Transforming Lives with Parkinson's: The Power of Urban Polling's Activator Poles

Ever wondered how a tool as simple as walking poles could transform the lives of those battling Parkinson's disease? Brace yourself for an enlightening conversation with Joy Cochran, a clinical evidence specialist for urban polling. Discover the fascinating history of urban polling and the unique features of activator poles that have become game-changers in our clinical practice. Hear heartening stories of improved posture and relief from joint pain, testaments to the power of these tools.

Switch gears as we delve into the remarkable benefits of the activator poles for Parkinson's patients. Our experience as physical therapists comes to life through success stories of exercise, balance, and Nordic walking. Learn about the safety features that make these poles a boon for those with tremors or weak grip strength. More than physical aid, these poles are catalysts for improved quality of life and community involvement. Wrap up with us as we advocate for spreading the word on these life-altering resources, and leave feeling inspired by the positive impact of urban polling on those with Parkinson's. Tune in and join us on this journey of discovery and transformation.

Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched! 
Start for FREE

Check out our website www.safeathompt.com
give us a call at (585)398-6050
or send us an email at robin@safeathomept.com

Thanks for listening!

Transcript

Speaker 1: 1:03

I am here with Joy Cochran, clinical evidence specialist for urban polling, and Joy, correct me if I miss anything, but you are a rock study boxing coach, your LSVT big certified exercise expert for aging adults in Parkinson's wellness recovery, as well. As you have your APTA balance and follow specialist. And, of course, you're a physical therapist, doctor of physical therapy and did I miss anything? I think you got it Okay and we share a lot of it.

Speaker 2: 1:41

But when you sent me your email, I looked at your signature line. I was like, oh my gosh, we have all of the exact same credentials.

Speaker 1: 1:49

Pretty much. I'm missing a couple of things, but mostly, yeah, it was crazy. We had a lot of the same interests, so this should be a great podcast. So I got hooked up with the activate of the urban polling walking polls right back in 2019. So I had a course at my clinic for other clinicians and I have been using the walking polls. I know this podcast is for people with Parkinson's, but I use the walking polls with everybody, or a lot of people, with and without Parkinson's, I should say. They're so beneficial in so many ways. But I thought maybe we could start by you giving a brief introduction to urban polling and the different polls.

Speaker 2: 2:37

Absolutely, and I agree with you.

Speaker 2: 2:38

I was originally introduced to the polls for people with Parkinson's and took them into my clinic and just was like, oh my gosh, I can use this for so many other diagnosis.

Speaker 2: 2:49

And they totally changed my clinical practice and that is why I work for or contract for urban polling now.

Speaker 2: 2:56

And to go back to the history, they were originally designed by an occupational therapist and gerontologist because of all of the evidence that was out there in regards to Nordic walking and so, being an occupational therapist, she wanted to make them safer for a lot of her clients older adults, those kind of things but also make them and keep the integrity of the polls so that they still had the benefits of all the research that was out there. So, like we were talking about a little bit earlier, that nice core grip handle that they have that takes the place of most polls that are out there have straps, and so she got rid of the straps because there is research that shows that that increases your risk for injury and so the handle will still create that strengthening piece that the strap does on Nordic normal Nordic walking polls. But that's only one of the key features that really helps these to be so beneficial for a lot of the different populations that are out there.

Speaker 1: 4:06

Right, so they have the core grip. So every time you plant the pole, you're activating your core right.

Speaker 2: 4:14

Absolutely. You're activating your core and your arms, so you're getting a total body workout. That core is very beneficial also to people that have balance issues. They're able to kind of rest their hand right on that ledge and it provides them security and confidence to be able to walk in a lot of different areas.

Speaker 2: 4:35

And they also help for people that need to offload some of their joints so maybe they have arthritis or they have painful joints so that core grip ledge helps them to be able to take some of the pressure off of their knees, hips, lower back, so they can have increased walking tolerance.

Speaker 1: 4:53

Yeah, I know too. They're so comfortable to hold on to Like. Sometimes people will say, oh, I have walking poles and I said we'll bring them in, let's compare them to these. And they put their hands on the urban polling activator poles and they're like oh my gosh, these are so different, I'll take a pair. So that's really a huge benefit to them as well.

