This is a major symptom in Parkinson’s disease. This general slowing down of movements is also known as bradykinesia or akinesia. There is a reduced range of motion in all movements. The result is a shuffling gait, with one arm swinging only slightly when walking. Initiating movements is also inhibited. Starting to walk from a standing position can be difficult. Some patients have the feeling of being stuck to the floor. Getting up from a chair or turning over in bed at night become more difficult. The lack of movement and the often accompanying stiffness can lead to shoulder and back pain. These are then often mistakenly attributed to a wear and tear degradation in old age. In the face, the mobility of facial expressions is impaired, resulting in a mask-like facial expression. These symptoms can be mistakenly confused with age-related mood swings. Decreased swallowing results in more saliva. Speech becomes monotonous, soft and hoarse. In addition to this loss of movement, Parkinson’s patients often display tremors, which occur predominantly on one side and mainly at rest. Furthermore, in the course of the disease, there is usually pronounced muscle stiffness, which causes a bent-forward posture and also makes rapid changes in movement such as starting or stopping impossible.
