Walking football helping Parkinson's patients

Walking football is helping people living with Parkinson's disease "get out of a dark corner", participants have said.

Those with the condition were invited by Parkinson's UK to play on a rooftop pitch at Hotel Football next to Old Trafford, Manchester, to encourage uptake in the sport among other patients.

The slower-paced version of the sport has been found to alleviate motor symptoms of Parkinson's and reduce feelings of isolation, advocates said.

Annie Booth, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's 10 years ago, said playing the game had helped her "realise there are people who can support you".

The 57-year-old from Stockport had never played football until 2022, but told BBC Radio Manchester joining the sport had introduced her to a supportive community.

She said: "Parkinson's can be quite an isolating condition and it helped me get out of a dark corner I was in."

John Roach, 63, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's when he was 50, said walking football had got him through "some of the worst times of my life".

He is now chairman of Liverpool-based Parkinson's support community Northern Lights and said he wanted " to help people use football as a doorway into the wider support".

Eddie Owens, who helps run walking football sessions with Stockport County FC Community Trust, said it had been "amazing" to see the social group that had formed as well as the improvement in players' physical and mental health.

Ms Booth said: "It has had a really positive effect on things like my balance, my spatial awareness, my mental fitness."

Simon Cook, 65, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's four years ago, and said he would urge anyone else struggling with the disease to attend a session and give the sport a try.

He said: "There's a real danger that you go into your shell and you hide from it because you think you're the only person who's got it, but the reality is there are people out there with the same issues."

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