Speaker 2: 5:17

I experienced the exact same thing and I'm always open, like, please bring your poles with you. But yeah, as soon as people put them in their hands, they're totally amazed at how beneficial they are, and I have the same experience. Everybody will purchase a pair of our poles, even if they currently have poles, and when I look at them in the clinic, I find them to be so much more beneficial over even. A lot of people use PVC pipe or whatever you know like, but people are having to death grip in order to hold on. That ledge allows them to be able to keep their hands nice and loose instead of death gripping, so then they can relax that upper extremity and they're really only getting activation when they need to, when they go to move. So I find them a lot better than PVC pipe or something other generic poles that don't have that ledge.

Speaker 1: 6:12

Right, yeah, we used to use PVC pipe before I got hooked up with the urban polling in the clinic. But yeah, it's that nice grip and it's also so beneficial for posture. You know, as soon as people put them in their hands, you know the the activator poles you use. You keep them vertical the whole time. You don't use them behind you like you would ski poles. They have the balance tip on them so you want to keep them vertical to keep that tip flush with the floor to get the maximal benefit from from the balance aspect of them. But just, I'll put them in people's hands and I'll just say push down and lift your chest up towards the ceiling. And then, if you see them stand so much taller and I hear that from a lot of clients I feel so much better with my posture when I use them.

Speaker 1: 7:05

And also, you know, some people with Parkinson's have the destination where they get walking a little too. Or I don't even want to say that, I want to say like more. They do have a destination some of them, but the they feel like they're, you know, because they're forward in their posture. They feel like their posture is pulling them forward, which can lead to the destination. But I have people say you know, I'm using the poles, I feel like I'm standing straighter, I don't feel like I'm being pulled forward anymore. I just had one lady who has a lot of upper extremity tightness and holds, tends to hold her arm almost like a stroke patient right at their side, and she uses the poles. And she said she walks like three miles a day with her poles. But she said one time she went without them and she said my arm felt so tight and it didn't feel good at all. And she uses the poles and she said she feels so much better and she's not. She's choosing not to take any medicine at this point, or she sees such a huge force.

Speaker 2: 8:14

It forces an arm swing. So for some people that have that tightness it helps to relax them and it also helps to increase that range of motion. So getting those gentle arm movements when they're forced to move them with the poles it helps to increase that range of motion. I see a lot. Forced arm movement is also good because a lot of people with Parkinson's they don't swing their arms at all. So that forced arm movement helps to even get the trunk rotation and that disassociation of the trunk and the pelvis. So they're getting some of that movement to reduce some of that rigidity.

Speaker 1: 8:50

Right, yeah, so even though, even though you're not necessarily swinging your arms, you're using that reciprocal pattern. Yeah, and getting that option is huge and I use them. I use the physical switch, which we use more for people behind you and they don't have the button lock, but they're great.

Speaker 1: 9:09

I use them all the time when I walk. I don't feel right when I go walking without them, but sometimes, if I forget, I'll notice that my hands feel swollen like a little in the butt. When I have them up on the core grip and your wrists are in that neutral position and not extended and down hanging down, I feel a big difference.

Speaker 2: 9:32

Yeah, I use. I use the poles on a regular basis as well, but I use the activator poles and I just switch out the bottoms to be booty bottoms. But yeah, I use them to walk my dog, I use them to go hiking and, honestly, I can tell the difference if I haven't used them. So they help me with my strengthening of my upper extremity but and they help me to move faster Right. So I'm gonna write, they do when I'm using them.

Speaker 2: 9:59

But my boyfriend, I talked him into using them because when we go hiking he would get lower back pain really bad, and we couldn't go very far. And now he is sold like. He even tries to sell the poles to people that he sees at the store because he knows the benefits of them and he obviously just wants people to get the benefit as well.

Speaker 1: 10:19

Just like we do Right, yeah, they're great.

