The UF Health Jacksonville Neurology and Rehabilitation departments offer a specialized golf and exercise program designed for individuals with Parkinson’s disease, tremor and other movement disorders. The program is the first of its kind in the region and addresses symptoms of balance difficulty, tremor, incoordination, stiffness and slower movement, which can limit participation in recreational activities.

A team of board-certified neurologists, physical therapists and experienced golf instructors have designed the six-week program to incorporate both golf-related and neurological rehabilitation for a fun and effective treatment approach. The goal of this program is to improve mobility, overall golfing performance, quality of life and participation in one’s favorite sport.

“We help with those big, rotational movements that are involved in golf, so that people can get better at their game,” said Sara Young, PT, DPT, OCS, a UF Health Jacksonville physical therapist. Young is a former collegiate golfer who played Division I golf at Florida State University, where she won the MVP team award her senior year. She is also a two-time PGA Minority Women’s Golf national champion. Young is Titleist Performance Institute certified and has been instructing adult and junior golfers for years.

A netted turf area and ceiling harness system offer a safe and therapeutic environment, while devices such as a golf launch monitor help gauge changes in golf skills by measuring swing, speed and angle. This helps in determining if a patient’s mobility is progressing or declining.

“In our golf program, we specifically work with lack of arm swing and difficulty with trunk rotation, among other things,” said Heather Barksdale, PT, DPT, NCS, MSCS, a UF Health Jacksonville physical therapist who specializes in adult patients with neurological deficits.

For golfers with Parkinson’s disease, tremor and other movement disorders, optimizing performance also means taking advantage of leading-edge treatments, such as medications, as well as deep brain stimulation.

Joseph Legacy, MD, a UF Health Jacksonville neurologist, has specializes in movement disorder and neurology. Legacy is also a former Division I collegiate golfer who attended Loyola Marymount University on an athletic scholarship, where he was the men’s golf team captain for two seasons.

“Our program is aimed at addressing the most common symptoms often seen in these individuals, such as tremor, balance difficulty and in coordination, stiffness and slowed movement,” said Legacy.

“Our physicians and therapists at UF Health Jacksonville are subspecialists who can individualize care to your needs in order to help you get back on the course, and stay on the course as long as possible,” said Ramon Bautista, MD, chair of the department of neurology at the UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville and the Phyllis Sohn endowed chair in neuroscience. “Golf is one of the major recreational activities in Northeast Florida. As a leading academic health center, our team will be at the forefront of developing best practices to help golfers with Parkinson’s disease continue to enjoy the game they love to the fullest extent.”

The golf rehabilitation program for mobility disorders started in December 2022. Three patients have completed the program, five are currently enrolled, and another five patients are waiting for their evaluation approval before they can begin the program.

“Emerging research shows golf has a large, measurable benefit on quality of life, movement coordination and balance, and helps reduce fall risk in Parkinson’s patients,” said Young.

Visit UFHealthJax.org/rehab to learn more, or call 904-427-8900 to schedule an appointment. A physical therapy referral is required for participation.