Senior Spotlight: Ping-Pong + Parkinson = Hope

You may know that Parkinson’s Disease (PD) affects more than 10 million people worldwide every day, and typically occurs later in life impacting many seniors. Perhaps you have even heard of celebrities with PD drawing attention to the life-limiting components of the disease, such as Michael J. Fox, Muhammed Ali, Neil Diamond and Linda Ronstadt. But did you know that a recreational racket sport is creating hope & camaraderie for Parkinson’s patients around the world? It’s true, the non-profit PingPongParkinson has programs in 6 states and Europe, hosts a world championship every year and has been improving the lives of those with Parkinson’s for over 5 years! (Source: AARP)

The organization was started by Nenad Bach, a Croatian American musician who was diagnosed with the disease in 2010 at the age of 55. Within 5 years, his tremors had evolved to the point that he no longer could do things he enjoyed – like play guitar. After being invited to play ping-pong with a friend, he noticed he physically and mentally felt much better. Within 6 months of weekly play, his dexterity had improved to the point where he could play guitar again. He started spreading the word of his improvements to other ping-pong patients and the PingPongParkinson foundation was formed. There are now chapters in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, California and parts of Europe.

Most members are aged 60 and older. Some report the ability to walk and talk again after joining the group and playing regularly. Nearly all individuals involved enjoy the support of being around others who know exactly what you are going through. Bach insists that “It works … [but] I’d love to know why it works.” He presented his experience to a group of physicians and scientists in Germany and hopes that future research will pinpoint why exactly ping-pong can have such a tremendous impact for those with PD.

The PingPongParkinson website explains that “We were established officially on the first of March 2017 with the goal of halting the progression of Parkinson’s Disease by utilizing ping pong as a form of physical therapy. Our model is based on the concept of neuroplasticity – the brain’s capacity to make new neurons and connections through challenging physical exercise. Although medication remains the focus in the treatment for Parkinson’s, there is compelling evidence for the need for a regular exercise program in managing this disease.”

With depression, suicide and isolation common among PD patients as verified by a 2020 Danish study, ping-pong also provides a community, regular social interaction and players report decreased feeling of despair. Bach reveals that people leave the ping-pong sessions “smiling from ear to ear.”

Note that this article is NOT medical advice or intended to serve as guidance. However, we do hope that this topic opens our minds to “out-of-the-box” responses to aging and disease. If ping-pong can improve the quality of lives for those with Parkinson, what could it do for those with other debilitating diseases? What other recreational sports might help those with arthritis, dementia, cancer or stroke history?

If you’re as inspired by this story as we are, do tell! We would love to hear your thoughts! 

Warmest wishes,

Bobbi

Bobbi Decker
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