Deterioration of fine motor skills and shakiness can make exercising a challenge when you have muscle tremor. Luckily, there are ways that you can exercise safely and effectively and even use exercise to reduce the frequency and severity of tremors. Incorporating low-impact exercises and resistance training under the guidance of a qualified professional can help patients with muscle tremor improve muscle strength and coordination, reduce stress and anxiety, and improve their overall quality of life.
Muscle tremors are a neurological disorder that causes shaking movements in the hands, arms, legs, vocal cords, or torso (6). These tremors can be caused by various factors, including certain medications, stress and anxiety, and neurological disorders that affect the areas of the brain that control movements, such as multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease. The most common movement disorder associated with muscle tremors is essential tremor, a progressive neurological disease (7). Persons with essential tremor may lose control and balance in their limbs and display unstable posture and decreased gait speed (7).
Low-impact exercises that don’t put too much stress on the joints can be a safe and effective way to improve physical and mental health when you have muscle tremor. Activities like walking, yoga, dancing, and tai chi can provide patients with muscle tremors with appropriate physical activity and increase relaxation (2).
Resistance training using light weights or resistance bands has been demonstrated to provide significant benefits for patients with essential tremor and Parkinson’s disease. Resistance training can increase muscular coordination and force steadiness, helping patients to improve movement control (5). Additionally, resistance training that targets the upper limb area can improve manual dexterity and reduce force tremor (4). Exercising in this way can help patients with muscle tremor to better control their movements.
Working with a qualified physical therapist or exercise specialist can be particularly beneficial when exercising with muscle tremor. Physical therapy, for instance, can improve functionality and decrease fall risk for those with essential tremor (7).
The effects of exercise on muscle tremor can be comparable to pharmacological treatments, in some cases. For example, patients with Parkinson’s disease who practiced hand movement exercises reduced their muscle tremors to the same level as patients taking medication (3). As a result, exercise can be used as an alternative or a supplement to pharmacological treatment and deep brain stimulation when treating muscle tremors. All in all, exercising is a non-invasive, effective, and inexpensive treatment method for improving your mobility and overall quality of life when you have muscle tremor.
References
- Bilodeau, M et al. “Strength training can improve steadiness in persons with essential tremor.” Muscle & nerve, vol. 23, no. 5, 2000, pp. 771-778. doi:10.1002/(sici)1097-4598(200005)23:5<771::aid-mus15>3.0.co;2-9
- “Exercise.” National Tremor Foundation, tremor.org.uk/exercise
- Farashi, Sajjad et al. “Effect of Exercise on Parkinson’s Disease Tremor: A Meta-analysis Study.” Tremor and Other Hyperkinetic Movements, 27 Apr 2021, vol. 11, no. 5, doi: 10.5334/tohm.599
- Kavanagh, Justin J et al. “Resistance Training Reduces Force Tremor and Improves Manual Dexterity in Older Individuals with Essential Tremor.” Journal of Motor Behavior, vol. 48, no. 1, 2016, pp. 20-30. doi:10.1080/00222895.2015.1028583
- Sequeira, Graeme et al. “Resistance Training Can Improve Fine Manual Dexterity in Essential Tremor Patients: A Preliminary Study.” Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, vol. 98, no. 8, Aug 2012, pp. 1466-1468. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2012.02.003
- “Tremor.” National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institute of Health, www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/tremor
- Ulanowski et al. “Physical Therapy for a Patient with Essential Tremor and Prolonged Deep Brain Stimulation: A Case Report.” Tremor and Other Hyperkinetic Movements, 15 Mar 2017, vol. 7, no. 448, doi: 10.7916/D8X92H0G