Speaker 1: 10:24

And the other thing is, you know some to. Every once in a while I get somebody that comes in that says they do. I show them the poles, they do great with them in the clinic and they're like, well, I'm not ready for those yet. And I'm saying, and I say, well, what do you mean? I said I use the poles, how do you mean you're not ready? And a lot of some people see them as like an assistive device, which they are for some people, but to me and to most people they seem more like an athletic device. You know, and if you go to, like I mean I'm, we're starting to see it more and more here, I'm in upstate New York, finger Lakes area. But like, if you go to Colorado, if you go to Denver, I mean it's probably everybody use the poles. And I have this one patient right now who he uses them with me and he finally did start.

Speaker 1: 11:15

He didn't want to walk out in his neighborhood with them, and then we he came back from vacation I forgot, I think he went to Maine and he's like oh, I saw people with them and so he started to use them because he felt like other people were using.

Speaker 2: 11:28

But Absolutely, and the history of the polls. Actually, nordic walking became popular because it was an off-season Sport for cross-country skiers to be able for them to be able to train during the summer when there wasn't snow, and a lot of people in Europe, nordic walking is is really important to them because they do a lot more walking than people in the United States, right, so they're introduced to the polls at a really early age and that's just a part of their life, like it's. Poles are Everybody's familiar with poles over there, where I think we're still trying to Implement that into the United States, and have it become more of a normal Right to be tool or exercise tool, I guess.

Speaker 1: 12:20

Yeah, and for me too, for the fitness poles and for the activator poles. You, you, you burn 20 to 46 percent more calories. Isn't that right? Isn't that what I read in the research?

Speaker 2: 12:32

Absolutely Yep. So, like I said, when you put poles in your hands, you're turning your Lower extremity workout into a total body workout. So you're activating your core, you're activating your triceps, you're activating about 90% of the Muscles in your body, and a study by church, a all Is between 20 and 46% yeah. That's I always say. I'm like, if you're gonna go work out, don't you want to get the best workout you can?

Speaker 1: 13:06

And there's actually Reviews.

Speaker 2: 13:08

There's two systematic reviews out there and I always butcher their names, so I'm not gonna even try to go there but one was more looking at athletes. The other one was more looking at People that had Parkinson's, copd I mean, there was a handful, so maybe people more with chronic conditions and, like I said, the other one was looking at people that use poles for sports. But they came to the same conclusion, which I think is amazing. The conclusion was, yes, people have increased caloric expenditure when they use the poles, their heart rate goes up, but they're not experiencing that Rate of perceived exertion. Their exertion levels aren't going up. So you're getting a better workout or more impactful workout, but you're not necessarily feeling it, which, again, if you're gonna go work out, get a better workout and not really right like I Think it's the best bang for your buck.

Speaker 1: 14:05

Yeah, and you're strengthening your core and you're not doing setups, you know, great. So just, and when people come into the clinic and it's in, I put the educational urban polling flyer and all my admission folders for my people with Parkinson's. And so usually the first Day when I'm evaluating it's a long session and I try and get through everything. If I don't get it that session, we get it in the next one and I bring the poles out and I do a video of them, without them and with them, and then just you see the difference again in their posture and their step length and their walking speed, and it's they're so beneficial. There can be a learning curve, so I don't just have people walk with them and send them away with them.

Speaker 1: 15:01

I usually, if they, if people have skied in the past, they tend to do better with them initially. You know, usually, depending on the person, it could take a few sessions before I'm like, all right, I'm gonna let you take these home now, cause they're a walking debate. So if somebody's got some balance issues, then you might need to work with them a little bit. But just the benefit is huge and the things that people come back and say you know, I can walk further. I can keep up with my spouse. Now I'm walking again. Bigger steps, bigger steps. Yep, I feel more balanced. So it really gives people the confidence to get back out and, just like any exercise, it can help reduce stress and anxiety and improve their confidence.

Speaker 2: 15:51

Yeah, I always tell this example. I did a quick demo at the Wisconsin Parkinson's Association event one time and they were gonna go out into the botanical garden and do a walk and this gentleman bought a pair of poles and took him on the walk with him and he came back and was like I did not feel like I had Parkinson's. I was able to walk in a group of people, appreciate the people that were around me, not feel like I was gonna fall over them, and I can still enjoy my surroundings, the gardens and stuff like that. So that took away that anxiety and the need to have such high divided attention, because you felt secure using them. And so that's what it's all about to me, like as a therapist, right, like that's what we want. People is improving their quality of life. And he came back to me later and he uses them on a day to day basis to go walking. He walks by his daughter's work and she didn't even recognize him.

