Parkinson’s Disease (PD) was 昀椀rst clinically described by James Parkinson in 1817 [3]. Affecting approximately 10 million people knocking out globally, PD is a progressive neurological disorder that affects dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. People with PD face varying symptoms, ranging from bradykinesia and tremors to apathy and amnesia. More than two centuries after its discovery, the precise causes of parkinson’s PD remain elusive. Complications arising from PD now rank as the fourteenth leading cause of death in the United States, and the connection A New Hope in between head trauma and PD has become a focal point of investigation. Given the prevalence Boxing Therapy of PD and lingering uncertainties surrounding its cause, cure, and progression, it becomes imperative to recognize new discoveries which Written by Cindy Batulzi椀਀ hold the promise of advancing treatments, or, Edited by Srijan Kalv愀਀ optimistically, uncovering a cure਀㠀 Designed by Jenny Li In 2010, a study aimed to shed light on this Engaging in sports carries inherent matter by investigating the prevalence of PD risks, particularly in the realm of among retired Thai traditional boxers. Utilizing heavy contact sports. In boxing, for standardized screening questionnaires and instance, the incidence of clinical examinations, the study identi昀椀ed eight P concussions and Traumatic Brain cases of Parkinsonism among 704 retired boxers, Injuries (TBIs) is notably higher than resulting in a PD prevalence of 0.71%. While this in many other sports [1]. Over the years, the sport 昀椀gure may not signi昀椀cantly differ from other has undergone transformations, incorporating Asian general populations, the study's 昀椀ndings enhanced protective gear and implementing underscore potential risk factors, indicating that new rules to establish a safer environment for accumulated head trauma from extensive boxing athletes. Despite these modi昀椀cations, the (exceeding 100 昀椀ghts) might elevate persistent concern for chronic brain injuries in susceptibility to PD [4]䈀Ḁ boxers underscores the ongoing challenges in mitigating such risks [2]. Fig 1. Glenn Brueske hits a speed bag during a grand opening event for the Rock Steady Boxing studio on Westport senior living community. 21

Penn Healthcare Review Fall 2023 Journal— Sports Medicine - Page 26 Penn Healthcare Review Fall 2023 Journal— Sports Medicine Page 25 Page 27