If you happen upon resident Scott Cross as he slams the bag with a forceful shout during a Boxing for a Better Life session at the Community Center, you might think he would be a great person to have on your side in a fight.

But Mr Cross, along with a half-dozen others in the program, is facing a much bigger fight — against the advancing symptoms of Parkinson’s disease (PD).

And thanks to this unique program, which is supported by the Newtown VNA, each of the local participants is claiming their own little victories according to program director Shelley Norkowski.

“You can see their improvements not just from day to day,” observed Ms Norkowski, “but even between the time they arrive and when they leave each class.”

The personal trainer, who works for Access Physical Therapy & Wellness in neighboring Danbury, said she began learning about the benefits of integrating Parkinson’s-focused therapies with boxing fundamentals a couple of years ago. More recently, she has expanded her training from one-on-one sessions with individual patients to leading small groups at her office.

But when she saw an opportunity to bring the Better Life program to Newtown, she did not hesitate.

“I saw the need, had a passion for the program, and every session I witness the benefits,” Ms Norkowski told The Newtown Bee. The unique benefits of the program were also noticed by the local VNA’s leadership, generating a donation of $500 to help underwrite it.

Ms Norkowski said the goal of the class is to improve balance, coordination, and gross motor skills through movement and powerful punch drills that encourage the use of “fancy feet” or simple foot moves. She said the non-contact program can serve Parkinson’s patients, as well as others with different neurological disorders, “or anyone dealing with movement challenges.”

Combining Sport & Therapy

It is not just about throwing punches.

“I help them increase their vocal capacity, which can deteriorate pretty rapidly with Parkinson’s. So we have them shout as they move and swing — either counting punches or other motivating phrases,” she said. The customized movements open up breathing capacity and helps participants improve their balance.

“I’m not a boxer, but I’ve been training in incorporating boxing into this therapy program,” Ms Norkowski said. “You can’t just take on boxing and expect it to provide the same results unless you also include the special neurological training.”

The trainer also brings her own strong sense of empathy to these sessions. As a cancer survivor who is just beginning to recover from more than a year of surgeries and therapy herself, Ms Norkowski said leading the Boxing for a Better Life program is helping her recovery process as well.

“The community center is a great space for this kind of class because there’s room for plenty of participants,” she said. “Plus, it’s close to home — I find people with Parkinson’s and other issues don’t want to have to travel very far, so this location is really convenient.”

The class runs in seven-week cycles on Wednesday mornings at 9:45, and is supplemented by a popular Parkinson’s support group that meets at the Senior Center the first Wednesday of each month and sometimes draws more than two dozen visitors.

Proof Boxing Works

A 2011 study promoted in the journal of the American Physical Therapy Association related how six patients who completed all phases of the case series showed improvements on at least 5 of the 12 outcome measures over the baseline at the 12-week test, and showed continued improvements at the 24- and 36-week tests.

The study found that patients with mild PD typically showed improvements earlier than those with moderate to severe PD. Despite the progressive nature of PD, the patients in this case series showed short-term and long-term improvements in balance, gait, activities of daily living, and quality of life after the boxing training program.

It also identified that a longer duration of training was necessary for patients with moderate to severe PD to show maximal training outcomes, and the boxing training program was feasible and safe for these patients with PD.

In combination with fitness activities, the study said, boxing training incorporates whole-body movements, with upper-extremity punching motions and lower-extremity footwork in multiple directions.

The punching actions combine high-speed arm motions with trunk rotation and anticipatory postural adjustments, combining spinal flexibility, stepping in multiple directions, and movements performed faster than preferred speeds.

The first widely recognized application of boxing as a PD therapy was reported in Indianapolis, Ind., where a community-based group boxing training program developed by the Rock Steady Boxing Foundation gained remarkable popularity following its inception in 2006.

A current Rock Steady affiliate offers classes in East Hartford. Its founder, Gwen Tompkins, originally operated a boxing gym, and she said the only other affiliate in the state is in Deep River.

She said Rock Steady affiliates receive regular updates on medications, therapies, and research advances.

“I’ve seen this program change people’s lives,” said Ms Tompkins, adding that she was inspired to adopt the program in her gym after losing her dad to PD.

The seven-week Newtown boxing program is $50 and participants need to invest in their own set of gloves. Ms Norkowski said anyone can drop into the program at any time, and she will provide any orientation or catch-up one-on-one before newcomers join up with the rest of the group.

That is when she really begins seeing positive changes.

“Each person may offer examples that I can identify and share with the entire group, and then they all can learn,” she said. “It’s great to see how they all support each other — and it’s inspiring for them to see each other improving and overcoming the challenges they brought with them on their first day in the class.”

For more information, call the Newtown Community Center at 203-270-4349.