Speaker 1: 16:50

Oh, my gosh.

Speaker 2: 16:51

Because his gate was so much better. He was standing up tall and he tells that story too, and I'm just like there's so many of them just like that, but that is what it's all about to me.

Speaker 1: 17:04

Right, yeah for sure. Ironically, one of the PT assistants we were both teaching the rock study boxing classes when we first brought it here and unfortunately she was diagnosed with Parkinson's. But fortunately she's very active In the right spot in the right spot. Yeah right, she's in the right spot. She's LSBT big certified so she knows all the exercise she's supposed to do. But one of the things she got the polls when we first brought them in and she loves them and she has come in and we bought replacement tips so many times because she uses them so much. But she said, even when I'm not using the polls, I swing my arms better. After she first started using them. She could tell a difference just even without using the polls.

Speaker 2: 17:58

There's a definitely a carryover effect. I've heard that a lot as well.

Speaker 1: 18:02

Yeah, and for me, using the fitness polls, I used them for a few weeks and I was like, oh, I think I'm getting a little bit of a waistline. You know, I could feel it. It doesn't take much. If you use them regularly, you can see and feel a big difference.

Speaker 2: 18:20

Yeah, I teach the continuing education course to instructors and to physical therapists and I heed that warning. Like you're using muscles that you haven't used in a while, or differently than you've used in a while, so you always need to make sure that you're telling your clients that they might have some soreness in the next day or two and they don't heed that warning.

Speaker 1: 18:41

Right, right, I'm like it's going to happen to you too.

Speaker 2: 18:43

I'm just telling you, and they'll come back to me a few days later and be like oh my gosh, I went out and walked just a mile with the piles and I can feel it today.

Speaker 1: 18:52

Yeah, right. If it's somebody that walks regularly, I'll say, all right, well, start with the polls like half your distance, and then they don't want to list it and they go, oh, I'm kind of sore. I'm like, well, yeah, but it's muscle sore, right, it's a good sore. So just fill it up. Yeah, right, yeah.

Speaker 2: 19:11

And you keep talking about the fitness poles and then we talked about the activator poles and I just feel like I'm going to expect some people don't understand that. So we have urban polling has two different lines of poles. One of them is the activator poles and that's more for people that need them for balance. And then we also have a fitness line of poles that are more like the Nordic walking and there's a lot of similarities to the poles. The few differences is that the fitness poles do have a twisting lock mechanism, where the activator poles have a pin lock mechanism. And that's one of my favorite features with the activator poles because of that safety. You get it locked into place, it's not going anywhere, it can't collapse on you. So a lot of people that maybe have tremors or weak grip strength or arthritis it's hard for them to get that twist into place and make sure it's locked without it collapsing, which defeats the purpose of using the poles.

Speaker 2: 20:12

So that isn't one of the other features that I like about the activator poles. That's different than the actual fitness poles.

Speaker 1: 20:21

Right, and they're anti-vibration features, right.

Speaker 2: 20:26

Absolutely. They have three anti-vibration features so when you're planting that pole you're not going to get that reverberation or discomfort back up into your hand. And, like you were talking about before, the activator poles have a nice big bell bottom so the surface area is larger and it's a rubber. So compared to other poles it helps with a lot of that stability that we need. So it gives more of a surface area for balance and stuff like that.

Speaker 1: 20:56

Right, yeah, and I do have. Every once in a while I'll get somebody with Parkinson's that was a skier or is still skiing and really wants to use them more, like behind them, and use the boot tip which is on the fitness pole, which is different than the bell tip. It doesn't give you as much as stability. So if there's somebody that does not have balance problems, I usually say well, why don't you get the activator poles and put the boot tip on them, just so you have them if you need them in the future? Or if it's somebody with, obviously, if it's somebody that has some arthritis with Parkinson's, which happens a lot, then they're going to want the activator poles. So the nice thing is, like you said, you can interchange the activator poles and make them fitness poles and use them either way, depending on if it's appropriate.

