According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, approximately 90,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD) each year, and the condition affects approximately 11 million people globally.

Gary May, PhD, C-IAYT, is part of those statistics, having been diagnosed at age 71. Finding yoga to be helpful in coping with PD’s many symptoms, he decided to become a yoga instructor, then an IAYT-certified yoga therapist.

In recognition of Parkinson’s Awareness Month, we’re sharing excerpts from Dr. May’s Yoga Therapy Today article “Where Need Meets Opportunity: The Case of Parkinson’s Disease and Therapeutic Yoga.”*

A role for yoga therapy

PD is the fastest-growing neurological condition in the world, outpacing even Alzheimer’s disease. An aging population, coupled with environmental factors such as air and chemical pollution, is believed to be behind the increased diagnosis rate.

With appropriate medications, regular exercise, a healthy lifestyle, positive mental attitude, and caring support team, many people with PD maintain productive, fulfilling lives for many years.

My team and I designed a unique holistic learning experience, the Finishing Strong program, to meet the needs of the PD community through therapeutic yoga. Read on for how yoga therapy can contribute to PD support generally, as well as a few details about our initiative, and consider seeking out a yoga therapist to tailor a plan with you.

Individualized for impact

Like other complex chronic conditions, PD affects people in different ways. Not everyone will experience all of the symptoms, and if they do, they won’t necessarily experience them in quite the same order or at the same intensity.

Yoga therapists devote considerable effort to properly assessing an individual’s needs no matter their condition. A client’s current stage of PD progression and symptoms—from movement-related difficulties like tremors, poor balance, and difficulty walking to problems with mood, behavior, and cognition—obviously influence how we proceed with yoga therapy.

With variations and props tailored to individual needs, basic physical yoga postures will most likely be available to clients in earlier PD stages. Chair- and bed-based yoga may be the safest approach for later stages. And people at all points can practice yoga breathwork, meditation, and other techniques such as mudra and mantra.

All of these people—representing the five general stages of Parkinson’s disease progression—can participate in yoga therapy!

Motion is lotion, movement is medicine

Besides taking prescribed medications on time, a disciplined exercise routine is the single most important activity a person can do to manage PD and lead the best possible life. A growing body of research documents the benefits of exercise for Parkinson’s-specific issues such as gait, balance, flexibility, posture, endurance, attention, concentration, and sleep quality. Some studies even suggest that a well-designed exercise program can slow the disease’s progression.

A complete fitness program for PD consists of three components:

1. cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise such as brisk walking or jogging, cycling, dancing, gardening and yardwork, boxing, and doubles tennis or pickleball;
2. strength (resistance) training, which could include bodyweight exercises such as yoga asana (physical postures), free weights, resistance bands, and gym machines; and
3. balance, agility, and flexibility training, such as yoga, Pilates, and tai chi.

Yoga therapy can support many of these areas, not to mention spiritual well-being.**

The key to maintaining a successful exercise program is incorporating variety and activities the client enjoys. Helping someone with PD get organized and motivated to exercise on a scheduled basis may be one of the yoga therapist’s most important roles!

Finishing strong

I learned a lot from PD support-group meetings, which influenced the structure of the Finishing Strong program. Recurring unspoken themes related to the progressive nature of PD: uncertainty and feelings of lack of control as the disease marched on in an unpredictable and sometimes cruel manner. Participants also had a sense of disorganization, for example, knowing the importance of exercise but never putting together and maintaining a disciplined plan.

To design a yoga therapy program to address these needs, I worked with two talented colleagues, Carole Schmitt, OT, RYT-500, and Paulette Lewis, DPT. Drawing on our collective expertise, we developed an initial program that included

• a holistic view (including content on wellness factors);
• sequences emphasizing PD-specific issues such as balance and flexibility;
• gentle yoga with a focus on breath synchronization to help address mental and cognitive issues that yoga therapy can support (depression, anxiety, apathy); and
• fully involving care partners in both class activities and homework, as these individuals play an essential role in providing follow-through and encouragement—and benefit from targeted stress relief themselves!

Where we are now, what’s next

Six groups have now gone through the Finishing Strong program. Results from this small sample have been promising, and participant feedback has also been very positive, with 100% saying they’d recommend the program to their friends.

Although working with clients who have PD can be challenging, helping to increase flexibility; improve posture; loosen tight, painful muscles; and build a more optimistic outlook can make a real difference in a client’s quality of life.

PD follows a pattern common to a number of serious medical conditions: complex and progressive, with support groups, foundations, and teams of different specialists that come and go. Yoga therapists can take a valuable seat at the table to support people with these life-altering diagnoses.

Gary May, PhD, C-IAYT, enjoyed a long career in business and served as a professor of management at Clayton State University. Shortly after retiring, Dr. May was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. Finding yoga to be helpful in coping with its many symptoms, he decided to become an instructor and then an IAYT-certified yoga therapist.

*Find more, including resources for professionals and people with PD, in Gary’s Winter 2026 YTT article. Full access to the magazine is an IAYT member benefit—consider joining today to help us advance yoga therapy as a recognized health profession and realize our vision of a world in which yoga is routinely considered as a therapeutic option for physical health, emotional well-being, mental balance, and spiritual consciousness.

**Read about IAYT-certified yoga therapist and personal trainer Petra Fibrichova’s approach to supporting PD through group classes and one-to-one sessions in “How yoga therapists work: Whole-person support for Parkinson’s disease.”