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Parkinson’s: Facing Young-Onset with Forced Exercise Bicycles

jim-schaefer
I first discovered this bike about two years ago, and I acquired it last year. I was doing a lot of research on Parkinson’s, and one thing people can do to slow down the progress of the disease is exercising. I was blessed to discover this, and I would be glad to help anyone who has any questions about the impact of a Theracycle and what it has meant for my life.” —Jim Schaefer

Theracycle rider Jim Schaefer was featured in the Lancaster Bee and discuses how the Theracycle helps him manage his condition.

Jim SchaeferTheracycle user Jim Schaefer was recently featured in an article by journalist Nick Konotopskyj of the Lancaster Bee. In the article, Jim discusses his experience with young-onset Parkinson’s disease (YOPD) and how he manages it.

Jim Schaefer is a fifth-generation firefighter at the Lancaster Fire Department in New York. Jim had been in the department for 20 years and was first assistant chief when he was diagnosed with young-onset Parkinson’s disease at the age of 44. As the article notes, most cases of Parkinson’s occur after the age of 60, with only a small percentage of diagnoses occurring before the age of 50.

An avid cyclist prior to his diagnosis, Jim Schaefer was proactive and continued cycling to manage his condition. Over time, however, he was unable to meet his distance and time goals while riding a conventional bike, and that is when Jim integrated the Theracycle into his routine. Jim goes on to explain, “I was blessed to discover this, and I would be glad to help anyone who has any questions about the impact of a Theracycle and what it has meant for my life.”

Note: The original article mentioned is no longer available on the Lancaster Bee website. However, Jim’s inspiring story and others can be found in our most recent eBook, “Stories of People Improving Their Lives with the Theracycle.”