Bateman Physical Therapy
Tel: 925-596-9830
Fax: 925-215-2290
Has Parkinson's made walking, balance, getting out of a chair, or everyday activities feel more difficult?
Parkinson's disease can affect the way you move, walk, balance, and complete everyday tasks. You may notice smaller or slower movements, stiffness, reduced arm swing, shuffling steps, or more difficulty getting started. These changes can make daily life less predictable and may cause you to limit activities you once enjoyed.At Bateman Physical Therapy, we provide individualized Parkinson's physical therapy for adults in San Ramon, Danville, and the surrounding San Ramon Valley. Treatment is designed to improve movement, strength, balance, walking, and confidence so you can remain as active and independent as possible.
Parkinson's Can Affect More Than Just Your Movement
Parkinson's can affect walking, balance, posture, strength, coordination, and the ability to complete everyday tasks. Symptoms may change from day to day and can be influenced by medication timing, fatigue, stress, and the environment.
You may notice:
• Taking shorter or shuffling steps
• Feeling stiff or slow when you first start moving
• Having difficulty turning or changing direction
• Experiencing freezing or feeling as though your feet are stuck
• Needing your arms or several attempts to stand from a chair
• Feeling less steady on stairs or uneven ground
• Losing strength, endurance, or coordination
• Having more difficulty getting in and out of bed or a car
• Avoiding activities because of balance or fall concerns
When these changes begin to interfere with daily life, a physical therapy evaluation can identify the specific movement problems limiting you and provide a plan to address them.
Parkinson's Movement Challenges We Address
Treatment focuses on the specific movement problems that affect your safety, independence, and ability to stay active.
SLOWNESS AND STIFFNESS
Parkinson's can make movements smaller, slower, or more effortful. Targeted exercise and repeated practice can help you move with greater speed and amplitude.
BALANCE AND FALL RISK
Changes in posture, balance reactions, and coordination may increase the risk of falls. Physical therapy can challenge balance safely and teach strategies for navigating daily environments.
WALKING AND SHUFFLING STEPS
Gait training may address short steps, reduced arm swing, slower walking, and difficulty changing direction so you can move more efficiently and confidently.
FREEZING AND DIFFICULTY STARTING
External cues, weight shifting, and task-specific strategies can help when your feet feel stuck or it is difficult to begin walking.
STRENGTH, POSTURE, AND ENDURANCE
A personalized exercise program can improve the strength and stamina needed for transfers, stairs, community walking, and other meaningful activities.
Personalized, Task-Specific Treatment
Your program is built around the specific tasks you want to perform more safely and confidently, then progressed as your abilities and needs change.
Treatment may include repeated practice of walking, turning, transfers, reaching, and other movements that Parkinson's has made smaller or slower. External cues, larger-amplitude movements, and carefully progressed exercise can help improve carryover into daily activities.
Your home program will focus on the exercises and strategies most useful for you. Family members or caregivers may also be included when their support can make movement practice safer and more consistent.
How Physical Therapy Helps With Parkinson's
Physical therapy for Parkinson's focuses on the movement problems that make everyday activities harder or less safe. Your physical therapist will evaluate how Parkinson's is affecting your walking, balance, strength, posture, coordination, and ability to move between positions.
Your evaluation may include:
• Walking speed, step length, arm swing, and turning
• Balance reactions and fall risk
• Strength, flexibility, posture, and endurance
• Standing from a chair, getting out of bed, and using stairs
• Freezing, start hesitation, and movement transitions
• Dual-task activities, such as walking while talking or carrying an item
• Activities that have become difficult or less safe
Based on your evaluation, treatment may include:
• Large-amplitude movement practice
• Gait and balance training
• Strengthening, flexibility, and aerobic exercise
• Cueing strategies for freezing or difficulty starting
• Transfer and functional movement practice
• A personalized home exercise program
• Education for you and your family
With physical therapy, you may be able to:
• Take bigger, more confident steps
• Improve balance and reduce fall risk
• Turn and change direction more safely
• Stand up and move between positions more easily
• Improve strength, posture, and endurance
• Use strategies to manage freezing episodes
• Return to exercise and community activities
• Maintain your independence for as long as possible
The goal is not simply to perform exercises in the clinic. It is to help you use better movement strategies throughout everyday life.
Staying Active and Independent With Parkinson's
Regular exercise is one of the most important tools available for managing the movement challenges associated with Parkinson's. When activity decreases, strength, flexibility, endurance, and confidence can decline, making everyday tasks even harder.
Physical therapy helps you exercise at an appropriate level while practicing the specific movements that Parkinson's often affects. Your program can progress as your needs change and may include a home plan that makes it easier to stay consistent between visits.
For older adults, maintaining the ability to walk, rise from a chair, use stairs, get on and off the floor, and participate in community activities is closely connected to independence. At Bateman Physical Therapy, treatment focuses on the practical abilities you need for daily life.
Why Choose Bateman Physical Therapy for Parkinson's?
Parkinson's affects each person differently. Your treatment should reflect your specific symptoms, physical abilities, daily challenges, and personal goals.
At Bateman Physical Therapy, Dr. James Bateman provides individualized care rather than a one-size-fits-all exercise program. With more than 15 years of experience helping adults improve strength, mobility, balance, and function, he takes the time to understand how Parkinson's is affecting your movement and the activities that matter most to you.
Because Parkinson's symptoms can vary with fatigue, stress, medication timing, and the demands of your environment, treatment is adjusted to how you function in everyday situations. Care focuses on practical strategies you can carry into your home, neighborhood, and community.
Whether your goal is to walk with greater confidence, get up from a chair more easily, navigate stairs, manage freezing, return to exercise, or remain independent, your treatment plan is designed around you.
As a local physical therapy practice serving San Ramon, Danville, and the surrounding San Ramon Valley, Bateman Physical Therapy provides personalized attention in a setting where your safety, goals, and progress remain the focus.
Frequently asked questions
Ready to Move With Greater Confidence?
If Parkinson's is making it harder to walk, maintain your balance, get up from a chair, exercise, or participate in the activities you enjoy, physical therapy may be able to help.
Schedule an evaluation at Bateman Physical Therapy to identify the movement challenges affecting your daily life and develop a personalized plan to help you move with greater safety, confidence, and independence.