Therapist leads boxing study for Parkinson's patients

DALLAS - Boxing is now helping people fight Parkinson's disease.

It was all started as a passion project for Dr. Michael Braitsch while he was in school at UT Southwestern.

It was supposed to be just a 10-week program and study but it was so successful that others encouraged him to continue the program once he graduated.

Dr. Braitsch then opened the True Wellness Clinic in Richardson, which offers boxing courses to Parkinson's patients.

The course uses a combination of strength, endurance and flexibility to treat symptoms related to the disease.

"There's no cure for Parkinson's. But exercise is the only thing that's been shown to improve people's functions and slow the progression of symptoms. Through our hard work in class, people get to live a better life outside of class and that is a big deal," Braitsch said.

It's free to participate in the study but classes are $10 each with a sliding scale available thanks to a grant.

LINK: www.tribewellness.org