Safe Ways to Exercise Indoors

Winter is an ideal time to engage in virtual exercise, says Ryan Glatt, a physical therapist and health coach at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute in Santa Monica, CA. Options include group classes by videoconference, recorded classes on YouTube, and telehealth with a physical therapist. Other activities are chair yoga, recumbent cycling, and using an under-desk elliptical. Walking also is an excellent form of exercise, but people with poor balance should avoid using a treadmill, says Natalie Witek, MD, a movement disorders specialist with the Advocate Medical Group in Park Ridge, IL.

Read More: How to Exercise Safely in Cold Weather

Before starting any home exercise program, check with your primary care physician or neurologist. Also, make sure you have something you can hold on to for balance, like a sturdy chair or nearby wall, says Leigh Anne Bolling Richards, an instructor with Rock Steady Boxing, a class she leads at the YMCA of Greater Montgomery, AL. And remove area rugs and other tripping hazards.

Here are some offerings for multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke.

Multiple Sclerosis

The Cleveland Clinic’s “Exercise Essentials” workout, led by a physical therapist at the clinic, is 23 minutes and focuses on breathing, strength, core, and balance. Exercises for Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has a series of free yoga videos and other forms of activity. Yoga and Multiple Sclerosis

Parkinson’s Disease

An audiobook from the Parkinson’s Foundation describes the basics of physical activity and explains specific exercises. Fitness Counts: A Body Guide to Parkinson’s Disease

Dance for Parkinson’s has live Zoom classes for free. Zoom Classes – Dance for PD

Stroke

The American Stroke Association offers a series of free exercise videos led by a physical therapist. Post-Stroke Exercise Videos