Rock Steady Boxing was founded in Indianapolis in 2006.
Forced, intense exercise has been scientifically proven to reduce, delay and even reverse, some of the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
At its flagship Indianapolis location, 19 classes are offered each week, serving more than 200 people.
Sixteen “Training Camps” are presented each year to replicate and establish Rock Steady affiliate programs throughout the world.
As of April 2016, there were 356 affiliates in 46 states, and 20 affiliates in seven countries.
The effect of boxing
While participants have reported success, Stephanie Combs-Miller, associate professor and director of research at Krannert School of Physical Therapy at the University of Indianapolis, has been studying Rock Steady for the past nine years. Learn more about the longitudinal study.
Parkinson’s disease
Parkinson’s disease is neurological disorder that many include symptoms such as muscle rigidity, tremors and changes in speech and gait.
As many as one million Americans live with Parkinson’s disease, which is more than the combined number of people diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy and Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Approximately 60,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease each year, and this number does not reflect the thousands of cases that go undetected.
More than 10 million people worldwide are living with Parkinson’s disease.
Incidence of Parkinson’s increases with age, but an estimated four percent of people with PD are diagnosed before the age of 50.
Men are one and a half times more likely to have Parkinson’s than women.
Parkinson’s Disease Foundation, National Parkinson’s Foundation
After the Leslie Stahl CBS’s Sunday Morning segment aired in 2015, Rock Steady had an increased demand for its training camps. This spring number of affiliates has grown to 356 from three in 2012.