Speaker 2: 21:51

Yeah, absolutely, and I sell out of my personal company, joy Explorations. I only sell the activator poles. We do. I have booties on hand all the time.

Speaker 2: 22:04

I sell the activator poles and, depending on the person, I usually, if they are at the fitness level right now, I'll have them by booties and just tell them that they're a lifelong tool. So you might be using them as a fitness tool right now, for whatever reason. You might need to switch to use them because you have surgery, so they'll help you with recovery, or put the bell bottoms on and then you can go back to the booties, or the opposite. Maybe people are starting right now and need them for balance, but they work so hard and then they can transition to. A lot of the times people will be like I don't need my poles anymore and I'm like whoa, we just need to transfer you from using them for balance to using them for fitness and put those booty bottoms on. So I think the activator poles are excellent for going back and forth and having one pole but just a few different, two different bottoms, to be able to use them forever.

Speaker 1: 22:57

I agree, any walking poles. The tips come off and they have the carbonate tip on the bottom right.

Speaker 2: 23:05

Correct. They have a carbide tip on the bottom which for walking on ice, snow, gravel, those kind of surfaces.

Speaker 1: 23:13

Sand, like if you're going to go to the beach Sand, yeah, and they have the little things so they don't slide through the sand all the way or the snow all the way.

Speaker 2: 23:21

They have sand bottoms and snow bottoms, and sometimes that's just kind of a preference in regards to what you put on the bottom. You don't have to have anything on the bottom, but they do help so that it doesn't sink so far into the ground.

Speaker 1: 23:34

Yeah, I use my fitness poles for skiing as well, so I take them down Down in the sea across country skiing. Both. Either one I do more downhill, but if I'm going either one, I take my fitness poles with me.

Speaker 2: 23:50

I love to hear that. So my question to you is the pushback that I usually get is that there's not the strap on them. So For downhill skiing, do you ever find that to be a problem?

Speaker 1: 24:01

No, I never used the strap anyway. I didn't like the strap and I mean, didn't they find that that was the? If there's gonna be an injury with the poles, it's because of the strap. Yeah absolutely.

Speaker 2: 24:12

Yeah that's what I always tell people as well, but I haven't used them for downhill skiing. I've used them for snowshoeing and stuff like that. So I was just Wondering what your take on that was, but yeah. Absolutely. Why there is not a strap on there is because the research shows that you'll get what's called skier Some, because your hand, if you slip or whatever, it will get stuck in there and Yep, no, I have no problem.

Speaker 1: 24:35

I love them. They're great. I didn't take them for a while because I was afraid somebody would take them, but Well, my skis are worth more than the poles, so nobody's taking those yet either. So or do you sell them in your clean? Give a look.

Speaker 2: 24:48

Don't I? I keep them in my car because I found that when I use them, people are very intrigued by them, yeah, and so people would always be asking me about them, and so now I just keep a pair a pair or two in my car.

Speaker 1: 25:02

Yeah, I always have poles in my car too.

Speaker 2: 25:04

I don't have. I don't have a actual physical location, so I mean that's kind of having them in my shop, right.

Speaker 1: 25:11

Yeah, yeah, right, yeah. So we have them safe at home physical therapy. We have them on our website and we have them in our clinic for people to Purchase. I've been selling more lately for Christmas presents. They make great for Christmas presents definitely great Christmas presents and. Well, this has been great Information. I'm so happy to get the word out about the activator, stability poles and urban polling. Thanks so much for being here, joy Thank you so much for having me.

Speaker 2: 25:42

It's always fun to. I'm really passionate about trying to get people with Parkinson's up and moving and out into their community and feeling Safe doing it, and I feel the activator poles are a huge tool in order to help Do that. So I'm glad that you are out there promoting them and are having such great success. So I appreciate you having me on today.

Speaker 1: 26:05

Yeah, great, all right, take care, we'll talk again soon.

Speaker 2: 26:09

Excellent, thank you.

Speaker 1: 26:10

Yep, bye, bye I.