Shadowing Experience #1: A Parkinson's Disease Patient

 

Introduction:

Welcome to Scribbles from the Scrubs! A blog where I talk about my journey as a high school student hoping to pursue medicine in the future. For today’s blog entry, I would like to share my experience shadowing a Parkinson’s Disease patient who is in his mid-60s and has been suffering from muscle rigidity and bloating in the stomach. Before assisting this patient, I did some reading on PD. So here is a gist on what I gathered:

What I read:

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological disorder of the central nervous system that develops when neurons, which are a certain type of nerve cell in the brain, die. Neurons produce a chemical messenger in the brain called dopamine. Since PD patients have low levels of dopamine, movement problems, tremors, bradykinesia, rigid muscles, and other PD symptoms occur. Since Parkinson’s disease is best known for its motor symptoms, the treatment does not end with medication. In fact, physical therapy plays a crucial role in maintaining mobility and balance (Parkinson’s Disease - Symptoms and Causes, n.d.).

Discussing before starting the physical therapy session is crucial. Asking the patient about their routine and any recent discomfort is essential for tailoring the session accordingly. In this case, the patient’s main point of discomfort was the cervico-thoracic junction, the area where the upper back and neck regions of the spine meet, due to spine rigidity, which stooped the posture and reduced mobility.

What I saw:

The session started with a massage in the cervico-thoracic junction and surrounding musculature. Through this, the patient, who exhibited a stooped posture and limited neck mobility, received sustained pressure in the rhomboid and infraspinatus. This helped with muscle rigidity in the upper back. This massage is essential for Parkinson’s patients as it improves scapular mobility, which is critical for maintaining posture and arm and neck movement in PD patients.

Taking inspiration from ''Diagram of the Back Muscles''
by ''GeeksforGeeks''

In the second half of the session, the physiotherapist used the slide cupping technique, which helps increase circulation and improve the range of motion. The targeted points for this were: the cervico-thoracic junction, the elevator of the scapula, the trapezius, and the latissimus dorsi. Lastly, the static cupping technique was used to cover the main point of discomfort, the cervico-thoracic junction. The sketch on the right shows a vision of specifically where the cups were placed:

My Key Takeaways:

Before this shadowing experience, I did not realize the real impact that physiotherapy plays on PD patients. Seeing the patient’s posture and neck mobility change drastically in one hour was eye-opening. It emphasized the importance of therapeutic techniques accustomed to treating a patient's discomfort.

During the session, many techniques such as slide cupping, gentle stretches, massage, and static cupping were used. This individually helped not only to improve mobility but also the quality of life of the patient. How the therapist adjusted methods according to the patient’s feedback made me realize how a therapist’s experience and intuition play a crucial role in achieving better outcomes. In all, this experience made me realize the importance of hands-on treatment for PD, as well as the importance of a physiotherapist’s instinct.

About me:

Hey everyone!

I'm Samaira, a sophomore in high school who has had a passion for medicine since a very young age. Ever since I was 8 years old, I remember learning about my grandmother's career as a doctor and how it inspired me. Even though I never got a chance to see her in action, knowing that she dedicated her life to helping others sparked a passion within me. From that time, I began to envision a future in medicine, pursuing a profession where I could make a meaningful contribution to the lives of others.

I would also like to thank my physiotherapist for this wonderful opportunity. She has been helping me with my case of hyperflexibility for the past 4 years, and I am forever grateful! She helped me cope with my own struggles and was gracious enough to introduce me to some of her other patients.

Thank you all so much for reading my blog!

If you have any recommendations or queries, please feel free to write them in the comment section below.

Until next time!

References

GeeksforGeeks. (2025, April 17). Diagram of back muscles. Retrieved from https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/biology/back-muscles-diagram/

Parkinson’s disease - Symptoms and causes. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/parkinsons-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20376055

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