An ounce of prevention … Part II

One area of the body that becomes particularly troublesome for those of us with Kennedy's Disease is often the most neglected. As the disease progresses, the face and throat muscles also begin to weaken. Many of us begin to experience problems with swallowing, choking, dry-drowning (Laryngospasm), facial muscle wasting, jaw weakness, etc.

In my Smart Exercise Guide there are a few exercises that will help maintain the throat and facial muscles and possibly delay several of the issues mentioned above. Because of its importance, I felt it might be appropriate to include some exercises in this blog. I practice many of these exercises every day (those shown with an asterisk) and they do help … especially with the chewing and choking issues. If you are having any of the problems mentioned above, try these exercises for a month and see for yourself if they help. One thing nice about these exercises is that you can do them while sitting in your easy chair watching TV. Note: These are just a few of the exercises, more can be found in the Kennedy's Disease Association website and in this PDF.

1. Stick Out Your Tongue: * Bite down lightly on your tongue to hold it in position. Swallow ten times (or more) while holding the tongue between the teeth. Perform this exercise every day. At first, you might find this exercise extremely difficult. Over time, it will become easier. [Strengthens throat muscles]
   
2. Large Smile:* Make the sound "EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE" as you stretch your mouth muscles into a large smile. You should be able to feel throat muscles vibrate (stretch). Perform this routine ten times. [Strengthens throat and facial muscles]
   
3. Pucker your Lips:* Make the sound "OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" as you pucker you lips. You should once again be able to feel your throat muscles vibrate (stretch). Perform this routine ten times. [Strengthens throat and facial muscles]
   
4. Big Smile: Spread your lips into a big smile, hold for a count of ten and then relax. [Strengthens facial muscles]
   
5. Stretch the Tongue: Open your mouth and stick out your tongue as far as possible.  Be sure your tongue comes straight out of your mouth and does not go off the side.  Hold, relax and repeat several times.  Work toward sticking your tongue out farther each day, but still pointing straight ahead. Perform this routine ten times. [Strengthens tongue muscles]
   
6. Touch your Nose: Stick out your tongue and try to reach your nose with the tongue tip. Pretend you are licking a Popsicle or cleaning off some jelly from your top lip.  Perform this routine ten times. [Strengthens tongue muscles]
   
7. Tongue Darts:* Stick your tongue out as far as you can and pull it back fast. Repeat ten times as quickly as you can. [Strengthens tongue muscles]
   
8. Circle the Mouth: Move tongue all around your lips in a circle as quickly, but as completely as you can, touching all of both upper lip, corner, lower lip, and corner in your circle. Perform this routine ten times. [Strengthens facial muscles]
   
9. Vibrate the throat: Say Mah-Mah-Mah-Mah as quickly as you can. Be sure there is an M and an AH each time. Then say Lah-Lah-Lah-Lah as quickly and accurately as you can. Perform this routine five times alternating between the sounds. [Strengthens throat muscles]
   
10. Hard Coughs: Cough hard several times each day. [Strengthens the lungs and throat muscles]
    
11. Clear the Throat:* Clear the throat (um-hum) several times a day. [Strengthens throat muscles]
    
12. Expand the Cheeks:* Expand your cheeks as if you are holding your breath. Tap on each cheek while keeping your lips tightly closed. Perform this routine ten times. [Strengthens facial muscles]
    
13. Push out the Cheeks: Expand your cheeks as if you are holding your breath. With your tongue, push out on your left cheek and then your right cheek. Perform this routine ten times. [Strengthens facial and tongue muscles]
    
14. Cheek Raises:* Expand your cheeks as if you are holding your breath. While maintaining the expanded cheeks, press upward with the left cheek as if you were winking. Switch to the right cheek and wink. Switch back and forth ten times. [Strengthens facial muscles]
    
15. Big Yawn: Take a deep breath and open the mouth wide as if you were yawning. With the mouth open wide, move the jaw from side to side. Perform this routine ten times. [Strengthens facial muscles]
    
16. Jaw Pushes:* Place the palm of your hand against the bottom of your jaw. While pressing up with your palm, open your jaw as far as possible. Relax the jaw. Perform this routine ten times. [Strengthens facial muscles]
    
17. Other Facial Stretches: Close your eyes tight and frown. Raise your eyebrows as far as possible. [Strengthens facial muscles]
    

If you have some other face and throat exercises that work for you, please let me know.