his Parkinson’s Disease.

Muhammed Ali and Michael J. Fox have been the most famous folks with Parkinson’s Disease. However, more than 10 million ordinary people, from friends to neighbors, suffer from the disorder.

Through medication and activity, many have found relief from their condition. Some though, are combating the illness in an unexpected way. They have discovered boxing.

“Boxing is my first therapy. Work is No. 2,” said Don Heberle.

The Bethel Park resident was diagnosed with the disease 10 years ago.

Now 77, he remains employed as a sales manager for Burns Equipment Co. Before COVID-19 forced him to work from home, Heberle commuted to Warrendale three days a week, Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, Heberle drives to Carnegie and works out at the Wolfpack Boxing Club. From 10 to 11:15 a.m., he and others afflicted with Parkinson’s Disease perform a rigorous routine featuring a variety of punching bags and consisting of calisthenics, stretching exercises and cardio work.

“It’s tiring,” Heberle said. “I’m spent when I’m finished, but I prefer it that way. If I don’t do this, I am a mess. My muscle strength would be completely gone.”

Ralph DeLucia agreed. The 65-year-old Finleyville resident was diagnosed with the disease seven years ago.

“It’s always hard, especially in the summer. There’s no air conditioning in here. This is a boxing gym,” he emphasized. “I enjoy this though. I like to be pushed. Boxing has really helped me a lot.”

According to Dr. Susan Baser, Parkinson’s patients benefit significantly from programs patterned after Rock Steady Boxing.

The nonprofit organization was founded in Indiana in 2006 through a friendship between Scott Newman, who had been diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s at age 40, and Vince Perez. In addition to the Wolfpack Boxing Club in Carnegie, Fit 4 Boxing Clubs in Allison Park and Murrysville offer classes devoted explicitly to Parkinson’s patients.

“(Boxing) is a wonderful activity for patients and these programs are amazing,” Baser said.

“It’s kind of multi-factorial as far as what it helps.”

First, obviously, is the impact of the physical activity, says Baser. Programs are tailored for patients. However, the focus is upon building confidence as well as strength. Initially, most workouts started with a session where all the patients conversed.

“It’s kind of a build-in speech therapy,” Baser said. “A lot of patients tend to quit talking. They mumble and you can’t understand them. But this brings them out of their shells and gets them more comfortable with socializing and more confidence in their speaking.”

Second is the exercise. The actual boxing builds up core strength as well as coordination and balance. Next is the socialization.

“Boxing is phenomenal,” Baser said. “The socialization and the actual physical build-up of your core strength, balance and coordination is a very positive thing. It gives them a lot of confidence as well as physical effects of the boxing.”

When Heberle and DeLucia attended classes at Wolfpack Boxing Club, both admitted they were apprehensive. In time, they experienced progress.

“I was very anxious the first time I came down here because I didn’t know what to expect,” Heberle said. “The group was very welcoming. It’s a great workout. I’ve noticed that there is a significant difference in my walk and my gait and my strength. Everything that I do. It does wonders for you.”

Aside from helping his balance and flexibility, DeLucia benefited most psychologically. Until he started boxing, he had not met anybody else with Parkinson’s.

“When I came to this class, it was a huge emotional lift to meet all these people,” said DeLucia. “I had gone six years without meeting anybody. Here, I realized that I wasn’t alone. It’s been helpful to me to work with people who have issues.”

DeLucia also noted that his classmates shared another commonality. Everybody works so hard.

The drill sergeant

Angela Murray puts Parkinson’s patients through their paces. She pushes them gently but forcefully. The fitness trainer joined the Wolfpack gym a few years ago after moving back to Pittsburgh from Florida. The New Castle native has been a certified instructor since October.

“It’s incredibly inspiring to see people who are battling this progressive disease, come in here every day, day in and day off, working their butts off, especially in the summer time in the heat and the humidity,” she said. “It’s impressive and truly humbling.”

While the gym has 400 members, between 25 to 30 Parkinson’s patients attend classes regularly. The average age is 70, but there are patients as young as 50 and well over 80.

Workouts start with a warm-up “to get the blood flowing” and stretches designed for mobility and balance. After shadowboxing, participants perform 20 pushups, according to their abilities. In between calisthenics and cardio work, the athletes actually box. They jab foam dummies and a variety of punching bags. There’s more boxing with added combinations and increased complexity, not to mention another round of calisthenics before the 95-minute session ends with a succession of stretching and cool-down exercises.

“Everything is about mobility, strength and balance as well as working on spatial awareness,” explained Murray. “There’s work on boxing technique but not just for power and endurance but it helps the mind-body connection. The more complex the drills, the more it taxes the brain.”

In addition to spacial awareness and recognition, drills focus on reactions. According to Murray, the double-end bags are great for that.

“It helps for them to handle something that is moving at them,” she said.

Pandemic pause

The coronavirus pandemic hindered progress. When COVID-19 hit the region, the gym was forced to close. The program was suspended for three months, causing panic phone calls. Since the gym reopened, attendance has been slow to return to normal because some of the Parkinson’s patients are grandparents or have spouses with a medical condition.

“It’s a delicate balance and we are taking precautions as best we can to help,” said Murray. “It’s definitely been a challenge. We had patients calling, begging ‘please open the gym, my symptoms are progressing. My tremors are getting worse. I’m having trouble with my gait.’ We are trying to protect them from COVID but they are more worried about keeping their disease from progressing because this is what’s life or death for them.”

When the gym reopened, Murray said she did see a “decline” in her students. Their voices were softer with less projection. Tremors were worse. There was a lot more foot shuffling.

Heberle noticed he has “slowed down” a bit. To work out at home takes “discipline” he does not possess.

“You have to be or the disease will take over and incapacitate you,” he said.

Within a few weeks of their return, Murray has seen a marked improvement in her students. She said the brief layoff has allowed her to see how crucial and how beneficial the program is.

Keep moving

For 54 years, Heberle has stuck with his wife, Rita. Together they had three children, Don, 53, Doug, 51, and Dan, 50, who live in McMurray, Greensboro and Cleveland, respectively. For 20 years, he also golfed in a couples league. Now he just joins them for a meal at their favorite restaurants, the Juniper Grill of Capstone.

“It’s a challenge to golf,” he said. “I can’t do it anymore because I tire and don’t have the mobility or equilibrium.

“For 70 years, I danced and golfed and sang my ways through a great life. Now, I don’t dance or sing. It’s different now. I respect this disease, but boxing is helping me beat it. I’m maintaining. Not getting worse,” he said.

For four years, Heberle has boxed. The only thing that slowed him down was the hiatus from the gym because of COVID-19 and back surgery. The tremors, which led to his diagnosis, have abated, mainly because of medication, but his strength and balance have improved.

When he looks around the gym, Heberle realizes how blessed he is. He says that others have troubles worse than he does.

“There’s no pity party going on here. God doesn’t give us things we can’t handle. Everybody is working hard to manage,” he said.

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